Cape Henlopen had been marked by a lighthouse since 1765. By 1824, however, the Cape Henlopen Lighthouse had become less effective due to shoaling which extended the cape to nearly a mile north of the lighthouse. To better mark the cape, a stone masonry tower was constructed north of the original light in 1825. The new light, dubbed the Cape Henlopen Beacon, was not assigned a keeper, nor was a residence built at the site. Instead, the Cape Henlopen Lighthouse keeper would serve both lights. This required the keeper to hike 3/4 of a mile daily in each direction over sand to support the new light, in addition to his regular duties. It was not until the 1850's that a residence was constructed at Cape Henlopen Beacon and a separate keeper appointed. In 1854, a fourth-order Fresnel lens was installed.

By 1864, the cape had continued to extend, and a new light was constructed in the sand north of the 1825 light. The new lighthouse was a screwpile design, due to flooding issues in the original light. The 1825 light was removed, and the screwpile first lit on December 20, 1864. In 1875, a second keeper was assigned due to the addition of a fog signal. In 1879, the keeper's house was expanded.

By 1884, the second Cape Henlopen Beacon was seriously threatened by erosion at the beach. On January 9, 1884, a surfman named Maull from the Cape Henlopen Life-Saving Station found Keeper Joseph Hall and his family trapped atop the Cape Henlopen Beacon, which was being pounded by heavy seas. Surfman Maull notified the station, and the surfmen rescued the family and took them to the Cape Henlopen Lighthouse. The keeper eventually returned to the light, but on October 1, 1884, the light was discontinued and dismantled. The light would be replaced by a lighthouse on the Delaware Breakwater (East End).

References (see links)

Guiding Lights of the Delaware River and Bay, Gowdy and Ruth pp. 265-268
Lighthouse of New Jersey and Delaware, Trapani pp. 84-89