The United States Coast Guard recently undertook a major restoration project of the 1881 Cape Henry Lighthouse that is located at the Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The restoration work was done to enhance the aesthetic appeal of the 163-foot tall lighthouse. The preservation project and the maintenance and repair work also included several other structures at the site, including three Coast Guard-owned housing units and six auxiliary buildings.
The lighthouse work was done by International Chimney Corporation which was overseen by Coast Guard construction representative Herky Matthews who worked closely with Joseph Scarfone, the restoration foreman of International Chimney.
Although it is estimated that 80,000 people visit the site yearly, Capt. Richard Wester, commander of Coast Guard Sector Hampton Roads, said that the Coast Guard does not have the resources or the manpower to open the lighthouse to the public or to staff it with tour guides. (U.S. Coast Guard photos by Petty Officer 2nd Class Nate Littlejohn.)
This story appeared in the
Mar/Apr 2017 edition of Lighthouse Digest Magazine. The print edition contains more stories than our internet edition, and each story generally contains more photographs - often many more - in the print edition. For subscription information about the print edition, click here.
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