The Killick Shoal Lighthouse in Chincoteague Bay

 On Friday, 30 May 1884, the Committee on Commerce of the US House of Representatives approved the appropriation of $10,000 to build a small lighthouse and fog signal on Killick Shoal in Chincoteague Bay, state of Virginia. The Governor of Virginia deeded the shoal to the US government in January 1885, and it was found that at low tide, there was less than 4 feet of water covering the shoal, and sub-surface borings were made. In November of 1885, the iron screw-pile substructure arrived and was placed; in mid-December, framing for the lighthouse began.

On 10 March 1886, the light was first exhibited - a white fourth degree light - and in mid-April, the fog signal bell was in place. The first Killick Shoal Lighthouse keeper was Samuel E. Quillen, who was an interim keeper, before William M. Parker was appointed. Mr. Parker served as the keeper from 1886 until his death, on the lighthouse, in 1912; he was the first African-American lighthouse keeper in Virginia. During his tenure, a fuel platform for the light and house was built under the platform, in 1902. Isaac Demerast Peterson replaced Mr. Parker and held the post from 1912 until the light was decommissioned in 1939.

The Killick Shoal Lighthouse in 1928

On 11 February 1918, the passenger ship and mail boat "Nanticoke" went aground off Killick Shoal. I D Peterson is credited with taking 14 passengers to the wharf on Chincoteague from the lighthouse.

On 25 Sep 1920, the US Navy seaplane NC-8 grounded on Killick Shoal, and ID Peterson floated the plane off the shoal.

On 30 January 1927, a motor boat ran aground on Killick Shoal, and I D Peterson rendered assistance to the people on board.

Isaac Demerast Peterson in his Lighthouse Keeper's uniform

about 1918...

On 5 May 1927, assistant keeper J. E. Stubbs, rendered assistance from the lighthouse to a man who had suffered "a bad cut" while on a boat.

The above instances of aid are in the Coast Guard Lighthouse annual reports.

In 1939, the Killick Shoal Lighthouse was deactivated and dismantled. An automatic light was attached to the metal mast foundation, but has since been removed.

The Killock Shoal Lighthouse in 2003

Isaac Demerast Peterson, the lighthouse keeper, was my great-grandfather. His home was, and is, on the southeast corner of Peterson Street and Main Street. Across Peterson Street, also facing Main, was, and is, the home of his in-laws, James Edward and Catherine Connor Tarr, having married their daughter, Minnesota ("Minnie"). I. Demerast Peterson's father was a Danish immigrant, from the town of Gylling, in Arhaus. His father was christened "Anders Peder Sorensen" in the Gylling kirche. When he became a naturalized citizen of the United States, he was Andrew Peterson. Andrew's house is also still standing on Chincoteague - it was recently gutted and updated and sold in 2020. That house can be seen at 3530 Main Street.

House of Andrew Peterson, where Demerast was raised...