Mathias Point

I'm not sure where to put this one - it doesn't seem to fit in any particular category.

We went to Silver Spring (D.C. suburbs) today and stopped on the way back in Calvert County to eat. The little pizza and sub place that we ate at (Chessie's Subs and Pizza), had lighthouse drawings on the walls.

The wall next to table where we were sitting at had Hatteras, Diamond Shoals and Assateague on it.



But over on the other walls were Ocracoke, and Thimble Shoals (which I knew),



and Mathias Point, Virginia, which I had never heard of.

When I went to look it up, I found that it is just up the river from us off Dahlgren. We can hear them testing over there at Dahlgren from where we are (up on a bluff overlooking Breton Bay) sometimes.

It was another one of the screwpile lighthouses which was dismantled in the mid sixties. Also since the lighthouse is out in the Potomac, it technically is NOT in Virginia, but in Maryland, since the whole of the Potomac up to the Virginia shore is in Maryland.

Gorgeous prints! I especially like the first one of Assateague in the snow.
Thanks for the information on Mathias Point!

Sad that Mathias Point was dismantled. Anyone know why many of these screwpiles were removed? My guess is to open bigger shipping lanes.

Yes I thought the snow was different.

Hi Grandma Rosalie,
I emailed you my first reply on Mathias Point rather than post. I am still learning to use the site:) Anyway, I live near Mount Bethel/Mathias Point and would like to find a print like you have of Mathias Point. Is there any information on the print as to how to get another one?
Thanks,
mathias_point

The caption on the print reads "Mathias Point Light, VA 1806" and then has the artists name. His first name is Stephen and the last name is something like Hoopengartner or Housenfeffer

I do have some pictures of the current ATON - the spider which is where the lighthouse used to be

It doesn't look like they removed the screwpile structure underneath the dwelling so it wasn't to open bigger shipping lanes. Probably removed because it was a popular target for vandals and therefore a fire hazard.

Larry

Most of them were probably removed because upkeep was expensive. There's more stuff to paint - wood and metal. Many of them succumb to heavy fields of moving ice and the caisson-type lighthouse is sturdier for that application.