101-WAL524

Lightships were "floating lighthouses." They were anchored at the entrances to ports, bays and outer limits to off-lying danger areas such as shoals and reefs. These vessels served as aids to navigation.

Lightships were originally placed where lighthouses could not go or were too expensive to build. They had the advantage of being able to be in deeper waters than a lighthouse, could shift positions and had many types of signals. Disadvantages included that they were expensive to maintain, dangerous in fog and required a crew of 8-15 men who were isolated and exposed to terrible weather.

History of Lightship 101:

1912: Contract for #101 awarded to Pusey and Jones, shipbuilders in Delaware.

1916: #101 was launched and stationed at Smith Island Shoals, Virginia for eight years.

1924: Broke down, was refitted and repaired. Assigned to Overfalls, Delaware.

1939: #101 was changed by the Coast Guard to WAL524.

1951: Withdrawn from duty and overhauled. Assigned to Nantucket Station.

1952: Stationed at Stonehouse Shoals, off the New England coast.

1963: Relief and last duty at Cross Rip Shoals in Nantucket Sound.

1964: Broke down en route to Boston and was retired.

1967: City of Portsmouth placed the vessel on the waterfront as a museum.

1989: LIGHTSHIP PORTSMOUTH was designated a National Historic Landmark.

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Show me all markers in:  Portsmouth, VA  |  23704  |  Virginia  |  United States of America

Lightship Portsmouth
The Coast Guard
Cornwallis' Embarkation
Revolutionary War at Portsmouth
Naval Shipyard Museum
The Elizabeth River
John Luke Porter
Seaboard Air Line Railroad
Home Site of William Crawford (d. 1762) Founder of Portsmouth
Crawford House

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