The remains of the Mispillion lighthouse, burned 2002 May 2 in a fire set by lightning, were dismantled and removed on 2002 June 13. According to Bob Trapani, "The light tower, roof and other pieces of the structure were scrapped in a roll-off dumpster. The remainder of the structure was disassembled and placed on a house mover's flatbed truck - destination unknown at this point." Eventually, some of the salvaged material was used in the construction of a replica lighthouse as a residence in Lewes. However, the rebuilding used much more new than original material and the house was considerably expanded in size, so the result is not really a reconstruction.
The photo at left shows the burned lighthouse. At right is the light tower that remained on the site after the fire: a 60-foot skeletal tower. This tower was built at Cape Henlopen in 1924 and relocated to Mispillion in 1929, when the lighthouse was deactivated. The skeletal tower served until 1984, when it was also taken out of service. It was demolished in 2008 or shortly thereafter, leaving no light at the former station.
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The photos below, taken in 2000, show the old lighthouse before the fire, and its relationship to the skeletal tower.
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Photos copyright 2000-02 Bob Trapani; used by permission.
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Posted June 17, 2002. Checked and revised July 21, 2024. Site copyright 2024 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.