Archeology - Jones Point Lighthouse & D.C. Cornerstone Print E-mail
Elevation of lighthouse and cornerstoneTwo additional historic landmarks - the 1791-1794 original South Cornerstone of the District of Columbia and the 1855 Jones Point Lighthouse - also have been the focus of intense study to ensure that no damage occurs to these resources during bridge construction.

 

 

Jones Point Lighthouse

The construction of the Jones Point Lighthouse between 1855-1866 continued the maritime tradition on Jones Point. The Rooftop lantern, with a "fresnel" lens, integral with the lighthouse keepers' dwelling, was a common design for lighthouses along the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. The lighthouse was Photo of Jones Point Lighthouseoperational until 1926, when a new, taller light structure was built further east. The lighthouse lay abandoned until the property was conveyed to the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) in 1926. In 1964, the DAR transferred the lighthouse to the National Park Service.

 

The South Cornerstone

Photo of D.C. CornerstoneIn July 1790, the U.S. Congress passed the Residence Act, which gave President Washington complete authority to choose a specific location along the Potomac River for the nation's capital and to organize the purchase of land for the city (Garraty and McCaughey 1987, Architrave P.C., Architects 2000).

On January 24, 1791, Washington announced the site he had selected, which included the cities of Alexandria and Georgetown. The beginning point of the survey would be at Jones Point, along Hunting Creek, according to Washington's orders. On April 15, 1791, the first stone, the South Cornerstone, was laid at Jones Point (Architrave P.C., Architects 2000).