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As time goes one, stories of our past can be altered. This can happen several different ways. For example, a fish that was five inches long was misheard as five feet long. Or a name can be mispronounced or misspelled. This is what has happened to the Pooles Island Lighthouse. The lighthouse is the oldest to still stand in Maryland. Pooles Island is just over 20 minutes south of Edgewood, just north of the mouth of Gunpowder River. In the 1600’s, John Smith originally named the island Powell after Nathaniel Powell, a member of his explorer party. Years went on and the name evolved. It has been listed as Pool Island, Pool’s Island or Pooles Island. Some say it was changed to Pool for the fresh water pools on the island. The spelling differences are said to be caused by a simple misunderstanding of the spoken word Powell, or others just like to spell pool a different way. Either way, it happened, Pooles Island and its lighthouse remain a historic site.

Pooles Island was discovered on John Smith’s historic exploration of the Chesapeake Bay. Originally, the island was mapped out at 295 acres. Due to erosion, the island has dwindled to less than 200 acres. A military observation post near the lighthouse is almost in the water due to the eroded ground. The islands many freshwater pools and soft water made the land extremely fertile. Peaches were a favorite for the area in the 1880s and ‘90s. Throughout the islands years, it has served a purpose in many war or military efforts. It has grown food to support George Washington’s troops, been plundered by British soldiers in 1812, or littered with live artillery from military practices. Pooles highlight is its lighthouse. Built in 1825, the lighthouse still stands. Built with a stable and boathouse for the light keeper, the lighthouse received many revisions or updates.

Stephen Cohee was the lighthouse keeper for twenty-four years, ending in 1917. The United States had entered World War I the same year and placed the light station under the U.S. Army’s jurisdiction. Later on, in 1939, the beacon was decommissioned. A tutor in your area can help you achieve the grades you want. Since the island has been marked as a military reservation, the lighthouse is inaccessible to the public. This is also due to there being live artillery shells from army training exercises. Later on, the military submitted a successful proposal that placed the lighthouse on the National Register of Historic Places in 1994. After almost fifty years, the military launched plans to restore the poorly conditioned lighthouse in 1997. Pooles lighthouse did get to light up another night. After being reconstructed and given a solar lighting system, the house was lit in 2011 in time for the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Even 32 descendants of Stephen Cohee, the last keeper of the light, were in attendance to see Poole’s Island light the bay again.