| The museum & park preserves and interprets the Piney Point Lighthouse, a collection of historic Chesapeake Bay workboats and other features of this scenic Potomac River site. Piney Point Lighthouse served as a beacon of safety for mariners of the Potomac River from the time it was built in 1836 until 1964. Located only 14 miles upriver from the Chesapeake Bay, the Piney Point Lighthouse was constructed by master lighthouse builder, John Donahoo, who also built many of the lighthouses on the Chesapeake. Piney Point is one of the oldest of the 11 original lighthouses built on the Potomac River and one of only four remaining. The museum's collection of historic workboats includes the skipjack Joy Parks, a bugeye, Potomac River dory boat and a log canoe. The Piney Point Lighthouse Museum features exhibits depicting the construction and operation of the Lighthouse and the role of the United States Coast Guard. Also on exhibit is information about the German submarine, U-1105, that was sunk off the coast of Piney Point. This submarine is notable as an initial prototype of stealth weaponry as this vessel was rubber coated to prevent radar detection. |
