Year first lit 1886 Foundation stone Height 4.6 m Material Brick Nearest city Fort Howard, Maryland | Automated 1929 Tower shape square tower Opened January 1886 Added to NRHP 2 December 2002 Constructions Brick, Masonry | |
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Location West of Fort Howard (North Point) on the north shore of the Patapsco River Characteristic Fixed red (originally white) Similar Craighill Channel Upper Ra, Hawkins Point Light, Somers Cove Light, Cobb Point Bar Light, Maryland Point Light | ||
The Craighill Channel Upper Range Front Light is one of a pair of range lights that marks the second section of the shipping channel into Baltimore harbor.
History
Work on the upper range lights commenced in 1885 and was completed in time to allow activation in January 1886. An initial plan to reuse the west North Point Range Light was discarded in favor of a tiny brick structure constructed on the foundation of the old light. The keeper's house was built on the shore, and a long wooden bridge allowed access to the light itself. Initially a locomotive headlight was installed to show a fixed white light.
Three years after improvements to the keeper's house were made in 1890, the bridge to the light was destroyed by a storm. Rather than rebuild it, the headlight was moved to the exterior of the light, and the keeper took up residence in the light itself. The light was electrified and automated in 1929. Although there are some claims that the light was rebuilt in 1938, this is believed to be a misunderstanding based on discrepancies in the reported height of the light over the years.