Blakistone Island Light

Blakistone Island Light is a brick tower with a whitewashed exterior and a lantern room integrated directly into the dwelling structure above. The combined keeper's house and tower form a single unified building typical of mid-1800s Chesapeake Bay lighthouse design.

Built in 1851, the lighthouse served the Potomac River and survived a Confederate raid during the Civil War in 1864. The keeper's quick thinking during that encounter determined the building's survival.

The lighthouse stands on St. Clement's Island, where the first English settlers established the Maryland colony in 1634.

The rebuilt structure welcomes visitors during the warmer months and provides a look inside a working 1800s-era lighthouse station. Accessing the island requires boat travel, so check availability in advance before planning a visit.

The keeper persuaded Civil War raiders not to destroy the lighthouse by invoking personal circumstances, a moment when individual appeal proved stronger than military orders. This uncommon encounter gives the structure a memorable place in the region's wartime history.

Location: St. Mary's County

GPS coordinates: 38.20750,-76.74500

Latest update: December 13, 2025 12:41