The Cape Hinchinbrook Light is a
lighthouse
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of physical structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses and to serve as a beacon for navigational aid, for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways.
Lighthouses mar ...
located near the southern end of
Hinchinbrook Island adjacent to
Prince William Sound, in
Alaska,
United States.
History
The Cape Hinchinbrook Lighthouse was first established in 1910 to mark the entrance to Prince William Sound. Congress authorized the construction of a lighthouse at this point in 1906 appropriating $125,000 for its construction. However, the full amount was not authorized in one lump sum. The money was appropriated over a number of years with $25,000 in 1906, $50,000 in 1907 and the rest in 1908. As a result, construction did not begin until 1909. In the winter of 1909 a temporary fixed white light was established on the second story of the building under construction. Due to the earthquakes in 1927 and 1928, which caused instability in the cliff around the lighthouse, it was felt a new light should be built on solid rock. The new octagonal tower was completed in 1934. The lighthouse was automated in 1974 and a solar-powered Vega lens was installed. The original third order Fresnel lens is on display at the Valdez Museum and Historical Archive in
Valdez,
Alaska.
It was listed on the
National Register of Historic Places as Cape Hinchinbrook Light Station in 2005. The listing was for a
historic district
A historic district or heritage district is a section of a city which contains older buildings considered valuable for historical or architectural reasons. In some countries or jurisdictions, historic districts receive legal protection from c ...
including two
contributing buildings
In the law regulating historic districts in the United States, a contributing property or contributing resource is any building, object, or structure which adds to the historical integrity or architectural qualities that make the historic distric ...
, three
contributing structure
In the law regulating historic districts in the United States, a contributing property or contributing resource is any building, object, or structure which adds to the historical integrity or architectural qualities that make the historic distric ...
, one
contributing site, and three
contributing objects.
[ and ]
Climate
See also
* List of lighthouses in the United States
* National Register of Historic Places listings in Chugach Census Area, Alaska
References
External links
*
Lighthouse Friends — Cape Hinchinbrook Lighthouse
*
* Valdez Museum and Historical Archiv
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1910 establishments in Alaska
Art Deco architecture in Alaska
Buildings and structures on the National Register of Historic Places in Chugach Census Area, Alaska
Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Alaska
Lighthouses completed in 1910
Lighthouses completed in 1934
Lighthouses in Unorganized Borough, Alaska
Lighthouses on the National Register of Historic Places in Alaska