Fort Story in Virginia Beach, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
The Need for a Lighthouse
As trade increased at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, the colonial governments of Virginia and Maryland recognized the need for a lighthouse. However, they were unable to agree who should pay for the construction. By 1774, financing had been obtained and stone was brought down from a quarry near Fredericksburg, Virginia. The start of the Revolutionary War in 1775 halted the project.
The Lighthouse Act of 1789 was the 9th Act passed by the first Congress of the newly-founded United States. The act is significant as being the first federally-funded public works project and created the United States Lighthouse Service which supported the building of "light-houses, beacons, buoys, and public piers" and unified all existing lighthouses under the control of the Federal Government. It also directs a lighthouse to be erected near the entrance of the Chesapeake Bay.
The Act was administered under the Department of Treasury. Alexander Hamilton, our nation's first Secretary of Treasury, was appointed on September 11, 1798 shortly after the Act was approved on August 7, 1789. Hamilton was known as the Superintendent of Lighthouses.
Erected by Preservation
this page online
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Communications • Government & Politics • Waterways & Vessels. In addition, it is included in the Lighthouses series list. A significant historical date for this entry is August 7, 1789.
Location. 36° 55.544′ N, 76° 0.492′ W. Marker is in Virginia Beach, Virginia. It is in Fort Story. It can be reached from the intersection of Sicily Road and Antic Avenue, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 583 Atlantic Ave, Virginia Beach VA 23459, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Virginia’s Hampton Roads, specifically in Coastal Virginia, and in the Hampton Roads Metropolitan Area. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, in the Tidewater, and on the Eastern Seaboard. 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
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Design and Construction (here, next to this marker); The Life of a Keeper (here, next to this marker); History of Cape Henry Lighthouse (a few steps from this marker); First Landing (a few steps from this marker); First Public Works Project of the United States Government (a few steps from this marker); Old Cape Henry Lighthouse (a few steps from this marker); Through the Years (a few steps from this marker); Cape Henry 1881: Retirement and Replacement (a few steps from this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Virginia Beach.
Credits. This page was last revised on June 21, 2025. It was originally submitted on June 21, 2025, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 117 times since then and 14 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on June 21, 2025, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
