Once shining it's beacon to warn of impending danger, now only darkness signals the doom lurking on this barren spit. The beacon which once meant safe passage became a signal of impending danger or even death for those unfortunate enough to be imprisoned within the safety of it's light. To the 52,000 imprisoned here, during the Civil War, the beacon of hope became a symbol of despair as they were left unkempt and abandoned. It is estimated that 5000-8000 people perished in this living hell. Today their restless souls still roam the windswept point seeking safe passage, like mariners in the darkness of yesterday.
Over
the years there have been many encounters with these restless spirits,
such as, an old man sitting on the lighthouse steps on a frozen dark night,
starring vacantly at the ground. When spoken to, the old man suddenly
rose to his feet and walked right through the locked door and vanished
into the porch.
On another occasion, one of the park's rangers encountered an old woman desperately looking for a particular gravesite from the 1800's. As the ranger tended to his duties the old woman simply vanished without a trace.
Countless encounters of this nature have occurred. Laura Berg, who was once a care taker of the old sentinel, has reported all sorts of strange sounds such as footsteps in the hallway outside her bedroom, singing and laughing coming from another room when alone in the house and strange lights and odors at various times.
Like the ghosts who haunt Point Lookout, the future of the lighthouse is still somewhat uncertain. However because of the attention to the strange happenings scientists from around the world have come to study the anomalies and Point Lookout Lighthouse has been distinguished as one of the most haunted lighthouses on the east coast.
Much of the attention to the old lighthouse has been brought to government officials and the general public by the efforts of caretaker Laura Berg and her fellow enthusiast Robert Hall. Their fascination with the ghosts of Point Lookout may well serve to keep the lighthouse from becoming a ghost itself, simply a photographed relic of days gone by confined to pages in a book.
Laura has worked to get the lighthouse designated as a historic structure and has gained exposure for her efforts by appearing on The Learning Channel and in the Chesapeake Bay Magazine. Laura worked directly with the Navy to get the house painted and some general maintenance done in a time of dire straights for the light. She and Robert have worked tirelessly to recreate the history of Point Lookout Lighthouse and secure recorded records and dates.
Robert, who is very involved in investigating paranomal activity, has worked with Laura to record some of the unusual activity surrounding the lighthouse. Robert travels the country investigating paranormal activity and has donated his technical skills to help preserve the lighthouse.
Thanks to the tireless energy of people like Laura and Robert and countless other volunteers Point Lookout Lighthouse still remains on the lonesome barren spit it has occupied for the last 175 years. No longer abandoned and unkempt like the ghosts that roam the windswept point, the lighthouse is enjoying notable public attention and hopes for her future shine bright. The State of Maryland now owns the lighthouse and action is being taken to not only preserve the enduring lighthouse but to make it a sentinel to history. By making it into a museum to the public, which tells the story of its often brutal history, the lighthouse's future shall be preserved
For information on how to assist in preserving Point Lookout Lighthouse, contact the Chesapeake Lighthouse Society—
http://www.cheslights.org/heritage/pt-lookout.htm
For more information on the Point Lookout Lighthouse's history or paranormal activity, visit—
http://www.ptlookoutlighthouse.com
http://www.paranormalinvestigators.com
Back Yard Yacht Builders
A non-commercial association of amateur boat-builder enthusiasts.
All our wooden boats are Stevenson designs.