Milford chronicle., 1925-07-17


ESSAY on this famous old Delaware
landmark, and is reprinted mere 80
that it may be preserved lOcaIly'
The historic Cape Henlopen Light
is situated on Cape Henlopen on the
south entrance to Delaware Bay in
the Delaware river, just opposite
and thirteen miles southwest Of Cap
May; it is also three miles east OF
the town Of Lewes.
It was built by the British Colon
ial Government in the year 1I64'
Cash for constructing the tower was
raised by colonial lottery. This bea-
con at the time in which it was
built was one of the largest on the
Delaware shore. This light, with the
Cape May lighthouse, serves to mark
the entrance to the Delaware Bay
and Delaware river.
Cape Henlopen Light is the Oldest
structure on the lighthouse boards
list, south of the city Of Boston. AS
that city and Philadelphia were the
chief entry ports of the colony, the
protection of their approach by wa
ter would naturally be the earliest
to have attention.
Dangerous Shoals
Mariners who sailed the Atlantic
Ocean just off, Cape Henlopen very
often were stranded in the shallow
water. This is proof showing the
danger of ships. A very long time
ago. when the Hen and Chickens
shoal was practically an island, the
cattle would wade or swim across
the narrow stream between the
shoal and the beach and go over to
the island to feed for the summer.
Then, as the summer season drew to
a close, the farm boy would cross
the narrow stream and drive the
cattle home for the winter from the
island. Shoals such as these made
navigation along the coast danger
GUS. This danger was soon seen
and stems towards the erection Of a
lighthouse were begun at once.
The stone and bricks with which
the lighthouse was constructed were
brought into Lewes and landed on
an old wharf in the creek. From this
wharf they were carried to within
about one mile Of the site Of the
lighthouse, and hauled over from
there to the present site, probably
by OK teams. While there is practi-
caIly no solid foundation under the
Henlopen Lighthouse, it has stood
the storms of the sea for many
years.
When the lighthouse was built, 1t
was in the middle Of pine forest
and one mile from the ocean shore.
It was solidly built of stone and
bricks, in the shape of a hexagonal
pyramid. The building was eight
stories high.
This high structure supports
very powerful light that is surround
ed by a circular tower. The height
of this tower is 1O6 feet above sea
level; 46 feet Of this distance is
gained by the elevation Of the sand
dune on which It is based.
Access to the lantern is by a door
on the west side Of the lighthouse
and then up the usual winding in
terror stairway. The lighthouse
contains eight windows and on ev-
cry landing there is one Of these
windows. Passing up the stairway
we enter the keepers room. 1t is not !
very large and the keeper usually |
stays there while on watch. This
room is Immediately below the Ian
tern. Then climbing a small ladder
we find ourselves in a room, about
the size Of the keepers room, en-
closed with glass, in the center of
which is the lamp. The lamp is sur
rounded by lenses. These lenses
are of the Fresnel type. They are
made up of pieces of prismatic sec
ton, set in large frames, the outer
surface of which is for the purpose
of calculating radil, so that the
beams may be sent toward the sea
in parallel directions at all angles.
These lenses are kept carefully
cleaned and protected during the
day time by shades on the inside of
the heavy, plain, plate glass Of the
windows, which close in the lantern
chambers. The radius of visibility
of the light is seventeen miles.
Second Light Needed
When built the light was not far
from the point Of Cape Henlopen.
New the strong current that comes
down the Delaware Bay strikes the
beach between the point Of Cape
and the lighthouse. After
a number of years, the point of Cape
Herlopen kept extending for mile
north of the location Of the main
light, and beacon light was built
Of the same material, near the point