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Concord Point Lighthouse
Get your lighthouse merchandise here ! Concord Point LightOne of the most interesting and unique historic structures in Havre de Grace is the Concord Point Lighthouse. It has served as a beacon for sailors and boaters in the Upper Chesapeake Bay for over 160 years. It is the oldest continuously operated lighthouse in the State of Maryland.

In 1826 the Maryland General Assembly authorized the construction of the tower at the point where the Susquehanna River meets the tidal flow of the Chesapeake Bay. Navigation was very hazardous around this area.

John Donohoo, a local contractor, was the designated builder and constructed eleven other Lighthouses around the Chesapeake Bay. He also built the lightkeeper's dwelling also known as the O'Neill House situated across the street. This structure is in the process of restoration.

The lighthouse is constructed of Port Deposit granite. The walls are 31" thick at the base and narrow to 18" at the parapet. The total height is approximately 36 feet.

Originally illuminated by 9 whale oil lamps with tin reflectors, the tower was lit with a center post light and Fresnel lens (6th order) in 1854. This was changed to a 5th order lens some years later and is the type of lens used today. Polygonal in shape, the lense is 36" high with a diameter of 14". Electrification came in 1920.

The first lighthouse keeper was an Irish immigrant, John O'Neill (1768-1836), who immigrated to Havre de Grace in 1786. He rose to prominence during the War of 1812 when the British forces attacked the city. One of the old cannons can be seen today on the water side of the Lighthouse. He fired one of the three Potato Cannons, was injured, captured by the British and sentenced to be hanged. Through the intervention of his 13-year-old daughter Matilda, he was later released by Admiral Cockburn. He served as lighthouse keeper and town commissioner until his death.

In 1914, one of the remaining cannons of the Potato Battery was placed at the water side of the lighthouse during a rededication ceremony. By 1924, the area was seriously blighted and the cannon was moved to Tydings Park but later returned to its historic site following restoration of The Concord Point Lighthouse in 1979.

While many people served as keepers, at least one member of each generation of the O'Neill famly kept the light while it was manually illuminated.
Known keepers include: