When it comes to atmosphere for lighthouse lovers, a visit to Baltimore’s fantastic harbor district has it all!

You can sit at the base of Seven Foot Knoll Lighthouse and enjoy a seafood dinner, as you admire its unique architecture. Now set on Pier 5 of Baltimore’s beautiful Inner Harbor, Seven Foot Knoll is a maritime museum that enables lighthouse enthusiasts to tour the sentinel and learn about its proud heritage.

Seven Foot Knoll went into service in 1855 and was the second screw pile lighthouse to be constructed on Chesapeake Bay. It was situated at the mouth of the Patapsco River, an area known for its treacherous wakes, and was equipped with a fourth order Fresnel lens.

Screw pile construction became popular in the mid 1800s, using cast iron pilings driven into the harbor floor. The structure itself was then built atop the pilings, several feet above the mean water level. However, the ravages of storms - particularly ice - caused damage to these lighthouses and many were lost to the elements.

Seven Foot Knoll experienced its share of damage, and at one point, wooden piles were built around the structure to fend against the ice. When these failed, tons of riprap stone was placed around the base.

The sentinel was manned until it was automated in 1948. After 133 years, Seven Foot Knoll was deactivated in 1987, and fell victim to disrepair and vandalism. In 1988, the lighthouse was donated to the City of Baltimore. Thanks to volunteers and donors, Seven Foot Knoll was safely moved to Pier 5 and restored to its full beauty. Today, it stands as the oldest surviving screw pile lighthouse built on the Chesapeake Bay.