CT-68 Drum Point Lighthouse - Maryland Historical TrustData included on Verbatim® Ultralife™...

CT-68

Drum Point Lighthouse

Architectural Survey File

This is the architectural survey file for this MIHP record. The survey file is organized reverse-

chronological (that is, with the latest material on top). It contains all MIHP inventory forms, National

Register nomination forms, determinations of eligibility (DOE) forms, and accompanying documentation

such as photographs and maps.

Users should be aware that additional undigitized material about this property may be found in on-site

architectural reports, copies of HABS/HAER or other documentation, drawings, and the “vertical files” at

the MHT Library in Crownsville. The vertical files may include newspaper clippings, field notes, draft

versions of forms and architectural reports, photographs, maps, and drawings. Researchers who need a

thorough understanding of this property should plan to visit the MHT Library as part of their research

project; look at the MHT web site (mht.maryland.gov) for details about how to make an appointment.

All material is property of the Maryland Historical Trust.

Last Updated: 02-03-2017

Addendum to Maryland Historical Trust Maryland Inventory of Historic Properties Form

Page 1of8 Name of Property: Drum Point Lighthouse

Inventory No. CT-68

Location: 14200 Solomons Island Road South (MD 2) , Solomons, Maryland

Property Description:

Overview and Site

In April 2015, the Calvert County government identified ten properties that are in a floodplain, are likely

to be affected by a storm event that raises water up to five feet, or are along shorelines that are

susceptible to erosion and intrusion from rising water table. The Drum Point Lighthouse is one of these

properties. The Drum Point Lighthouse sits in the floodplain overlooking Back Creek; however, the

structure is raised above the floodplain by its iron piles. There is no evidence of flooding or

environmental damage to the structure. The lighthouse is in excellent condition and retains a high

degree of integrity of design, workmanship, and materials.

The Drum Point Lighthouse sits on the western shore of Back Creek in Solomons, Maryland and is within

the Calvert Marine Museum property. The lighthouse sits on the northeast corner of a wood dock

surrounding a central boat basin and is bordered by Calvert Marine Museum facilities (Photograph 1). To

the southwest of the lighthouse across the basin is the main museum exhibition building, the small craft

building and stage are located to the northwest, and the small craft center is located to the north of the

lighthouse.

Exterior

This screw-pile type lighthouse rises one-and-a-half stories with a tower and has an open deck below the

first story (see Photograph 2) . The hexagonal wood-frame structure sits on a wood platform supported

by wrought iron piles bored into the river bottom. Weatherboard siding covers the structure, which is

capped by a hipped standing seam metal roof with wood soffit. Gabled dormers with standing seam

metal roofs and weatherboard-clad cheeks project from the northeast and southwest portions of the

roof. An interior metal chimney projects from the southeast section of the roof. Atop the roof sits an

octagonal tower with a hipped metal roof capped by a ball vent and lightning rod. The structure is

accessed by a wood hatch at the base of the interior spiral staircase.

The exterior features four-paneled wood doors with interior wood-frame screen doors on the north and

south elevations. These doors provide access to a wood gallery that surrounds the structure

(Photographs 3 and 4) . The gallery is bordered by square wood balusters set at a forty-five degree angle

between two wood rails with a metal pipe hand rail running above. A rectangular wood outhouse with a

Prepared by: C. Leggio, D. Litowitz, and S. Wieczorek, Johnson Mirmiran and Thompson

Date: July 15, 2015


Page 2 of 8 Name of Property: Drum Point Lighthouse

Inventory No. CT-68

Location: 14200 Solomons Island Road South (MD 2), Solomons, Maryland

standing seam metal shed roof is located to the west of the main structure and is cantilevered off the

gallery (Photograph 5). The outhouse is accessed by a single-leaf louvered wood door. A metal bell is

located atop the roof on the northeast elevation and a winch/crane is located on the north/northeast

elevation suspended from the gallery (Photograph 6) . A second gallery runs around the lighthouse tower

and features the same balustrade as the first story gallery. A flagpole is located on the northeast side of

the tower gallery.

The structure is fenestrated by six six-over-six, double-hung wood sash windows with operable louvered

wood shutters on the first story and two sets of paired six-over-six, double-hung wood sash windows in

the dormers. The optic section of the tower has eight single-light windows (also called storm panes)

divided by vertical metal astragals.

Interior

The interior of the structure features four symmetrical rooms on the first floor-kitchen, dining room,

living room, and one bedroom (Photographs 8-12)-and two symmetrical rooms on the second floor-a

bedroom and the bell room (Photographs 13-14). The rooms encircle a wood spiral staircase

(Photograph 7). All rooms feature wood flooring, beaded board siding, and fascia baseboards. Rooms on

the first floor also contain round wood crown molding. Door openings feature four-paneled wood doors

in simple wood surrounds.


Date: July 15, 2015

Addendum to Inventory No. CT-68

Maryland Historical Trust Maryland Inventory of Historic Properties Form

Page 3 of 8 Name of Property: Drum Point Lighthouse Location: 14200 Solomons Island Road South (MD 2), Solomons, Maryland

CT-68- Drum Point Lighthouse - Photo Log

Prints created using Epson DuraBrite Ultra Inks and Epson Premium Glossy Photo Paper

Data included on Verbatim® Ultralife™ Archival Grade DVD-R with Proprietary AZO recording dye

Image Image File Name Image Description

No.

1 CT-68_2015-05-25_01 View of the west and southwest elevations of the Drum Point

Lighthouse, looking northeast.

2 CT-68_2015-05-25_02 View of the underside and supports on northeast and northwest

elevations, looking south.

3 CT-68_2015-05-25_03 View of the gallery on the northeast elevation, looking southeast.

4 CT-68_2015-05-25_04 View of the northwest elevation gallery and outhouse, looking

southwest.

5 CT-68_2015-05-25_05 View of the south elevation of the outhouse, looking north.

6 CT-68_2015-05-25_06 View of the winch/crane on the east elevation, looking northwest.

7 CT-68_2015-05-25_07 View of the interior spiral staircase, looking northeast.

8 CT-68 _ 2015-05-25 _ 08 View of living room and dining room on first floor, looking east.

9 CT-68_2015-05-25_09 View of bedroom on first floor, looking southeast.

10 CT-68_2015-05-25_10 View of dining room on first floor, looking southeast.

11 CT-68_2015-05-25_11 View of kitchen on first floor, looking southeast.

12 CT-68_2015-05-25_12 View of living room on first floor, looking west.

13 CT-68_2015-05-25_13 View of bedroom on second floor, looking southwest.

14 CT-68_2015-05-25_14 View of bell room on second floor, looking northeast.

15 CT-68_2015-05-25_15 View of lens in lantern, detail.


Date: July 15, 2015



Inventory No. CT-68


Drum Point Lighthouse, 1915. Courtesy of the U.S. Coast Guard.


Date: July 15, 2015



Inventory No. CT-68


Floorplans and Interior Photo Key

9

Living ..._12

s-.

\ 5 ~

Bed

FIRST FLOOR

(Not to Scale)

Kitchen

Dining

10./"


+ N

Date: July 15, 2015



Inventory No. CT-68


SECOND FLOOR

(Not to Scale)

1.3

•

14 .;"'


+ N

Date: July 15, 2015



Inventory No. CT-68


Resource Location Map and Exterior Photo Key

* Resource Location


I I I I I I I I I 0 0.0070.015 0.03 Miles

Date: July 15, 2015



Inventory No. CT-68


Resource Location Map

\ \

, I !..~~ 1l f~~ I ' \

\ I

I I

I ' I

--+ +'----


Date: July 15, 2015

Survey No. CT- 6 8

,.-'1aryland Historical Trust ~tate Historic Sites Inventory Form

Magi No.

DOE _yes no

1. Name {indicate pref erred name}

historic

and/or common Drum Point Lighthouse

2. Location

street & number Solomons Island Road South (Maryland Route 2) _ not for publieatlon

city, town Solomons

state Maryland

3. Classification Category __ district

- ~ bullding(s)

_ vicinity of

county

Status _occupied _x_ unoccupied

congressional district

Calvert

Present Use _museum _park

_structure _site

__ object

Ownership ~public __ private _both Public Acquisition _in process

_ work in progress Accessible __!__ yes: restricted _ yes: unrestricted _no

_ agriculture _commercial _x_ educational _ entertainment _ government _ industrial _military

_ private residence _religious

_ being considered ~not applicable

_ scientific _ transportation _other:

4. Owner of Property (give names and mailing addresses of ~ owners)

name Commissioners of Calvert County

street & number telephone no. :

city, town Prince Frederick state and zip code Maryland 20678

5. Location of Legal Description

courthouse, registry of deeds, etc. Calvert County Courthouse liber

street & number Main Street folio

city, town Prince Frederick state Maryland

&. Representation in Existing Historical surveys

date _federal _state _county - ·posltory for survey records

city, town state

local

7. Description

Condition __ excellent _K_good __ fair

Check one __ deteriorated __ unaltered __ ruins ~ altered __ unexposed

Check one __ original site _x_ moved date of move

Survey No. CT-6 8

1975

Prepare both a summary paragraph and a general description of the resource and its various elements as it exists today.

This hexagonal screw-pile cottage lighthouse is located on the edge of Back Creek, visible from Solomons Island Road. The cottage section of the lighthouse is framed and weatherboarded with an unroofed gallery encircling the lower story. The first story is divided into four equal-sized rooms. There are two rooms on the upper story.

8. Significance Survey No. CT- 6 8

iod _ prehistoric - 1400-1499

1500-1599

Areas of Significance-Check and justify below _archeology-prehistoric _ community planning _ archeology-historic _ conservation _ agriculture _ economics

_landscape architecture __ religion _law _science _ literature __ sculpture

- 1600-1699 _1700-1799 _x_ 1800-1899 _1900-

_x__ architecture _ education _ military __ social/ _art __ commerce _ communications

Specific dates 18 8 3 1975

check: Applicable Criteria: and/or

Applicable Exception:

_engineering _music _ exploration/settlement _ philosophy _ industry _ politics/government _invention

Builder/ Architect

A B c D

A B c D E F G

Level of Significance: national state local

humanitarian _theater __ transportation _other (specify)

Prepare both a summary paragraph of significance and a general statement of history and support.

This structure originally marked the north side of the entrance to the Patuxent River near Solomons Island. When it was built, it stood out in about 10 feet of water far enough out so that ships could sail between it and the shore. By the time it was decomissioned in 1962, it was seated on dry land at low tide. It is one of three screw-pile cottage-type lights remaining on the Chesapeake Bay. Between 1854 and 1908, 42 examples of this sort of lighthouse were built on the Chesapeake Bay.

The Drum Point Lighthouse was operated by the U.S. Lighthouse Service until 1939, when the Coast Guard took over. In 1962, the lighthouse was replaced by an automatic beacon light. The slowly deteriorating abandoned structure was listed on the National Register in 1973. The lighthouse was moved to the Calvert Marine Museum in 1975.

See: National Register nomination.

A History of Drum Point Lighthouse published by the Calvert Marine Museum, 1978.

9. Major Bibliographical References Survey No. CT- 6 8

1 O. Geographical Data Acreage of nominated property _______ _

Quadrangle name ______ _ Quadrangle scale ______ _

UTM References do NOT complete UTM references

ALU I I 1 I I I I I I 0 W! ...... ..._I _._1~........il I I I I Zone Easting Northing Zone Easting Northing

c Li.J .... I ~--- ol.i.J .__I ..._l.J...4-.._...I ._! ............ _.__.._ ..........

E l.__i_J .... I ~--- F LLJ I I '--1 ...L.....J...__.__ ........ ~ G l.__i_J ._I .....__.. ___ _

H LLJ I

Verbal boundary description and justification

List all states and counties for properties overlapping state or county boundaries

state code county code

state code county code

11. Form Prepared By

name/title Camille Wells

organization MHT/Calvert Dept. of Planning date 9/30/86

street & number Courthouse Annex, Main St. telephone ( 3 01 ) 5 3 5 - 2 3 4 8

city or town Prince Frederick state Maryland 20678

The Maryland Historic Sites Inventory was officially created by an Act of the Maryland Legislature to be found in the Annotated Code of Maryland, Article 41, Section 181 KA, 1974 supplement.

The survey and inventory are being prepared for information and record purposes only and do not constitute any infringement of individual property rights.

return to: Maryland Historical Trust Shaw House 21 State Circle Annapolis, Maryland 21401 (301) 269-2438

PS-2746

I.: os crn e...n t MARYL.AND HISTORICi\L TRUST

CT-68

MAlI 1F O&J~2.J INVENTORY FORM FOR STATE HISTORIC SITES SURVEY

UN AME HISTORIC

Drum Point Lighthouse AND/OR COMMON

fJLOCATION STREET & NUMBER

Calvert Marine Musuem CITY. TOWN CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

Solomon's Island VICINITY OF Calvert STATE COUNTY

MD

DcLASSIFICATION

CATEGORY OWNERSHIP STATUS PRESENT USE

_DISTRICT -XPUBLIC _OCCUPIED _AGRICULTURE. ~MUSEUM -BUILDING(S) _PRIVATE -UNOCCUPIED _COMMERCIAL _PARK

X-STRUCTURE -BOTH X.WORK IN PROGRESS _EDUCATIONAL _PRIVATE RESIDENCE

_SITE PUBLIC ACQUISITION ACCESSIBLE _ENTERTAINMENT _RELIGIOUS

_OBJECT _IN PROCESS -YES: RESTRICTED _GOVERNMENT _SCIENTIFIC

-BEING CONSIDERED X YES: UNRESTRICTED _INDUSTRIAL _TRANSPORTATION

_NO _MILITARY _OTHER

DOWNER OF PROPERTY NAME

Calvert County Board of Commissioners Telephone #: STREET & NUMBER

Calvert County Courthouse MD CITY. TOWN STATE , zip code

Prince Frederick _ v1c1N1TY OF

·gLOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION Liber #: COURTHOUSE. Folio #: REGISTRY OF DEEDS. ETC. Calvert County Courthouse-STREET & NUMBER

CITY. TOWN STATE

Prince Frederick MD

II REPRESENTATION IN EXISTING SURVEYS TITLE

DATE

_FEDERAL --5TATE _COUNTY _LOCAL

DEPOSITORY FOR

SURVEY RECORDS

CITY. TOWN STATE

II DESCRIPTION

_EXCELLENT

x_GooD

_FAIR

CONDITION

_DETERIORATED

_RUINS

_UNEXPOSED

CHECK ONE

X..UNALTERED

___.ALTERED

CHECK ONE

_ORIGINAL SITE

XMOVED DATE---

DESCRIBE THE PRESENT AND ORIGINAL (IF KNOWN) PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

Few historic buildings in Calvert County are as well documented as the Drum Point Lighthouse. Being as a project of the U.S. government there are many documents relatine to it including original floor plans, color specifications, materials etc. Copies of all these materials are on file in the Calvert Marine Musuem, Solomons, Maryland and partial copies are attached to this report. Most of the_orieinals are in the National Archives.

The advantage of a screw pile is that it offers the lest amount of resistence to water waves and the wind. Given this base a polygon leads itself nicely to that which is being supported.

In looking at the plans of the lighthouse one immediately calls to mind the work of Orson Fowler the great Mid-nineteenth Century propment of the architectural designing. That the lighthouse was to be a residence as well as navigational marker, provided the architect with certain unique problems. Lighthouses have traditionally been cylindrical, however, there is no real reason 'Why the residence beneath it could not have been another shape than an octagon. It is admitted by Fowler and others that the circle is a "perfect" form; the lack of corners, bracing, etc., lends itself to many specialized uses with east. It is a shape which does not lend itself easily to some materials, however, particularly wood. As pointed out by Fowler, the circle is most closely reached by a polygon. An octagon has more obtuse angles than do pentaeons or hexagons and seems to have been quite popular.

Orsen Fowler was not the first to build an octagon as is evidenced by the fact that he first published in 1849 and the first screw pile lighthouse in the U.S. was an octagon built in the Delaware Bay.in 1848. Fowler's work may or may not have influenced the design of the Drum Point Lighthouse but one must admit the striking siwjlarities seen in the floor plans of the liehthouse and the "J.J. Brown Residence" c. 1853. Fowler probably would not have seperated the two first-floor bedrooms of the lighthouse with a portion which bisects the angle formed by walls E and F but the other rooms are quite alike. Inner walls form 90 degree angles and attempt to meet the outer walls at 90 degree angles. The lighthouse does not take full advantage of Fowlers observation that acute angles result jn difficult to clear corners but the openess achieved by the seemingly long outer walls and the conciseness of a centraljzed plan do create a more desirable living space for what was necessarily confined existence.

On the first level of the lighthouse were two bedrooms, a kitchen, and a sitting room. The rooms were nearly of equal size although the kitchen and sitting room were made slightly smaller by a utility well in between them. This well included the stairs, a pantry and a coal room. There were two more bedrooms on the second floor each having a large dormer and closets. The dormer on the east side gave access to the large bell. The ballustraded hexagonal lantern frame crowns the polygonal hipped roof.

CONTINUE ON SEPARATE SHEET IF NECESSARY

_II SIGNIFICANCE

PERIOD AREAS OF_SIG!"IFICANCE -- CHECK AND JUSTIFY BELOW.

_PREHISTORIC --ARCHEOLOGY-PREHISTORIC _COMMUNITY PLANNING

_1400-1499 --ARCHEOLOGY-HISTORIC _CONSERVATION

-1500-1599 --AGRICULTUR~ _ECONOMICS

_1600-1699 x..ARCHITECTURE _EDUCATION

_1700-1799 _ART X.ENGINEERING

.Xl 800-1899 LCOMMERCE _EXPLORATION/SETTLEMENT

.%1900- _COMMUNICATIONS _INDUSTRY

_INVENTION

_LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE

_LITERATURE

_MILITARY

_MUSIC

_PHILOSOPHY

_POLITICS/GOVERNMENT

SPECIFIC DATEf· Built 1883 BUILDER/ARCHITECT

STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

_RELIGION

_SCIENCE

_SCULPTURE

_SOCIAUHUMANITARIAN

_THEATER

XTRANSPORTATION

_OTHER (SPECIFY)

Like its neighbor at Cove Point, the lighthouse which was on Drum Point has been photographed and written about many times. All sources agree that it is one of the few screwpile lighthouses still in existence and that lighthouses themselves are an endangered species. I~ was for this reason that after the Drum Point Lighthouse had fallen into disuse it was moved to the nearby Calvert ~rine Musuem where it is being restored and used as a tourist attraction.

CONTINUE ON SEPARATE SHEET IF NECESSARY

ijMAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES

de Gast, R., The Lighthouses of the Chesapeake, Balto., 1973, p. 71-77

Fowler, O., A Home For Pil, N.Y., 1848 and 1853 Witney, D. The Lighthouse, Boston, 1975

CONTINUE ON SE~ARATE SHEET I~ NECESS~Y

IEl]GEOGRAPHICAL DATA ACREAGE OF NOMINATED PROPERTY--------

VERBAL BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION

LIST ALL STATES AND COUNTIES FOR PROPERTIES OVERLAPPING STATE OR COUNTY BOUNDARIES

STATE COUNTY

----------------------------------~~~~ STATE COUNTY

mFORM PREPARED BY Description and significance statements: Wayne Nield. NAME I TITLE

Form compiled by: ~rch 1978 ORGANIZATION DATE

STREET & NUMBER ~ COIC'''Jt1.1/ 757-2815

R~ 5 B~ .26.2 B TELEPHONE

CITY OR TOWN STATE

The Maryland Historic Sites Inventory was officially created by an Act of the Maryland Legislature, to be found in the Annotated Code of Maryland, Article 41, Section 181 KA, 1974 Supplement.

The Survey and Inventory are being prepared for information and record puFposes only and do not constitute any infringement of individual property rights.

RETURN TO: Maryland Historical Trust The Shaw House, 21 State Circle Annapolis, Maryland 21401 (301) 267-1438

PS· 1108

·•m ,.,. 10-:t0e. - ... ,0-1'' L· as e )1.-\e n -r :-. . \"°• - , , I UNITEDSTATFS Dl:.P.-\RT!\ll'.N f OF THE INTERIOR

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE FOR NPS USE ONLY

~A TIONAL REGISTER OF IDSTORIC PLACES -'IVENTORY ·-NOMINATION FORM

•·10·. 1 7 1975 RECEIVEO h 'V

1

SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES -- COMPLETE APPLICABLE SECTIONS

l]2NAME HISTORIC

Drum Point Lighthouse ANO/OR COMMON


EILOCATION Western shore of Back Creek, Calvert County Marine STREET• NUMHR

Museum CITY. TOWN

Solomons Island STATE

Ml\rvlrtnd

DcLASSIFICATION

- VICINITY OF CODE

24

CATEGORY OWNERSHIP STATUS -DISTRICT -PUB UC -OCCUPIED

-IUILOINGISI .XPRIVATE -UNOCCUPIED

..»tTRUCTURE -BOTH · .XWORK IN PROGRESS

-SITE PUBLIC ACQUISITION ACCESSIBLE -OILJECT _IN PROCESS -YES: RESTRICTED

-lllNG CONSIDERED ..XYES: UNRESTRICTED

-NO

llOWNER OF PROPERTY

NOT FOR PUBLICATION CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

First COUNTY CODE

Cnlvert 009

PRESENT USE -AGRICULTURE ~MUSEUM -COMMERCIAL _PARK

-EDUCATIONAL -PRIVATE RESIOENC~

-ENTERTAINMENT -AEUGIOUI

-GOVERNMENT -SCIENTIFIC

-INDUSTRIAL -TRANSPORTATION

_MILITARY -OTHER:

NAME Calvert County Marine Museum, Ralph Eshelman, Director

STREET• NUMHA P. o. Box 281

QTY. TOWN SQm&lilR1ne t;o/omortL v1c1N1rvoF

IJLOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION COURTHOUSE. REGISTRY OF OHOS.. ETC. Calvert County Courthouse STREET• NUM8ER

CITY. TOWN Prince Frederick

0REPRESENTATION IN EXISTING SURVEYS TITLE

DATE

STATE Maryland 20688

STATE

Maryland

-FEDERAL -STATE -COUNTY -LOCAL

,- DEPOSITORY FOA SURVEY AECOllDS

<;tTY. TOWN STATE

6 D~~CRIPTION ..

,-EXCELLENT

_GOOD

·-1'r-FAIR

CONDITION

-DETERIORATED

-RUINS

-UNEXPOSED

CHECK ONE

~UNALTERED

-ALTERED

CHECK ONE

-ORIGINAL SITE 19 7

J ,X-MOVED DATE __ _

DESCRIBE THE PRESENT AND ORIGINAL (IF KNOWN) PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

The Drwn Point Lighthouse was located at the southern end of Drum Point, Calve~t County, ~aryland at the mouth of the Patuxent River. Tte Light is now at the Calvert Marine Museum on the western bank of Back Creek on the east side of Maryland, Route 2, north of Solomons Island.

The hexagonal wooden structure is held up by iron supports of the screw-pile type. An auger-like flange was bored into the soft Patuxent River bottom forming the support for the columnar iron base from which the weight of the entire lighthouse, which is fastened to the colllr.ln, is diffused.

Chesapeake Bay screw-pile lighthouse construction is typically hexagonal or square.

The Keeper's quarters, six-sided and Hheathed with weatherboards, is solidly built with mortised and tenoned joints, a hexagonal roof and two dormer windows. An unroofed open gallery encircles the lower story of the structure. On the top of the house is the cupola containing the. lighthouse lamp.

A small, second open gallery surrounds the cupola. The original light, described as a "fixed red" on an 1877 chart, was replaced with an automatic light after World War II. The original light from the Drum Point Lighthouse is on exhibit at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museu.."ll, St. Michaels, Maryland.

Originally placed one-sixteenth of a nautical mile from shore, the ~er around the lighthouse gradually receded until, from 1965 on, the

nthouse had become marooned on the beach. The present site gives the Lighthouse a much more appropriate setting at the edge of the water.

Drum Point Lighthouse had been a matter of concern to preservationist': for several years. The only way to preserve it and to secure its future was to move it. A memorandum of agreement between the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, the General Services Administration and the Narylynd St~te Historic Preservation Officer (June 1973) endorsed the move. Tne Memorandum of Agreement contains a copy of the positive easement attached to the deed of sale which further protects the lighthouse. The General Services Administration disoosed of the Lighthouse after the State of Maryland had been unsuccessful in maintaining the property. The lighthouse was legally inaccessible from the land. After April 1973, when the property was nominated to the Register (and while in Federal ownershio), vandals got through fins in the structure. All twenty-two doors and twelve windows were broken, guard rails were damaged and the interior was defaced. Now, on its new site, the light-house will undergo restoration and will be accessible to the public. Private donations made possible the painting of the exterior.

1Memorandum of Agreement, June 1973, with CO?Y of easement and language, can be found in the files of the Maryland Historical Trust, Annapolis, Maryland.

-

i.1 SIGNIFICANCE

PERiOD

rR£HISTORIC

1499

AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE·· CHECK AND JUSTIFY BELOW

. 1599

1600-1699

- 1700· 1799

;.: 1800·1899

-· 1900·

_.ARCHEUL()UY·PREHISTORIC

_.ARCHEOLOGY-HISTORIC

_.AGRICULTURE

_.ARCHITECTURE

_.ART

-COMMERCE

-COMMUNICATIONS

SPECIFIC DA TES

STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

-COMMUNITY PLANNING _LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE

-CONSERVATION _LAW

-ECONOMICS -LITERATURE

_EDUCATION _MILITARY

-ENGINEERING -MUSIC

-EXPLORATION/SETTLEMENT _PHILOSOPHY

_JNDUSTRY _POLITICS/GOVERNMENT

Jf:--1 NVENTION

BUILDER/ARCHITECT

-RELIGION

-SCIENCE

-SCULPTURE

-SOCIAVHUMANITARIAN

-THEATER

X.TRANSPORTATION

-OTHER (SPECIFY)

The Drum Point Lighthouse is one of the four remaining screw-pile lighthouses on the Chesapeake Bay.

Any lighthouse, and particularly a historic structure, is fast disappearing as navigational equipment due to the modern connnunications channels and satellite-related aids. ·

The Drum Point Lighthouse and other screw-pile lighthouses f louris:~w:: on the Chesapeake Bay from the second half of the nineteenth century to the mid-twentieth century. They served as important navigational aids. Although the Drum Point Ligl'Ihouse has escaped demolition, its original light, which required a resident attendant, was replaced with an automatic light after World War II.

The first screw-pile lighthouse on the Chesapeake Bay was erected in 1855 in Vir9inia watora. In the mid-ninoteonth century these practici·~

,1~.:Jhthouses began to replace light ships, which were the principal nav-1tion aids, on the Bay.

The United States Lighthouse Board, a branch of the United States Treasury Department, built the Drum Point Lighthouse on five acres in the mouth of the Patuxent River. The State of Maryland conveyed the property on which. the lighthouse (only) stands to the Federal government on February 15, 1883. This transaction followed the provisions of an 1874 l-laryland law that provides for the transfer of State property to become Federal property of the United States for the purpose of the erecting of lighthouses and other navigational aids.

Alexander Mitchell (1790-1868) invented the screw-pile principle. His idea was first used in 1838 at the Malpin Sand Lighthouse at the mouth of the River Thames, England. The principle was later applied to bridges, viaducts and piers. The screw-pile principle is well suited to southern bodies ·of water and to soft botto~s.

orm No 1D·3Q01. Hev Hr741

UNlll:D STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTL:RIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

NPIONAL REGISTER OF 1-DSTORIC PLACES .iNVENTOR Y .... NOMINATION FORM


FOR NPS use ONLY

RECEIVEo~WV 1 '/ 1975

loATE ENTERED

Calvert County 9 l CONTINUATION SHEET ITEM NUMBER PAGE

f 9 Johnson, Arnold Bur9ea1. ~he Modern Lioht•Uouae Service. waahin9ton1

Government Printing Office, 1890. · Laws of Maryland. 1874. Chapter 193. Lee, Sidney (ed.). Dictionarv of National Bioqranhv. XXXVIII.

New York: MacMillian, 1894, p.62-63.

CT-~~

I ! I

... ,.,nJV" DID&dVUArt.rru\.t.nl. A.C..r.C.l\.C.l~\.t.C.~

Br~wington, M. V. Chesapeake BaY, A Partial Historv. Cambridge, Maryland: Cornell Maritime Press, 1953.

Burgess, Robert H., Chesapeake Circle Cambridge, Maryland: Cornell Maritime Press, 1965 •

. This Was the Chesapeake Bay. Cambridge, Maryland: ~C-o_r_n_e--l~l__,,P~u-b~l-i-·s~h,_,...ing, 1963.

flDGEOGRAPHICALDATA ACREAGE OF NOMINATEO PROPERTY less than one UTM REFERENCES

Al.iis.J I ;312 , 2! pa , pl k , 2l 4u l36 ,o f ZONE EASTING NORTHING cw I I 1 I 1 I I! I I I I I I

VERBAL BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION

I I I I I I NORTHING

I I I I I I

LIST ALI. STATES ANO COUNTIES FOR PROPERTIES OVERLAPPING STATE OR COUNTY BOUNDARIES

STATE C:OOE COUNTY

STATE CODE COUNTY

mFORM PREPARED BY .--...ME1T1T1.1 Paul Brinkman, Architectural Historian

Nancy Miller, Historian ORGANIZATION

CODE

CODE

IS DATE

Maryland Historical Trust Sumer 1967. January 1972 STREET Ii NUM8ER TELEPHONE

21 State Circle 267-1438 CITYOR TOWN STATE

Annapolis, Marvland 21401

IPJSTATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER CERTIFICATION THE f,VALUATEO SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS PROPERTY WITHIN THE STATE IS:

NATIONAL4- STATE_ LOCAL_

As the designated State Historic Preservation Officer for the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 I Public Law 89-665). I hereby nominate this property for inclusion in the National Register and certify that it has been evaluated according to the criteria and procedures set forth by the National Park

STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER SIGNATURE

TITLE Officer

FOR NPS USE ONLY I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS PROPERTY IS INCLUDED IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER

DATE

DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF ARCHEOLOGY ANO HISTORIC PRESERVATION DATE AT"~:

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR OEOLOOJCAL SURVEY

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Ct- 68 Drum Point Li~hthouse Solomons Island Road Solomons

Camille Wells vi ew from the southwest

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CT-68 Drum Point Lighthouse - Maryland Historical TrustData included on Verbatim® Ultralife™...

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