Mispillion Light

Mispillion Light

Mispillion Light
Location	Mispillion River, Delaware
Coordinates	38°56′51″N 75°18′54″W / 38.9474°N 75.3151°W / 38.9474; -75.3151Coordinates: 38°56′51″N 75°18′54″W / 38.9474°N 75.3151°W / 38.9474; -75.3151
Year first constructed	1831
Year first lit	1873
Automated	1926
Deactivated	1929
Foundation	Natural
Construction	Wood Frame
Tower shape	Square
Height	65 ft
Original lens	Sixth order Fresnel lens
Current lens	Removed
Characteristic	Flashing white every 3 seconds, flash duration 0.3 seconds, with a red sector from 301° to 308°

Mispillion Lighthouse is a lighthouse in Delaware, United States, on the Mispillion River near the Delaware Bay, Delaware

History

The original Mispillion Lighthouse was built in 1831. The second Mispillion Lighthouse was a 65 ft square cylindrical wood tower rising from one corner of a 2 story Gothic style wood keeper's house and was built in 1873. It served until 1929 when it was deactivated and replaced by a steel skeleton tower that had originally served at Cape Henlopen. Over many year's of private ownership and neglect, the lighthouse had fallen into an extreme state of disrepair, and was considered by Lighthouse Digest Magazine to be America's Most Endangered Lighthouse. After a fire started by lightning destroyed most of the tower portion of the lighthouse, the remains of the lighthouse were sold in 2002. A replica of the lighthouse was rebuilt at Shipcarpenter Square in Lewes, Delaware in 2004 using what was left of the structure of the old lighthouse, and based on the original plans. The new owners also added a substantial addition during reconstruction, used as their living quarters. The steel skeletal tower remains at the original location but is not active or open to the public.