Craighill Channel Upper Range Front Light

{{Infobox lighthouse

| name = Craighill Channel Upper Range Front Light

| image = Craighill Cutoff Front Light.JPG

| caption = undated photograph of the Craighill Channel Upper Range Front Light (USCG)

| location = West of Fort Howard (North Point) on the north shore of the Patapsco River

| coordinates = {{coord|39.1971|N|76.4482|W|type:landmark|display=inline,title}}

| yearlit = 1886

| automated = 1929

| yeardeactivated =

| foundation = stone

| construction = brick

| shape = square tower

| height = {{convert|15|ft}}

| lens =

| range =

| characteristic = Fixed red (originally white)

| module = {{Infobox NRHP

| name = Cut-Off Channel Range Front Light Station

| embed = yes

| nrhp_type =

| image =

| caption =

| nearest_city = Fort Howard, Maryland

| built = {{Start date|1886}}

| architect OR builder =

| architecture =

| added = December 2, 2002

| area = less than one acre

| mpsub = Light Stations of the United States MPS

| refnum = 02001415{{NRISref|version=2010a}}

}}

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.{{cite web|url=https://mht.maryland.gov/secure/medusa/PDF/NR_PDFs/NR-1317.pdf |title=National Register of Historic Places Registration: Cut-off Channel Range Front Light Station|date=March 1996|access-date=2016-03-01 |author=Ralph E. Eshelman|publisher=Maryland Historical Trust}}

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.

Notes

References

{{cite uscghist|MD}}
[http://www.cheslights.org/heritage/craighill.htm Craighill Range Lighthouses], from the Chesapeake Chapter of the United States Lighthouse Society
[http://www.lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=417 Craighill Channel Upper Front Lighthouse] at lighthousefriends.org

External links

http://www.craighillrange.org
{{cite rowlett|md}}
[http://cblights.com/lights/craighillchannelrange.html Chesapeake Bay Lighthouse Project - Craighill Channel Range Lights]
{{MHT url|id=1409|title=Cut-off Channel Range Front Light Station, Baltimore County}}, at Maryland Historical Trust