Digest>Archives> Mar/Apr 2014

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Rescue at Point No Point

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On February 15, 1958 a severe nor’easter struck the Chesapeake Bay area. High winds that included gusts up to 58mph and 15 to 20 inches of snow with subzero wind chills grew over the entire coastline. As the three-day storm continued to drop additional snow on its second and third day, the blowing and severe drifting of snow, with its eight-foot drifts in many places, paralyzed all transportation by land, rail, and highway. At Maryland’s once popular Bowie Race Track, known as Prince George’s Park, 5000 people were stranded. Even the rescue trains sent by the Pennsylvania Railroad were delayed. Schools in north-central Maryland remained closed until the 24th.

When the ice prevented Coast Guard lighthouse tenders from delivering food and other supplies, which were critically low at eight lighthouses in the upper Chesapeake Bay, a Coast Guard helicopter came to the rescue. This dramatic photo, taken from the helicopter on February 20, 1958 looking down at the top of the Point No Point Lighthouse, shows the desperately needed supplies being lowered to the extremely thankful lighthouse keepers.

In 1962, the same year that CBS broadcast its final episodes of Suspense and Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar, marking the end of the Golden Age of Radio, the Point No Point Lighthouse was de-staffed and keepers would never return. There would never again be emergency supplies delivered to the Point No Point Lighthouse. The lighthouse is still under the auspices of the U.S. Coast Guard and today sits empty, void of human life.

This story appeared in the Mar/Apr 2014 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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