Cape Hinchinbrook Light

The Cape Hinchinbrook Light is a lighthouse located near the southern end of Hinchinbrook Island adjacent to Prince William Sound, in Alaska, United States.

Cape Hinchinbrook Light

Cape Hinchinbrook Light
Location	Hinchinbrook Island Prince William Sound Alaska United States
Coordinates	60°14′14″N 146°38′48″W
Tower
Constructed	1910 (first)
Foundation	concrete and rock
Construction	reinforced concrete tower
Automated	1974
Height	67 feet (20 m)
Shape	octagonal tower with lantern
Markings	art deco architecture white tower, black lantern
Power source	solar power
Operator	United States Coast Guard[1]
Heritage	National Register of Historic Places listed place
Light
First lit	1934 (current)
Focal height	237 feet (72 m)
Lens	Third order Fresnel lens (original), Vega lens (current)
Range	19 nautical miles (35 km; 22 mi)
Characteristic	Fl W 15s. obscured from 134° to 135° and 138° to 283° emergency light, Fl W 6s. of reduced intensity if main light is extinguished.[2]
Cape Hinchinbrook Light Station
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. Historic district
Alaska Heritage Resources Survey
Area	6.9 acres (2.8 ha)
Architect	D.A. Chase; Edwin Laird
Architectural style	Art Deco
MPS	Light Stations of the United States MPS
NRHP reference No.	05000728[3]
AHRS No.	COR-095
Added to NRHP	July 29, 2005

History

Cape Hinchinbrook Lightstation, 1948

The Cape Hinchinbrook Lighthouse was first established in 1910 to mark the entrance to Prince William Sound. Congress authorized the construction of a lighthouse at this point in 1906 appropriating $125,000 for its construction. However, the full amount was not authorized in one lump sum. The money was appropriated over a number of years with $25,000 in 1906, $50,000 in 1907 and the rest in 1908. As a result, construction did not begin until 1909. In the winter of 1909 a temporary fixed white light was established on the second story of the building under construction. Due to the earthquakes in 1927 and 1928, which caused instability in the cliff around the lighthouse, it was felt a new light should be built on solid rock. The new 67-foot (20 m) octagonal tower was completed in 1934. The lighthouse was automated in 1974 and a solar-powered Vega lens was installed. The original third order Fresnel lens is on display at the Valdez Museum and Historical Archive in Valdez, Alaska.

It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Cape Hinchinbrook Light Station in 2005. The listing was for a historic district including two contributing buildings, three contributing structure, one contributing site, and three contributing objects.^[3][4]

Climate

Climate data for Cape Hinchinbrook Light, Alaska
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °F (°C)	54 (12)	50 (10)	47 (8)	63 (17)	68 (20)	81 (27)	81 (27)	76 (24)	72 (22)	64 (18)	52 (11)	55 (13)	81 (27)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)	33.3 (0.7)	35.4 (1.9)	36.1 (2.3)	41.3 (5.2)	47.4 (8.6)	54.7 (12.6)	58.3 (14.6)	58.4 (14.7)	53.9 (12.2)	45.8 (7.7)	39.6 (4.2)	35.3 (1.8)	45.0 (7.2)
Daily mean °F (°C)	29.8 (−1.2)	32.1 (0.1)	32.3 (0.2)	37.5 (3.1)	43.4 (6.3)	50.1 (10.1)	54.3 (12.4)	54.8 (12.7)	50.2 (10.1)	42.2 (5.7)	36.3 (2.4)	32.0 (0.0)	41.3 (5.2)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)	26.2 (−3.2)	28.7 (−1.8)	28.5 (−1.9)	33.6 (0.9)	39.3 (4.1)	45.4 (7.4)	50.3 (10.2)	51.1 (10.6)	46.5 (8.1)	38.5 (3.6)	33.0 (0.6)	28.6 (−1.9)	37.5 (3.1)
Record low °F (°C)	−2 (−19)	1 (−17)	4 (−16)	18 (−8)	22 (−6)	22 (−6)	36 (2)	40 (4)	30 (−1)	24 (−4)	8 (−13)	1 (−17)	−2 (−19)
Average precipitation inches (mm)	5.65 (144)	5.46 (139)	4.50 (114)	6.31 (160)	8.40 (213)	4.56 (116)	7.70 (196)	9.12 (232)	12.86 (327)	11.37 (289)	7.37 (187)	8.36 (212)	91.66 (2,329)
Average snowfall inches (cm)	16.9 (43)	18.9 (48)	18.4 (47)	9.7 (25)	0.5 (1.3)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	3.7 (9.4)	9.5 (24)	16.0 (41)	93.6 (238.7)
[citation needed]

See also

• Alaska portal
• Engineering portal

• List of lighthouses in the United States
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Chugach Census Area, Alaska