Choctaw Point Light
  | |
| Location | Choctaw Point south of Mobile, Alabama |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 30°40′N 87°59′W / 30.667°N 87.983°WCoordinates: 30°40′N 87°59′W / 30.667°N 87.983°W |
| Year first lit | 1831 |
| Deactivated | 1862 |
| Construction | brick |
| Tower shape | conical tower |
| Height | 43 feet (13 m) |
| Focal height | 63 feet (19 m)[1] |
| ARLHS number | USA-1007 |
The Choctaw Point Light was a lighthouse located just south of Mobile, Alabama on the west shore of Mobile Bay.
History
Mobile Bay is quite shallow, and dredging began in 1826 using a machine developed by John Grant, a sea captain in the area.[2] The channel opened the city up to greater traffic and in 1831 a brick tower was constructed on Choctaw Point, which projected from the west shore somewhat south of town.[3] It was considered poorly sited by pilots due to its lack of alignment with the channels.[1]
The beacon was extinguished at the outset of the Civil War and was never relit.[3] The site was used for a buoy depot and railroad wharves; today it is occupied by a container shipping terminal, and no trace of the light remains.[3][4]
References
- 1 2 Mills, Robert (1845). American Lighthouse Guide. Washington: William M. Morrison. p. 81. Retrieved 2014-01-25.
- ↑ "Mobile Bay (Middle Bay) Light". LighthouseFriends. Retrieved 2014-01-26.
- 1 2 3 Holland, Francis Ross (1981). America's Lighthouses: An Illustrated History. Dover. p. 143. Retrieved 2014-01-26.
- ↑ "Lighthouses of Alabama". Encyclopedia of Alabama. Retrieved 2014-01-26.
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