Screwpiles: The Forgotten Lighthouses

Smithfield Station’s replica of the Hooper Strait screwpile lighthouse

178 In more recent years, with sea monsters and floating corpses now distant memories, Smithfield Station founder and boater Ron Pack and his wife, Tina, fell under the spell of the lighthouse. The couple visited and studied a number of screwpiles with the idea of recreating one at their restaurant and hotel. They found the Hooper Strait Lighthouse most appealing and, working with blueprints from the National

Archives and other historical source materials, the Packs created a local landmark in 1994. According to the Packs, the replica is the only screwpile lighthouse on the East Coast offering overnight accommodations. Two master suites offer a touch of nostalgia and history along with a commanding view of the Pagan River.