Hooper Island Lighthouse is one of only five lights constructed in the Bay during the 1900's. The Hooper Island Lighthouse is located in approximately 18' of water, approximately three miles west of Hoopersville, Upper Hooper Island. It is a caisson style light, sunk 13.5 feet into the muddy bottom of the Bay. The structure consists of a wooden caisson supporting a round 33' in diameter, cement-filled cast-iron cylinder, approximately 36' in height, upon which sits a circular metal tower 18' in diameter at its base and tapering to 17 feet in diameter at its top. The height of the light above the water is 63 feet. The deck is about 18 feet above the water level.

Of the eleven pneumatic caisson lighthouses built in the United States, seven were built in the Chesapeake Bay; four in the Maryland portion of Chesapeake Bay (Solomons Lump Lighthouse, 1895, Hooper Island Lighthouse, 1902, Point No Point Lighthouse, 1905, and Baltimore Lighthouse, 1908).

This lighthouse, as is the case with caisson-type lighthouses, is an integral station. There are four living levels and storage area, a watch room level and the lantern level. The interior of the tower is lined with white glazed brick. Access to the interior of the structure is through a four-panel wood door on the west side of the structure. There are two 2/2 sash windows on the first level, three on the second, and three on the third. Several of these have lost their glass and/or have been covered with acrylic sheeting.

Hooper Island Lighthouse is the only cast-iron caisson lighthouse in Maryland with a watch room and lantern surmounted on the tower.

First lit in 1902, the original 1902 lens was a fourth-order Fresnel manufactured by F. Babier & Company, Paris, in 1888. In 1904, the light was changed to a fixed white with an eclipse every 15 seconds. This light was automated in on November 21, 1961 and the keepers removed. In 1976 the fourth-order fresnel was stolen and the Coast Guard replaced it with a solar optic.

The 41 1/2"-diameter fog bell, manufactured by McShane of Baltimore in 1901, was changed to a Cunningham air diaphragm foghorn in the late 1930s. The fog bell was retained as a backup. A 110-volt generator system was installed on August 28, 1937. This replaced a 10-volt battery pack. The fog bell was removed at that time and replaced with an air diaphragm horn.

The lower gallery roof was removed some time after automation. The current optic is a solar-powered 300 mm lens.

Once owned and managed by the U.S. Coast Guard in District 5, it was officially turned over to the U.S. Lighthouse Society in June 2009.