FOURTEEN FOOT BANK LIGHTHOUSE - DELAWARE

 Fourteen Foot Bank Lighthouse in 1946

                                                                                       Photograph courtesy U.S. Coast Guard

Fourteen Foot Bank Lighthouse was activated for the first time on April 10, 1887, exhibiting a white light with red sectors covering the dangerous Brown and Joe Flogger Shoals, though finish work continued through September 10, 1887, when the station’s fog signal was placed in operation. In 1892, the characteristic of the light was changed from flashing every fifteen seconds to fixed for a period of forty seconds’ duration, followed successively, by an eclipse of three seconds, fixed period of fourteen seconds, and an eclipse of three seconds. James C. Jones was appointed the first head keeper of the lighthouse and served in this capacity until his passing in 1895. The final Coast Guard crew left Fourteen Foot Bank Lighthouse in 1973, after which an electric cable stretching to the mainland supplied the power for the automated light. Back-up diesel generators were housed at the station in case commercial power was interrupted. Later, the light was solarized, and the fourth-order, Henry-Lepaute Fresnel lens removed from the lantern room. 

Located in Delaware Bay, almost 12 miles off Bowers Beach.

GPS: Latitude: 39.048249, Longitude: -75.182205