Port Mahon Lighthouse Postcard

A vintage photograph of the Port Mahon Lighthouse on Delaware Bay at the mouth of the Mahon River in Delaware. The current lighthouse is the 4th lighthouse built at this location since 1831. It is considered to be a fine example of turn-of-the-century Chesapeake Bay-style lighthouse architecture, the only one of its kind remaining in Delaware. It is also a fine example of screw-pile lighthouse architecture, a unique style of foundation popularised in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The lighthouse is also an outstanding visible monument to Delaware's maritime heritage. A lighthouse was first built at Port Mahon in 1831 due to the heavy use of that part of the Delaware Bay by commercial oyster boats. The Delaware oyster industry, nationally significant during the 19th century, was centred around Port Mahon. The lighthouse is still an object of attention for historians, tourists, and artists and is reported to still be an important to boaters on the Delaware Bay.