On Christmas Eve 1835, the Federal Government purchased 2.5 acres of land from William and Charlotte Suter for $300, and a year later the first lighthouse constructed entirely on the shoreline of the Potomac River went into service at Piney Point. Initially it had a fixed white light of 10 lamps and 10 reflectors, visible for 11 miles. In June 1855 a fifth order Fresnel lens was added, changing the light from white to yellow and increasing visibility for mariners. Because fog frequently obscured Piney Point’s treacherous shoreline, a bell tower was added in 1880. The lighthouse was automated with electricity in the 1950's, and the bell tower, replaced by a reed horn in 1936, was severely damaged by Hurricane Hazel in 1954 and later dismantled. Today, the lighthouse attracts thousands of visitors yearly from across the country and around the world.