Concord Point Light is a lighthouse in Harford County, Maryland. It lies in or next to Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Havre de Grace, about 1.1 km (0.7 mi) away (Concord Point Light lies SSE of town). Its recorded tower height is about 36 m (118 ft). It dates from 1827. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Concord Point Light is a 36-foot (11 m) lighthouse in Havre de Grace, Maryland. It overlooks the point where Susquehanna River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, an area of increasing navigational traffic when it was constructed in 1827. It is the northernmost lighthouse and the second-oldest tower lighthouse still standing on the bay. Concord Point Light is currently listed as a private aid to navigation.From the Wikipedia article “Concord Point Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
From the National Park Service
The Concord Point Lighthouse, located in Havre de Grace, Maryland, sits adjacent to the mouth of the Susquehanna River where it flows into the Chesapeake Bay. Constructed in 1827, Concord Point Lighthouse is the second oldest lighthouse in Maryland and was an aid for navigation for 148 years.
War of 1812 veteran John O'Neill received a presidential appointment as first keeper of Concord Point Lighthouse due to his bravery during the British raid of Havre de Grace in 1813. He served there from 1827 until his death in 1838.
Decommissioned in 1975, the lighthouse now serves as a beacon for tourism and history in the region. The site itself offers a spectacular view of the mouth of the Susquehanna River and the Chesapeake Bay. The lighthouse park also sits within a designated historic district and a river promenade, allowing visitors to explore other nearby historic sites and points of interest.
Text: National Park Service (public domain) — nps.gov.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Concord Point Light the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 74° in summer but only 27° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:09 AM | 90° E | 7:16 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:38 AM | 58° ENE | 8:36 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 58m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:53 AM | 89° E | 7:03 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:22 AM | 120° ESE | 4:44 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 22m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
Lighthouses work at both ends of the day: blue hour when the beacon is lit, and golden hour when white towers take on warm tones.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:54 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:05 AM | 4:24 PM | 5:05 PM | 5:34 PM | 9h 41m |
| February | 6:30 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:35 AM | 5:04 PM | 5:41 PM | 6:09 PM | 10h 44m |
| March | 6:50 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:52 AM | 6:36 PM | 7:11 PM | 7:38 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:00 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:42 PM | 8:10 PM | 13h 14m |
| May | 5:21 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:12 PM | 8:42 PM | 14h 21m |
| June | 5:05 AM | 5:37 AM | 6:18 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:07 PM | 14h 57m |
| July | 5:18 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:03 PM | 14h 42m |
| August | 5:49 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:25 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:31 PM | 13h 44m |
| September | 6:19 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:22 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:15 PM | 7:42 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 6:48 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:51 AM | 5:50 PM | 6:27 PM | 6:54 PM | 11h 12m |
| November | 6:20 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:29 AM | 4:11 PM | 4:50 PM | 5:19 PM | 10h 01m |
| December | 6:48 AM | 7:18 AM | 8:01 AM | 4:00 PM | 4:42 PM | 5:12 PM | 9h 24m |
Local time (America/New York), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From Concord Point Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 22° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 6 (bright suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| February | 5:11 AM – 5:21 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:21 AM – 5:41 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:18 AM – 4:48 AM | 2.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| May | 12:21 AM – 3:51 AM | 3.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 10:35 PM – 3:35 AM | 5.0 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:27 PM – 2:07 AM | 3.7 | 22° | S → SW |
| August | 9:42 PM – 12:02 AM | 2.3 | 21° | S → SW |
| September | 8:46 PM – 10:06 PM | 1.3 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:56 PM – 8:06 PM | 0.2 | 12° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 6 Bortle 6 — Bright suburban sky. The Milky Way is only visible near the zenith; the sky glows grey-orange in photos. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.17 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 51% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (63%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 67 | 73 | 78 | 90 | 91 | 96 | 103 | 99 | 96 | 95 | 76 | 70 |
| Low °F | 1 | -4 | -2 | 24 | 33 | 45 | 54 | 54 | 42 | 29 | 21 | 10 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.6 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 3.2 | 3.8 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this lighthouse
- Stormy weather and crashing surf add drama; keep a safe distance from waves on rocks and piers.
- A telephoto from across a bay compresses the tower against cliffs or the moon.
- Many lighthouses are on private or Coast Guard property — check public access and opening hours.
- Moonrise or the Milky Way over the tower makes a classic night composition; plan with the azimuth tables.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Summer brings open towers and tours; autumn and winter offer storms, fewer crowds and lower sun angles.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Telephoto lens, ND filter for smooth water, Rain cover. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Tides
The nearest NOAA tide prediction station is Havre de Grace, 630 m away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Concord Point Light, closest first.
Lighthouse
National Wildlife Refuge
State Park
Beach
State ParkLighthouse
WaterfallBeach
Covered BridgeFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Concord Point Light?
What time is golden hour at Concord Point Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Concord Point Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Concord Point Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Concord Point Light?
How far is Concord Point Light from Havre de Grace?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, National Park Service, USGS GNIS / GeoNames, Wikipedia. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.