Historic Point Lookout Lighthouse Open to the Public After Years of Navy Ownership

The Maryland Park Service plans to open historic Point Lookout Lighthouse to the public once a month during the 2006 season. The lighthouse was recently acquired by DNR through an exchange with the U.S. Navy under an agreement approved by the Board of Public Works; a 4.45-acre parcel of land was swapped for the 4.88-acre Point Lookout Lighthouse Complex. In addition to the lighthouse, the Complex includes a bouy shed, coal shed, smokehouse and an archeological site. The lighthouse served as a navigational beacon, guiding vessels at the mouth of the Potomac River and the Chesapeake Bay for 135 years until 1965 when an automated light was activated. "We are thrilled about having the lighthouse back," said Ranger Robin Melton, manager of Point Lookout State Park. "The complex will further add to the rich history and cultural significance of the park. This provides us with an opportunity to use the lighthouse for education, interpretation, and special events available to the public."