The Maryland and Delaware Border, Now With Lighthouse

Our Ocean City rental was a few blocks from the Fenwick Island Lighthouse, just across the border from Maryland. We wanted to cross the border on foot just to say we had. The lighthouse wasn't open for tours but it was easily visible and had plenty of information on the outside.

Fenwick Island Lighthouse

The lighthouse was built in 1859. Ships were wreaking on the Fenwick Shoals so the United States Lighthouse Board recommended the installation. Congress approved $25,000 in 1856. They bought the highest point of land on Fenwick Island and started construction on the 87 foot tower. The lighthouse is conical in shape with a Fresnel Lens at the top. Fresnel was a French designer whose lenses sent more light further out. His lenses became the gold standard for lighthouses.

The lens at the top

At the time, Fenwick Island was undeveloped, with no bridges to the mainland. The island has the Atlantic to the east and Assawoman Bay (and no, I didn't make up that name) to the west. The first bridge was built in 1880. The lighthouse keepers had a rough life, even having to harvest their own salt in a special bowl! The bowl was sold at one point and a farmer used it to water his livestock. The bowl eventually came back and is in the yard.

Salt bowl from back in the day

The lighthouse was automated in the 1940s and decommissioned by the Coast Guard in 1978. The locals protested and wanted the light back on. By 1981, the Coast Guard sold the lighthouse to the State of Delaware and funds were raised to restart the light.

A view from the bottom

We were surprised to see a white stone right in front of the lighthouse. The stone marks the Transpeninsular Line.

A strange stone marker

The stone was erected in 1751 to mark the border between Pennsylvania (Delaware not being a separate colony at the time) and Maryland. The stone has two coats of arms. On the south side (the Maryland side) is the coat of arms of the Calverts. On the north side is the coat of arms of the Penns. The border was ratified by King George III in 1769.

Calvert coat of arms

Penn coat of arms

The deed to the "Lower Counties on the Delaware" was given to William Penn, who had a separate deed for Pennsylvania proper. The counties were governed as part of Pennsylvania from 1682 to 1701. The counties then petitioned for a separate colonial legislature, though they remained under the Pennsylvania governor's authority until 1776. Then they severed ties with Pennsylvania as they joined the other colonies in severing ties with England.

Walking to a nearby intersection, we saw the welcome signs from both states.

Maryland welcome

Delaware welcome

Who knew we would get two history lessons in one?