Fort Story in Virginia Beach, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
First Public Works Project of the United States Government
Photographed by Kevin W., September 27, 2014
1. First Public Works Project of the United States Government Marker
Construction of the Cape Henry Lighthouse was authorized by the First United States Congress on August 7, 1789.
President George Washington personally reviewed bids in January, 1791 and chose John McCombs, a New York Bricklayer, as contractor.
Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton, and the contractor signed the contract on March 31, 1791.
Construction on the $17,700 project started August 1, 1791.
The lighthouse began its 100 years of service in the fall of 1792.
Commemorated this 28th day of August, 1981 by the Public Works Historical Society and Virginia-D.C.-Maryland Chapter American Public Works Association
Erected 1981 by Public Works Historical Society and Virginia-D.C.-Maryland Chapter American Public Works Association.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Labor Unions • Waterways & Vessels. In addition, it is included in the Lighthouses series list. A significant historical month for this entry is January 1791.
Location. 36° 55.544′ N, 76° 0.482′ W. Marker is in Virginia Beach, Virginia. It is in Fort Story. It is on Atlantic Avenue near Cape Henry Road. Located within Joint Expeditionary Base East, formerly Fort Story. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: 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, 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.
this page online
Also see . . . Public Works Historical Society. Society website homepage:
"The lighthouse stands today as a historical monument not only to our nation's heritage, but also to the timelessness of public works." (Submitted on September 30, 2014, by Kevin W. of Stafford, Virginia.)
Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), June 13, 2025
2. First Public Works Project of the United States Government Marker
Photographed by Kevin W., September 27, 2014
3. First Public Works Project of the United States Government Marker
The new Cape Henry Lighthouse can be seen in the background. This is a photo of the marker in context before the current fencing was installed.
Photographed by Larry Gertner, May 22, 2021
4. Cape Henry Lighthouse
National Register of Historic Places nomination form
Click for more information.
Click for more information.
Credits. This page was last revised on June 21, 2025. It was originally submitted on September 30, 2014, by Kevin W. of Stafford, Virginia. This page has been viewed 1,551 times since then and 38 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on September 30, 2014, by Kevin W. of Stafford, Virginia. 2. submitted on June 21, 2025, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. 3. submitted on September 30, 2014, by Kevin W. of Stafford, Virginia. 4. submitted on May 22, 2021, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.
