Tue Marshes Lighthouse

Oct. 22, 2019
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Tue Marshes Lighthouse, York River, Chesapeake Bay, York County, Virginia

Screwpile style lighthouse built in 1875.

TUE MARSHES LIGHT

Lighthouse Name: Tue Marshes Light
Location: Lower Chesapeake Bay, Goodwind Island Entrance of York River.
Station Established: 1875
Year Current Tower(s) First Lit: 1960
Operational? NO
Automated? N/A
Foghorn: Bell – 1 blow, 30 sec. silent, 2 blows, 30 sec. silent.
Deactivated: 1960
Foundation Materials: Current steel tower uses original foundation
Construction Materials: Wood and Iron
Tower Shape: Square screw-pile
Markings/Pattern: Square screw-pile
Relationship to Other Structure: Integral
Original Lens: Inspection reports note it as 6th order.
Characteristic: Fixed White, Red Sector
Status: No longer standing

Historical Information:

  • The Two Marshes Light was built in 1875 on the Goodwin Islands and marked the entrance of the York River. The original spelling of the name was “Too’s Marshes”. It was changed sometime in the late 1890’s.
  • The Coast Guard dismantled the structure in 1960. They built a skeletal tower on the original foundation.

The above was researched and drafted by Melissa Buckler, a Chesapeake Chapter of the U.S. Light House Society volunteer.