Lightship 116-538


Welcome to the Home page of the Web Site of the Volunteers of Lightship #116-538.

We are in the process of rebuilding our web site after the old web site hosting company shut down.   We apologize that there is currently very little of the old web site content in place. Please check back periodically as we learn the new web site builder program and start adding back all the info and photos loaded back into this new web site.

This little known gem of Chesapeake Bay history was the last active floating lighthouse, or Lightship, that was stationed in or near the Chesapeake Bay.

We have just obtained the ships Deck Logs for the years 1960 through 1970. Each month file is about 55-80mb, which is too large to post on this web site. We are working the issue to see if we can reduce the file size then cut each month into 15 or 10 day sections. Please be patient. If you are looking for one specific month/year, email me at: crew@lightship116-538.org

The volunteer work days for 2024 are being scheduled and will be posted as we get that web page added back in.  

The lightship is open most days and tickets can be purchased on-line at the HSIB web site or at the new museum visitors center on Pier 1.

historicships.org


We are constantly looking for past crew members of the Lightship # 116-538 and all photos of the lightship and crew, especially from the 1960s, to help us with the accurate planning for the restoration of the ship. We will provide one

free lightship patch to each past lightship crew member. This INCLUDES all crew members who served on board during the NPS years in DC. If you served aboard her at any time, please contact us at the below email and see the dates of the volunteer work days for dates we would like you to come by and visit the Lightship:   crew@lightship116-538.org

 The ship is moored to Pier 3 in Baltimore Inner Harbor, right next to the Submarine Torsk and the aquarium.   It is open for visiting with a paid admission to the Historic Ships In Baltimore museum, which was formed by the merger of the Baltimore Maritime Museum and USS Constellation Museum in 2009.   Check the HSIB museum web site in our links page for times the museum is open and any discounts for military personnel.   The HSIB Museum also maintains the Seven Foot Knolls Lighthouse and Coast Guard Cutter Taney on Pier 5 and the USS Constellation on Pier 1, in addition to the Lightship and Submarine on Pier 3.

Both the Lightship and Lighthouse participate in the US Lighthouse Society Passport program, so ink stamps for each are available at the entrance to both. Just ask the museum staff member on duty.

USLHS Passport books can be purchased on the USLHS web site  USLHS.org .    

The Lightship Chesapeake patch is shown below.  

Please send any general questions on this web site or the Lightship Chesapeake to:

info@lightship116-538.org

This site is paid for and maintained by the Lightship volunteers and is not an official web site of the Historic Ships in Baltimore (HSIB) museum.
Updated 18 February 2024