Light 80 as seen from Fort Washington

A small lighthouse known as Light 80 is located just below Fort Washington on Digges Point. If you are inside the fort and looking out over the Potomac River, it is clearly visible below. To reach it, you can take a paved path from near the fort entrance down to the river, or you can park in a separate lot a few minutes’ walk to the east. The lighthouse can only be viewed from the outside. It is no longer functioning.

Light 80 at Fort Washington Park

The original light on Digges Point was nothing but a pole with a light on it that was erected in 1857 and used until 1870. By this time time the surrounding wharf had grown to the point that the light was obstructed from view. In its place, a 16-foot tall lighthouse was installed directly on the shore. This lighthouse was so small that it was actually built in another location and shipped down the Potomac to Digges Point.

By the turn of the century, new boathouses along the wharf had been built tall enough to block the light from reaching the river, so a request to build a new lighthouse was made. Back in 1882, a 32-foot fog bell tower had been erected, and now, to save money, it was decided to modify that tower to accommodate a light. This was done in 1901, and the smaller lighthouse was torn down. The lighthouse standing today is the fog bell tower with its 1901 modification, though at the time it was an open, steel frame structure. It wasn’t until 1904 that the tower was enclosed in wood.

In 1920, the fog bell was fitted with an electronic bell striker and the light was electrified, though this does not mean automated. It still required a light keeper, who actually maintained two dozen lighthouses along the river. It wasn’t until 1954 that the light was fully automated and a light keeper was no longer needed. Not long afterwards, the National Park Service torn down the old light keeper’s house that had been built in 1885.

In recent history, the tower was taken over by the military after the 2001 attack on the World Trade Center and used as a radar tower. This continued until 2005, when the light was turned over to the National Park Service (prior to that it was operated by the U. S. Coast Guard). The tower was renovated in 2009 and remained active until 2020. At that time the Coast Guard moved the light and reflective 80 marker to a pylon in the Potomac River. Today’s structure is purely decorative.

Back to the Top