DORCHESTER COUNTY, Md. -- On Tuesday, lighthouse enthusiasts spoke with WBOC about the history of the centuries old Hooper Island Lighthouse that was built in 1902.
The lighthouse is up for sale in an online auction via the U.S. General Services Administration. The auction began on August 8, 2022 with an opening bid set at $15,000.000.
It sits in 18-feet of water about three miles west of Middle Hooper Island. The lighthouse stands 63-feet tall and it's light can be spotted within a 9 mile radius.
According to Robert Holland, former Eastern Shore Coordinator for Hooper Island Lighthouse, the lighthouse was awarded to the Chesapeake Chapter of the U.S Lighthouse Society in 2009. Work was done to the lighthouse in the years following to restore it.
"Without [the lighthouse], you wouldn't have maritime traffic on the Bay," says Holland. "Some of these little areas like Hoopers Island, Cambridge, and all the surrounding areas probably wouldn't exist if we couldn't get ships in to bring people and goods. People don't realize that's how important it is, and this lighthouse still functions."
Phil Gootee and his father, Henry Gootee have boated across the Honga River to the Chesapeake Bay for decades now to fish, and more recently, to carry out guided tours of Hooper Island Lighthouse. They own Gootee's Marine Inc. in Dorchester County. Phil Gootee says that people come from as far as Michigan to tour the lighthouse.
"It's like a spark plug out in the middle of the Chesapeake Bay," says Gootee. "It's always been there, and when we used to fish there, and we still do. We used to always say we're out by the spark plug, and it's always a symbol of when you're almost home."
Both Gootee and Holland hope that whoever purchases the lighthouse makes an effort to maintain it.
"Don't let the soldier be forgotten because he's still fighting for us," Holland says. "Well those lighthouses are still fighting for us and we still need them out there."
While the Hooper Island Lighthouse is now up for sale, it is still subject to:
- The United States Coast Guard’s continued operation and maintenance as an Aid to Navigation on the lighthouse.
- Historic preservation covenants of the lighthouse.
- The execution of Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the United States Navy. The lighthouse is located within a Navy controlled surface danger area. For safety purposes, the successful bidder will be required to enter into an MOA that governs when access is prohibited.
Anyone interested in making a bid on Hooper Light House must register in advance and submit a $5,000.00 registration deposit. The deadline to register and place a bid is September 21, 2022.