On the way back from the Chesapeake Bridge -Tunnel, we stopped at Fort Story to visit the Old Cape Henry Lighthouse located there. Fort Story is a military base that is home to a variety of U.S. Army and Naval Units in the City of Virginia Beach. Cape Henry is a cape on the Atlantic shore of Virginia and the southern boundary of the entrance to Chesapeake Bay. Near the point where the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean meet, Cape Henry was the site of the first landing of the English colonists, who eventually settled in Jamestown, on April 26, 1607.
To visit the lighthouse, you must pass through the security gates of Fort Story, and it is required to show Photo Ids at a military checkpoint to enter. Our car was checked out as well, which makes sense to do, by very personable, polite and helpful security staff. After passing the check point, we drove to the Cape Henry Lighthouse visitor center. There was a good view of both lighthouses right from the visitor’s center parking lot. The Old Cape Henry Lighthouse is on the left and the new Cape Henry Lighthouse is on the right in the picture below.
We bought the tickets at the visitor center and proceeded with the lighthouse guided tour.
The Old Cape Henry Lighthouse was the first lighthouse authorized by the U.S. government, dating from 1792. It is only one of nine federal octagonal lighthouses that survive today. The Old lighthouse is a National Historic Landmark and not in use anymore. Per our guide, it is 26 feet in diameter at its base, and 16 feet at its top. The brick lighthouse was an important step for trade along the Virginia and Maryland coasts, as it made the Chesapeake Bay more easily and safely navigable. The Old Lighthouse stands near Cape Henry Memorial and First Landing Cross – the spot where Captain Newport raised a cross in 1607, to offer thanks for their safe crossing of the Atlantic.
Within view of the old Cape Henry Lighthouse is its 1881 replacement made of cast iron (the original one was made of stone taken from the same quarry which also provided the stone for Mount Vernon).
The new Cape Henry Lighthouse is equipped with electrical and mechanical systems which still guides sea traffic safely into the harbor. Tours are not allowed to the new Lighthouse.
Dave and I climbed all 191 steps to the top of the Old Cape Henry Lighthouse. From there we had quite a panoramic view of the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean.
This is a view of the New Cape Henry Lighthouse from the top of the original Cape Henry Lighthouse.
