Lighthouses Of The Mid Atlantic States

Interest in the history and preservation of lighthouses has never been stronger. Lighthouses of the Mid-Atlantic Coast details the history of lighthouses and much more, and shows why these structures continue to fascinate us. Discover what life for lighthouse keepers was really like. Learn about the history of U.S. colonial lighthouses and the role lighthouses have played in several wars. Meet the brave, nefarious, and colorful characters who served as lighthouse keepers and government overseers. Learn about lighthouse technology and architecture and find out how these treasures are being preserved.

Light boats, light vessels, lightships—before radar, depth-finders and satellite-guided navigation, mariners relied on floating lighthouses that lingered offshore as warning beacons in perilous waters. Moored near shifting shoals and treacherous reefs, lightships remained on station during all weather conditions and played a vital role in keeping America’s waterways safe for navigation. From 1820 to 1985, light vessels warned of treacherous seas and pointed the way to safe harbors. In Lightships, author Wayne Kirklin chronicles the eighty-five ships that protected the mid-Atlantic coast and the heyday of these special craft. From New York Harbor to the southernmost edge of North Carolina’s notorious Cape Fear, Kirklin details the unsung role this fleet played in keeping America’s merchant marines safe. Read Lightships to discover a forgotten but vital element of American maritime history.

Interest in the history and preservation of lighthouses has never been stronger. Lighthouses of the Mid-Atlantic Coast details the history of lighthouses and much more, and shows why these structures continue to fascinate us. Discover what life for lighthouse keepers was really like. Learn about the history of U.S. colonial lighthouses and the role lighthouses have played in several wars. Meet the brave, nefarious, and colorful characters who served as lighthouse keepers and government overseers. Learn about lighthouse technology and architecture and find out how these treasures are being preserved.

This book takes readers on a regional tour of 49 lighthouses and 4 lightships from the Hudson River to Chesapeake Bay. Featuring the masterful photographs of Bruce Roberts and Ray Jones compelling narratives, these magnificent books are histories, guidebooks, and celebrations of the lighthouses of New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia. Profiles include complete details on directions and visiting hours. (8 1/2 X 11, 86 pages, maps, color and b/w photos, bibliography, index)

Lighthouses were originally built to guide mariners on their journeys and to help them avoid hazards of the seas. This book focuses on the lights along the mid Atlantic coast ... the states of Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania. We start in Maryland just south of Washington DC on the east side of the Potomac River and travel counter-clockwise around the state. After coming up the west side of the Chesapeake Bay and through Baltimore, we then proceed south along the Chesapeake's east side. The next leg of our journey is north through Delaware into Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to catch the only lighthouse in eastern Pennsylvania. We then circle through New Jersey. Each entry will give directions on finding that structure, pertinent information on it and other interesting facts about it as well as a full-page color photograph of the tower. There is no need for a tour guide with this book in your possession. You will visit all of the towers in these states that accessed without inordinate expense or advanced planning. Whether you are a lighthouse aficionado who loves chasing these classic structures and or a young family on a budget who is looking for a low-cost tourist option, everyone should find something of interest in these pages. Above all, enjoy the lighthouses.