New Point Lighthouse
The New Point Lighthouse was first lighted on January 17, 1805 and continued to beam at the eastern junction of the Chesapeake Bay and Mobjack until 1963. The lighthouse stands as a reminder of the nations first efforts to establish commerce during the presidency of Thomas Jefferson. New Point Lighthouse survived war, hurricanes, abandonment, and for every year of its life. New Point was the fourth lighthouse built on the Chesapeake Bay. In a federal program to make the Bay safer for commercial shipping this lighthouse was built. New Point is the third oldest lighthouse behind Cape Henry and Old Point.
Elzy Burroughs was responsible for purchasing the two acres and obtaining the contract to have the New Point Lighthousebuilt. Upon completion Mr. Burroughs was the first the lighthouse keeper and worked on building the keeper’s house.
Just 10 years beyond its opening an inspector found that the sand around the base had washed away so much to endanger the safety of New Point Lighthouse. The original location was located at the end of Mathews County, New Point, Virginia included the lighthouse and the keeper’s house. Due to the erosion and all the efforts to prevent the erosion the lighthouse in New Point is now an island. This lighthouse is the pride of Mathews County and its residents who have rallied to save the lighthouse. New Point has always been a popular destination and the keepers always welcomed visitors.
New Point Comfort Lighthouse Keepers
1805 – 1814 Elzy Burroughs
1814 – 1815 Robert Lithburn
1815 – 1819 James B.H. Johnson
1819 – 1830 Wm. Johnson
1830 – 1846 Wm. R. Brownley
1846 – 1854 Issac Foster
1854 (Revoked) James B. White
1854 – 1861 Edward S. White
1861 – 1865 (No Keeper)
1865 - 1869 Joseph S. Allen
1869 – 1871 Sylvester H. Wolhiser
1871 - 1873 J. McHenry Farley
1873 – 1876 John D. Hudgins
1876 – 1879 Leonard Smithers
1879 – 1881 A.F. Hudgins
1881 – 1883 Wm. F. Ripley
1883 – 1888 C.W. Forrest
1888 – 1899 Oliver R. Hudgins
1899 – 1901 James B. Hurst
1901 – 1906 Richard W. Marchant
1906 – 1915 or 1916 Wesley F. Ripley
1916 or 1917 – 1919 Edward A. Sibley
1919 – 1954 Henry L. Dow
Filed under: Lighthouse history | Tagged: Alpine lake, coral island, eagle river, forest camp, garden, hidden river, lighthouse, lighthouse 2, mamba, Mathews Virginia, midnight fire, spring forest, spring stream, three bears, tropic island, tropic waterfall, waterfall bay
[...] New Point Lighthouse By lighthouse43 New Point Lighthouse The New Point Lighthouse was first lighted on January 17, 1805 and continued to beam at the eastern junction of the Chesapeake Bay and Mobjack until 1963. The lighthouse stands as a reminder of the nations first … Shed Some Light on Lighthouses – http://lighthouse43.wordpress.com [...]
[...] New Point Lighthouse By lighthouse43 New Point Lighthouse The New Point Lighthouse was first lighted on January 17, 1805 and continued to beam at the eastern junction of the Chesapeake Bay and Mobjack until 1963. The lighthouse stands as a reminder of the nations first … Shed Some Light on Lighthouses – http://lighthouse43.wordpress.com [...]