Yorktown in York County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

Pages Rock Lighthouse

Photographed by Brandon D Cross

1. Pages Rock Lighthouse Marker

Inscription.

Pages Rock Lighthouse. . , . Built in 1894, located approximately 5 miles north of Yorktown, off Blundering Point in the York River. , , . The lighthouse was a white hexagonal cottage supported by 7 wooden piles encased in cast iron, which could be driven deeper than regular screw piles. A privy was cantilevered off the main deck. It was equipped with a fourth-order Fresnel lens exhibiting a fixed white light with a red sector. , , . The lighthouse had a total of three, 600-gallon water tanks , two iron, and one wood. These tanks were fed from rainwater running from the roof clean. , , . To construct the cottage, workers built a platform on top of 80 piles. When construction was complete and the working platform was removed, several piles were left standing above the waterline to act as ice breakers. , , . Keeper Claudius Foster Sutton was Keeper from 1902-1931, a total of 29 years. His salary ranged from $560 to $1,740 per year. , (timeline) , 1883 The U.S. Lighthouse Board recommends building a lighthouse at Pages Rock, in the York River , 1891 After multiple requests from the U.S. Lighthouse board, Congress appropriates $25,000 to construct a lighthouse at Pages Rock , 1880 Construction of the wood cottage is completed at Lazaretto Depot in November, but instead, is used to rebuild the Thimble Shoal Light, which burned down in October , 1892 Results of soil borings show that the river bottom is not firm enough to support a lighthouse on screwpiles, so it is decided to use wooden piles , 1894 The cottage is completed at Lazaretto Depot and towed to the site , the lighthouse is completed, and the light is first exhibited on September 30th , 1884 A schooner hits the foundation of the lighthouse in June, breaking three support columns - they are replaced a few weeks later , 1899 New model fourth order lamps are installed and minor repairs are made , 1912 Assistant Keeper Eugene S. Riley rescues the Captain from the sinking barge Comet, on January 5th , 1960 The lighthouse is automated and boarded up , 1967 The lighthouse is dismantled and removed - An automatic light is mounted on a skeletal tower that is mounted to the remaining screwpile foundation , 2014 The U.S. Coast Guard publishes its intention to remove the remaining screwpile foundation, due to structural issues , 2015 U.S. Coast Guard removes the screwpile foundation, Designed by CC-USLHS Historian Jennifer C. Jones , Historical placard placed in 2021 by the Watermen's Museum, www.watermens.org and the Chesapeake Chapter of the United States Lighthouse Society, www.cheslights.org, (captions) , Pages Lighthouse , date unknown U.S. Coast Guard Photo , Skeleton tower attached to remaining screwpile foundation - 1998 J. Candace Clifford Photo Courtesy USLHS , Oak water tank at Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse Photo Courtesy John Potvin

• Built in 1894, located approximately 5 miles north of Yorktown, off Blundering Point in the York River.

• The lighthouse was a white hexagonal cottage supported by 7 wooden piles encased in cast iron, which could be driven deeper than regular screw piles. A privy was cantilevered off the main deck. It was equipped with a fourth-order Fresnel lens exhibiting a fixed white light with a red sector.

• The lighthouse had a total of three, 600-gallon water tanks , two iron, and one wood. These tanks were fed from rainwater running from the roof clean.

• To construct the cottage, workers built a platform on top of 80 piles. When construction was complete and the working platform was removed, several piles were left standing above the waterline to act as ice breakers.

• Keeper Claudius Foster Sutton was Keeper from 1902-1931, a total of 29 years. His salary ranged from $560 to $1,740 per year.

(timeline)
1883 The U.S. Lighthouse Board recommends building a lighthouse at Pages Rock, in the York River
1891 After multiple requests from the U.S. Lighthouse board, Congress appropriates $25,000 to construct a lighthouse at Pages Rock
1880 Construction of the wood cottage is completed at Lazaretto Depot in November, but instead, is used to

Paid Advertisement

Click or scan to see
this page online

rebuild the Thimble Shoal Light, which burned down in October
1892 Results of soil borings show that the river bottom is not firm enough to support a lighthouse on screwpiles, so it is decided to use wooden piles
1894 The cottage is completed at Lazaretto Depot & towed to the site — the lighthouse is completed, and the light is first exhibited on September 30th
1884 A schooner hits the foundation of the lighthouse in June, breaking three support columns - they are replaced a few weeks later
1899 New model fourth order lamps are installed & minor repairs are made
1912 Assistant Keeper Eugene S. Riley rescues the Captain from the sinking barge Comet, on January 5th
1960 The lighthouse is automated & boarded up
1967 The lighthouse is dismantled & removed - An automatic light is mounted on a skeletal tower that is mounted to the remaining screwpile foundation
2014 The U.S. Coast Guard publishes its intention to remove the remaining screwpile foundation, due to structural issues
2015 U.S. Coast Guard removes the screwpile foundation

Designed by CC-USLHS Historian Jennifer C. Jones
Historical placard placed in 2021 by the Watermen's Museum, www.watermens.org and the Chesapeake Chapter of the United States Lighthouse Society, www.cheslights.org

(captions)
Pages

Photographed by Brandon D Cross

2. Pages Rock Lighthouse Marker

Lighthouse — date unknown U.S. Coast Guard Photo
Skeleton tower attached to remaining screwpile foundation - 1998 J. Candace Clifford Photo Courtesy USLHS
Oak water tank at Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse Photo Courtesy John Potvin

Erected 2021 by Watermen's Museum and the Chesapeake Chapter of the United Lighthouse Society.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Communications • Waterways & Vessels. In addition, it is included in the Lighthouses series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1894.

Location. 37° 14.378′ N, 76° 30.661′ W. Marker is in Yorktown, Virginia, in York County. It can be reached from Water Street 0.2 miles east of Buckner Street, on the right when traveling east. The marker is located along Yorktown's Riverwalk. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 309 Water Street, Yorktown VA 23690, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is on Virginia’s Peninsula,

in Coastal Virginia,

and in the Hampton Roads Metropolitan Area.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

and in the Tidewater.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Tobacco Press (a few steps from this marker); John Smith Explores the Chesapeake (a few steps from this marker); Join the Adventure (within shouting distance of this marker); Naval Weapons Station (within shouting distance of this marker); The Watermen's Museum (within shouting

Pages Rock Lighthouse image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Wikipedia

3. Pages Rock Lighthouse

distance of this marker); The Virginia State Navy Gunboat Henry (within shouting distance of this marker); Yorktown's Windmill (within shouting distance of this marker); The Yorktown Windmill (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Yorktown.

Another marker is no longer nearby. Aviation Field Yorktown (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been permanently removed).

Also see . . .
1. Watermen's Museum. Preserving The Heritage of the Watermen of the Chesapeake Bay (Submitted on February 11, 2025.)

2. Pages Rock Lighthouse. Chesapeake Chapter U.S.L.H.S. (Submitted on February 11, 2025.)

3. Watermen's Museum. National Park Service (Submitted on February 10, 2025, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida.)

4. Pages Rock Lighthouse. Lighthousefriends.com (Submitted on February 10, 2025, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida.)

Credits. This page was last revised on February 11, 2025. It was originally submitted on February 10, 2025, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. This page has been viewed 289 times since then and 42 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on February 10, 2025, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.