🏠
Ship John Shoal Lighthouse
Active Navigation Aid
Victorian mansion-style lighthouse on caisson. Named for ship that sank on the shoal.
50
Feet Tall
1877
Year Built
No
Public Access
About Ship John Shoal Lighthouse
Ship John Shoal Lighthouse features a distinctive Victorian Second Empire design perched on a concrete caisson in Delaware Bay. Named for a ship that sank on the shoal.
History
Ship John Shoal Lighthouse was built in 1877 with a distinctive Victorian Second Empire design - essentially a fancy house built on top of a concrete caisson in Delaware Bay.
The name comes from the ship "John," which sank on this shoal in the early colonial period. The distinctive architectural style makes it one of the most visually interesting lighthouses in the region.
Notable Facts
- •Victorian Second Empire architecture unusual for offshore lighthouse
- •Named for the ship "John" which sank on the shoal
- •Looks like a fancy house on the water
- •Still active Coast Guard navigation aid
Visiting Tips
Best viewed from passing vessels or charter boats
Distinctive architecture worth seeking out
Not accessible to public
Technical Details
- Style
- Victorian Second Empire on caisson
- Material
- cast iron on concrete caisson
- Light
- Flashing white every 5 seconds
- Region
- Delaware Bay
- County
- cumberland