Point Retreat Light, Maritime navigation beacon in Admiralty Island, Alaska, United States.
Point Retreat Light is a lighthouse on Admiralty Island that guides ships through the waters around Lynn Canal. The station features a square tower with a balcony and lantern room sitting atop a fog signal building.
The original wooden structure was built in 1904 by the United States Lighthouse Service. A major renovation in 1924 resulted in the construction of the current stone and steel facility.
The National Register of Historic Places recognizes this lighthouse for representing early twentieth century maritime navigation technologies in southeastern Alaska.
The beacon sends a white flash every six seconds with a visibility range of nine nautical miles for passing vessels. The station operates on solar power and is equipped to handle the harsh coastal weather and fog that frequently occurs in this region.
The name comes from an 1794 encounter when explorer Joseph Whidbey had to retreat from an interaction with local Tlingit people at this location. The place was named after this event, which marks an early moment in the European exploration of the region.
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