Cape Henry Lighthouse

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The newer Light Station and the Old Lighthouse at Cape Henry

1905 photo of both lighthouses from a different angle. U.S. Library of Congress

Old Cape Henry Lighthouse postal stamp United States Postal Service

Cape Henry Lighthouse is located at Cape Henry, a cape on the Atlantic shore of Virginia. Cape Henry is the southern boundary of the entrance to Chesapeake Bay, and is one of the Virginia Capes (along with Cape Charles).

The Cape Henry Lighthouse has long been important for the large amount of ocean-going shipping traffic for the harbors, its rivers, and shipping headed to ports on the Chesapeake Bay. It was the first lighthouse authorized by the U.S. government, dating from 1792. It was also the first federal construction project under the Constitution, for an original contract amount of $15,200 (an additional $2,500 was required to finish the lighthouse). A newer structure stands nearby, so there are actually two lighthouses at Cape Henry.

The older lighthouse was acquired in 1930 by the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities (Now APVA Preservation Virginia). A brick lining and an iron stairway have been added to the interior. The lighthouse is open to the public and a fine view can be enjoyed from its observation platform. It was designated a National Historic Landmark on January 29, 1964. In 2002 the American Society of Civil Engineers designated the lighthouse a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark.

The lighthouses are located in the city of Virginia Beach within the boundaries of Fort Story, an Army base. The Cape Henry Memorial is adjacent to the lighthouses.