Florida Lighthouses

General Sources

Florida Lighthouse Association

The association works hard for the preservation of lighthouses throughout the state and has encouraged the formation of a number of local preservation societies. The web site includes a lighthouse page with information on all the lights

Florida Lighthouses

Excellent photos and visitor accounts for most of the lighthouses, posted by Kraig Anderson.

Lighthouses of Florida

Recent photos and current information from Stephen Wilmoth's "Beach Bum" web site.

Florida Maritime Heritage Trail - Lighthouses

A site posted by the Florida Division of Historical Resources; it has photos and brief accounts for all the lighthouses of the state, with visitor information.

Roger Bansemer's Lighthouses of the South

Bansemer is an artist and author active in lighthouse preservation; his site has excellent information on Florida lighthouses.

Florida Lighthouses

This site by Bill Britten, of the University of Tennesee, has some outstanding photos.

Lighthouses of Florida

A nice site by Bryan Penberthy, with photos of many of the lighthouses including some of the offshore lights.

East Coast (Atlantic Ocean) Lighthouses

** Amelia Island

1838 (Winslow Lewis; reconstruction of the Great Cumberland Island light, built 1820 on the Georgia side of the St. Marys River). Active; focal plane 107 ft (32.5 m); white flash every 10 s (red sector covering shoals in Nassau Sound). 64 ft (19.5 m) stucco-clad old-style brick tower, painted white; 3° Fresnel lens (1903). Anderson has photos and a good historical account. The historic keeper's house was demolished in the 1960s after being replaced by modern Coast Guard housing (1950). Brick oil house survives. The lighthouse has a granite spiral stairway, very unusual for a Southern lighthouse. A preservation group, Amelia Lighthouse and Museum, Inc., works for restoration and public access. The city of Fernandina Beach took ownership of the light station in March 2001. In 2002, the state granted $350,000 for restoration, and in 2004 the restoration was carried out by the International Chimney Corporation. Located north of Atlantic Avenue in Fernandina Beach; Google has a satellite view. Site open, tower open to tours from the Atlantic Recreation Center on the first and third Wednesdays of each month. Owner/site manager: City of Fernandina Beach. ARLHS USA-010; Admiralty J2856; USCG 3-0565.

St. Johns River (Mayport) (3)

1859 (station established 1830). Inactive since 1929. 81 ft (24.5 m) brick tower, extended from 66 ft (20 m) in 1887 by expanding the top of the tower and adding a taller lantern. Tower painted bright red, watch room white; the lantern is black with a greenish metallic roof. The Navy has raised the ground level so that the tower now appears to be about 65 ft (20 m) tall. Penberthy's site has an excellent closeup photo by Katja Thomas, and Anderson also has good photos. The Mayport Lighthouse Association hopes to restore the lighthouse on its historic site and open it to the public. In January 2000 the association reached an agreement with the Navy to use a nearby building as a visitor center and museum, but the base has been closed to the public for security reasons since the 9/11 attacks in 2001. Efforts to obtain a state grant for restoration were not successful during 2004. Located about 2 miles (3 km) inland and 1/4 mi (400 m) southeast of the St. John's River Ferry terminal in Mayport. Google has a satellite view. Site and tower closed, but there's a good view from Broad Street just outside the naval station fence. Owner/site manager: U.S. Naval Air Station Jacksonville. ARLHS USA-796.

St. Johns 1954. Active; focal plane 83 ft (25 m); four white flashes every 20 s (there is also a flashing red aerial obstruction light). 64 ft (19.5 m) octagonal cylindrical white cement block tower, unpainted; small cylindrical lantern; VRB-25 aerobeacon (1998). Original keeper's house (barracks) now used by the Coast Guard for offices. Pete Amass also has a good photo. Located off Seminole Road and Oakhill Street, about 1 mile south of St. Johns River entrance in Mayport. Google has a satellite view. Site and tower closed. Owner: U.S. Coast Guard. Site manager: U.S. Naval Air Station Jacksonville. ARLHS USA-795; Admiralty J2858; USCG 3-0575. **** St. Augustine (2) 1874 (Paul J. Pelz, architect). Station established 1823. Active; focal plane 161 ft (49 m); continuous white light with a more intense flash every 30 s. 165 ft (50 m) brick tower, painted in a black-and-white spiral similar to Cape Hatteras Light; lantern painted red; original rotating 1° Fresnel lens. Sibling of Bodie Island, NC. 2-story brick and wood Victorian keeper's house. This lighthouse replaced a 1737 Spanish watch tower that was converted to a lighthouse in 1823. The light station has been meticulously restored to its 1888 appearance. Lighthouse Digest has an article on the restoration of the lens after it was damaged by a vandal in 1987. A new visitor center opened in October 2000; the tower has been painted and the gallery restored by International Chimney. In May 2001 a lightning strike did $10,000 in damage to computers and electrical equipment at the tower. In 2002, the lighthouse was one of the first to be transferred under the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act. Located on Lighthouse Ave. at Carver St., off FL A1A less than a mile southeast of the Lions Bridge in St. Augustine. Google has a great satellite view. During Hurricane Frances in 2004, museum operations director Rick Cain valiantly kept the light on. Site and tower open daily (admission fee). Owner/site manager: St. Augustine Lighthouse and Museum. ARLHS USA-789; Admiralty J2866; USCG 3-0590.

St. Augustine Light, August 2006 photo copyright Donna McCraw; used by permission

**** Ponce de Leon Inlet (Mosquito Inlet) (2)

1887 (Francis H. Smith, designer). Station established 1835. Active (privately maintained); focal plane 159 ft (48.5 m); six white flashes every 15 s. 175 ft (53 m) brick tower, painted bright red; lantern painted black; 3° Fresnel lens (in use 1933-1970 and since 2004). Anderson has good photos and historical information. This is the second tallest brick lighthouse in the U.S. It replaced a 45 ft (14 m) old-style brick tower. The extensive lighthouse museum includes 3 original keeper's houses, pump house, and oil house. The original 1° Fresnel lens (1887-1933) and Cape Canaveral's original 1° Fresnel lens (1860) are on display. International Chimney Corporation carried out $1.14 million in tower renovations and repairs during 2000-01. Among other repairs, the gallery was replaced, windows were replaced or reconditioned, brickwork was restored, and two long cracks caused by the 1886 Charleston earthquake, while the tower was still under construction, were finally repaired. In 2003, the tower's 1° and 3° Fresnel lenses were restored, and in April 2004 the 3° Fresnel lens was returned to service in the tower. Recognized as a National Historic Landmark, this is also one of the most complete light station museums in the nation. Located on South Peninsula Drive in the town of Ponce Inlet, south of Daytona Beach. Google has a satellite view. Site and tower open daily (admission fee). Owner: Town of Ponce Inlet. Site manager: Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse Preservation Association. ARLHS USA-644; Admiralty J2878; USCG 3-0610.

* Cape Canaveral (2)

1868 (station established 1848). Active; focal plane 137 ft (42 m) ; two white flashes every 20 s, flashes separated by 5 s. 145 ft (44 m) tapering cast iron tower (brick lining), painted with black and white horizontal bands; DCB-224 aerobeacon (1993). The original 1° Fresnel lens is on display at Ponce de Leon Inlet lighthouse museum. The keepers house was demolished in 1967. The brick oil house was restored in 2003. The lighthouse was relocated farther from the beach in 1894, but the original foundation survives near Launch Complex 46. Renovated by the Coast Guard, 1995-97; the original copper lantern roof, removed during that project, was preserved as the roof of a gazebo at the Air Force Space and Missile Museum. In December 2000 the light station was transferred from the Coast Guard to the Air Force. In the summer of 2001, the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse Foundation was formed, and in 2002 the foundation and the Air Force agreed to work for restoration and public access. The Brevard Museum of History in Cocoa Beach is a likely site for exhibits and tour departures. In 2003, the dilapidated oil house was restored and planning was begun for restoration of the tower. In December 2005, an agreement with the Air Force was signed, allowing the foundation to manage the site and offer public tours. In early 2006, a major $750,000 restoration was underway. In spring 2007 the restoration was nearing completion as the lantern roof was returned to the lighthouse; work was completed by May. In January 2008, the Air Force discovered that the soil around the lighthouse is contaminated by lead, probably from paint chips; the lighthouse has been closed while this danger is assessed. Cliff Lethbridge has posted a history of the light station, and Lighthouse Digest published an article on it in October 2000. The Digest has another story on life at the station early in the Space Age. Located near the Cape, about 1 mile (1.5 km) inland. Google has a fine satellite view. Site and tower closed to visitors, but NASA offers bus tours that pass the lighthouse. Owner: U.S. Air Force. Site manager: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. ARLHS USA-108; Admiralty J2888; USCG 3-0625.

**** Jupiter Inlet

1860 (George G. Meade) Active; focal plane 146 ft (44.5 m); two white flashes every 30 s, flashes separated by 7.7 s. 105 ft (32 m) brick tower, painted brick red; lantern painted black. The original rotating 1° Fresnel lens remains in use. The principal keeper's house burned in 1927, but there is a small museum in the oil house. Anderson has good photos and a historical account. This lighthouse is the oldest building in Palm Beach County. The state and Coast Guard carried out a major renovation of the tower during 1999-2000, during which archaeologists discovered the light is built on an Indian mound. Lighthouse Digest has a story on the restoration and the history of the light station. In August 2004 the tower was closed to climbing to replace about 50 stairway brackets; it reopened late in the year. However, Hurricane Jeanne sandblasted the paint from the upper portion of the tower, and in October 2005 the light was temporarily extinguished for repairs. It reopened in December. In 2008, the light station and its surroundings were designated an Outstanding Natural Area. Anderson also has an excellent page on this lighthouse. Located on the east side of US 1 and the north side of Jupiter Inlet. Google has a satellite view. Owner: U.S. Coast Guard. Site and tower open to guided tours daily except Mondays (admission fee). Site manager: Loxahatchee River Historical Society. ARLHS USA-411; Admiralty J2922; USCG 3-0725.

Hillsboro Inlet

1907. Active; focal plane 136 ft (41.5 m); white flash every 20 s (not visible from the land side). 137 ft (42 m) octagonal pyramidal skeletal tower with central cylinder; lantern and upper half of tower painted black, lower half white. The original rotating 2° Fresnel lens remains in use. One of only three surviving towers of this design. The original 1-1/2 story wood keeper's house and other light station buildings survive, but an assistant keeper's house was demolished in 2005 despite loud protests from preservationists. The light station is used as a recreation area for senior military personnel. The Fresnel lens was relit August 18, 2000, after much hard work to replace the rotating mechanism of the light. In 2003 the gallery was restored. Located on the beach, protected by a riprap jetty, on the north side of Hillsboro Inlet. The lighthouse is inconspicuous in a Google satellite view. Site closed (land access is controlled by a private club), tower closed except for tours offered a few times a year. There's a good view from Pompano Beach City Park on the south side of the inlet, and the lighthouse is also visible from the FL A1A bridge over the inlet. Owner: U.S. Coast Guard. Site manager: Hillsboro Lighthouse Preservation Society. ARLHS USA-372; Admiralty J2934; USCG 3-0775.

Florida Keys Lighthouses
Note: The Florida Keys are a chain of some 1700 islands, islets, and sandbars extending in a long arc southwest and south from Miami. Key West, the westernmost inhabited island, is connected to Miami by the 125 miles (200 km) of the Overseas Highway (US 1). Beyond Key West, the last islands in the chain are the uninhabited Dry Tortugas, which are now protected as a national park.

*** Cape Florida (2) 1846 (Leonard Hammand). Station established 1825. Reactivated (inactive 1878-1978 and 1990-1996, now operated by the State of Florida); focal plane 95 ft (29 m); white flash every 6 s. 95 ft (29 m) tapering old-style brick tower (raised from 65 ft (20 m) in 1855); 300 mm lens (1996). Lighthouse painted white, lantern and watch room black. The 1-1/2 story brick keeper's house and other station buildings are replicas built in 1970. The lantern in use in the 1870s is displayed near the entrance to the station. This light station is Florida's oldest; the original tower was gutted during an attack by Seminole Indians in 1836. The lighthouse was battered by hurricanes and gravely endangered by beach erosion prior to construction of a stone revetment by the Corps of Engineers in 1968; the revetment was repaired after Hurricane Andrew in 1992. The lighthouse is considered secure, but it remains very close to the water, as seen in a Google satellite view. The tower was thoroughly renovated 1996-99. Located at the southern tip of Key Biscayne. Park open daily (entry fee) but the light station is fenced; the light station and tower are open to guided tours (no additional fee) Thursday through Monday. Owner: State of Florida. Site manager: Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park. ARLHS USA-118; Admiralty J2956.3; USCG 3-0923. Fowey Rocks 1878. Active; focal plane 110 ft (33.5 m); white flash every 10 s (two red sectors cover dangerous reefs to north and south). 110 ft (33.5 m) octagonal pyramidal wrought iron screwpile tower with octagonal 2-story Empire style keeper's house on a central platform, solar-powered VRB-25 aerobeacon. Tower and lantern painted brown; central cylinder and keeper's house white. Original 1° Fresnel lens on display at the Coast Guard Training Center in Yorktown, VA. The station also has an array of weather instruments as a NOAA C-MAN station. Located on a dangerous reef southeast of Key Biscayne, within the boundaries of Biscayne National Park. Accessible only by boat; the lighthouse is distantly visible from Cape Florida. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-307; Admiralty J2960; USCG 3-0920.

Cape Florida Light, June 2006 Creative Commons photo by Ginger Garner

* Key Largo [Rebecca Shoal (1) (lantern)]

1886 lantern on 1959 faux lighthouse. Inactive, but a decorative light is often displayed. Approx. 33 ft (10 m) square pyramidal tower with lantern and gallery, painted in a red and white checkerboard pattern. The original Rebecca Shoal lighthouse, a 2-1/2 story square wood cottage screwpile, was located 43 miles (69 km) west of Key West (see below). When the lighthouse was demolished in 1953, the lantern was sold for scrap. Saved by a junk dealer in Ocala, it was purchased in 1959 and placed on the faux tower in Key Largo, at the entrance to a short canal. The present owner, David McGraw, renovated the lighthouse for use as private guest house. Located on Oleander Circle at the end of Ocean Way in Key Largo; Google has a satellite view. Site and tower closed, but the lighthouse can be seen from the street. Owner/site manager: private.

[Pacific Reef (2)]

2000 (station established 1921). Active; focal plane 44 ft (13.5 m); white flash every 4 s. 44 ft (13.5 m) 2-stage square steel skeletal tower with gallery. No photo available, although the Coast Guard has a historic photo of the original light, which was removed in 2000; the lantern room was relocated to Islamorada (see below). Located about 3 miles (5 km) southeast of Elliott Key in Biscayne National Park. Site open (entry fee for non-residents). Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-576; Admiralty J2968; USCG 3-0935.

Carysfort Reef

1852 (George G. Meade; I.W.P. Lewis, designer). Active; focal plane 100 ft (30.5 m); three white flashes every 60 s, flashes separated by 10 s (three red sectors cover dangerous reefs). 112 ft (31 m ) octagonal pyramidal wrought iron screwpile tower with an octagonal 2-story keeper's house on a central platform, VRB-25 aerobeacon. Lighthouse painted a deep red, except the lantern roof and keeper's house roof are painted white. The original 1° Fresnel lens is on display at Historical Museum of Southern Florida in Miami. This lighthouse, a historic landmark of civil engineering, is the oldest of the offshore lighthouses of the Florida Keys and the oldest surviving screwpile lighthouse in the nation. The Coast Guard refurbished the tower in 1996. According to the FLA page, NOAA plans to reopen the keeper's house as a marine laboratory. The area is protected as part of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Located on the reef in John Pennecamp Coral Reef State Park. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-143; Admiralty J2974; USCG 3-0945.

[Molasses Reef]

1921. Active; focal plane 45 ft (14 m); red flash every 10 s. 45 ft (14 m) square pyramidal skeletal steel tower on a screwpile foundation, originally with an enclosed lantern. The Coast Guard has a historic photo. The lantern has been replaced by a daymarker and a small navigation beacon; in addition, the tower now carries an automatic National Weather Service station. Located about 8 miles (13 km) southeast of Key Largo at the southern end of the John Pennecamp Coral Reef State Park. Accessible only by boat (popular scuba diving site). Site open, tower closed. Owner: U.S. Coast Guard. Site manager: NOAA National Data Buoy Center. ARLHS USA-507; Admiralty J2982; USCG 3-0960.

[Hen and Chickens Shoal]

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 35 ft (10.5 m); red flash every 2.5 s. 35 ft (10.5 m) triangular pyramidal skeletal steel tower on a screwpile foundation, originally with an enclosed lantern. Eric Martin has contributed a closeup photo. The area is protected as part of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Located south of Tavernier. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-1227; USCG 3-12195.

Alligator Reef

1873. Active; focal plane 136 ft (41.5 m); four white flashes every 60 s, flashes separated by 10 s (two red sectors cover dangerous reefs). 136 ft (41.5 m) octagonal pyramidal wrought iron screwpile tower with a square 1-story keeper's house on a central platform; solar-powered VRB-25 aerobeacon (1997). Pyramidal tower painted white; lantern, watch room, and pile foundations painted black. The original 1° Fresnel lens was destroyed by gigantic waves in the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 (one of the strongest hurricanes ever recorded). Lighthouse Digest has an article on life at the station. Located about 3 miles (5 km) southeast of Islamorada. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Visible from ocean beaches in Islamorada. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-006; Admiralty J2988; USCG 3-0980.

* Pacific Reef (1) (lantern room)

1921. The lighthouse, a square pyramidal skeletal steel tower on a screwpile foundation, is located about 3 miles (5 km) southeast of Elliott Key (see above). In 2000 the lantern room was relocated to Founders Park in Islamorada, where it is displayed on a square stone pedestal. Located off US 1 at mile marker 86.5; Google has a satellite view. Site open (entry fee for non-residents). Owner/site manager: Town of Islamorada.

Tennessee Reef

1933. Active; focal plane 49 ft (15 m); white flash every 4 s. 50 ft (15 m) hexagonal pyramidal skeletal steel tower with an enclosed lantern on a screwpile foundation. The Coast Guard has a historic photo. No current photo available, but Kebby Kelley of the Coast Guard Office of Civil Engineering confirms that the original lighthouse is still in service. Of the eight lights in this series, this is the only one still bearing its lantern. A popular diving site; mooring buoy available. Located south of Long Key. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-841; Admiralty J2990; USCG 3-0990.

* Faro Blanco

1950. Active (privately maintained and unofficial); flashing blue light. May be out of service at present. Approx. 65 ft (20 m) octagonal pyramidal tower, painted white with a single red band just below the gallery. Built as part of a resort and marina. In 2004 the tower was undergoing restoration to repair termite damage and other problems. Apparently it was sold, but was to reopen in late 2006. Current information is needed. A well-known landmark at mile 48 of the Overseas Highway (US 1) on the west side of Marathon. Site open, tower status unknown. Owner/site manager: unknown.

Sombrero Key (Dry Banks)

1858 (George G. Meade). Active; focal plane 142 ft (43 m); white flash every 10 s, every sixth flash omitted (two red sectors cover dangerous shoals). 160 ft (49 m) octagonal pyramidal wrought iron straightpile tower with a square 1-story keeper's house on a central platform, solar-powered VRB-25 aerobeacon (1997). Lighthouse painted brown. The original 1° Fresnel lens is on display at the Key West Lighthouse Museum. Located south of Marathon Key (originally on dry land, but Sombrero Key has eroded away). Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Visible from the Seven Mile Bridge on US 1 and from Sombrero Beach in Marathon. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-768; Admiralty J2998; USCG 3-1000.

American Shoal

1880. Active; focal plane 109 ft (33 m); three white flashes every 15 s, flashes separated by 2.5 s (two red sectors cover dangerous shoals). 110 ft (33.5 m) octagonal pyrimidal wrought iron straightpile tower with octagonal 2-story keeper's house on central platform, solar-powered VRB-25 aerobeacon. Lighthouse painted reddish brown, central cylinder white. Sibling of Fowey Rocks. The lighthouse was repainted and repaired in 2003. Located southeast of Key West (barely visible from the beach). Accessible only by boat; tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-011; Admiralty J3002; USCG 3-1015.

**** Key West (2) 1847 (station established 1825). Inactive since 1969. 86 ft (26 m) old-style brick tower (raised from 66 ft (20 m) in 1894), 175 watt M57 lens. A 3° Fresnel lens (1858) is still in the lantern though not in use. The 1825 lighthouse was destroyed by the great hurricane of 1846. The 1-story wood West Indian style keeper's house (1887) is a museum, fully restored with period furnishings. The 1° Fresnel lens from Sombrero Key Light is on display. Anderson has great photos and a historical account. The light station was restored in 1987-90 to its appearance about 1900. Lighthouse Digest has an August 2006 feature article by Steve Mirsky. Located at Whitehead Street and Truman Avenue in Key West; the tower is inconspicuous in a Google satellite view. Site and tower open daily (admission fee). Owner: Monroe County. Site manager: Key West Art and Historical Society. ARLHS USA-420. [Northwest Passage] 1879. Inactive since 1921. The lighthouse, a 2-story square cottage screwpile, burned in 1971. Foundation pilings remain. Located adjacent to the channel entrance 7 miles (11 km) northwest of Key West. Accessible only by boat. ARLHS USA-557. [Smith Shoal (2)] 1933. Active; focal plane 54 ft (16.5 m); white flash every 6 s. 54 ft (16.5 m) skeletal steel tower. No photo available. This modern light replaced one of the 1930s skeletal towers. Located in the Gulf about 5 miles (8 km) north of Northwest Passage Light, that is, about 11 miles (17.5 km) north northwest of Key West. Site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-1056; USCG 3-1200. [Pulaski Shoal (2)] Date uncertain. Active; focal plane 56 ft (17 m); white flash every 6 s. 56 ft (17 m) pyramidal skeletal steel tower. This modern light replaced one of the 1930s skeletal towers. The Coast Guard has a historic photo. Located in the Gulf west of Smith Shoal and about 30 miles (50 km) northwest of Key West. Site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-676; Admiralty J3058; USCG 3-1185. [Cosgrove Shoal (2)] 1935. Active; focal plane 54 ft (16.5 m); white flash every 6 s. 54 ft (16.5 m) pyramidal skeletal tower. No photo available. This modern light replaced one of the 1930s skeletal towers. Located south of the Marquesas Keys, about 20 miles (32 km) west southwest of Key West. Site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-1055; Admiralty J3052; USCG 3-1070.

Key West Light Creative Commons photo by Matt Price

Sand Key (2)

1853 (George G. Meade; I.W.P. Lewis, designer). Station established 1827. Reactivated (inactive 1989-1998); focal plane 109 ft (33 m); two white flashes every 15 s (two red sectors cover dangerous shoals). 120 ft (36.5 m) square pyramidal wrought iron screwpile tower; solar-powered VRB-25 aerobeacon (1998). Lighthouse painted black; lantern painted white. The original 1° Fresnel lens is on display at the Coast Guard Academy in Groton, CT. This lighthouse replaced an old-style brick tower washed away, along with the island on which it stood, by the great hurricane of 1846. The keeper's house and central cylinder, gutted by fire in 1989, were removed in 1996 while the tower was being restored. Endangered: needs thorough restoration and repair. Watch list. Located 7 miles (11 km) southwest of Key West on a small sandbar. Accessible only by boat; tower closed. Site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-724; Admiralty J3006; USCG 3-1055.

[Twenty-eight Foot Shoal]

Date uncertain. Active; focal plane 53 ft (16 m); white flash every 4 s. 53 ft (16 m) hexagonal pyramidal skeletal steel tower, probably with enclosed lantern originally. The present status of this light is uncertain; information is needed. Located in the Gulf west of Sand Key and south of the Tortugas. Site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-1058; Admiralty J3052.5; USCG 3-1080.

* Tortugas Harbor (Garden Key, Fort Jefferson) (2)

1876. Inactive since 1921 (a decorative light is displayed). 82 ft (25 m) hexagonal cast iron tower mounted on the walls of Fort Jefferson, the bastion of the Dry Tortugas. Keeper's house (and part of the fort) destroyed by fire 1912. This lighthouse replaced an 1825 lighthouse damaged by a hurricane in 1873; the foundation of the older lighthouse survives inside Fort Jefferson. Robert Parker wrote a Lighthouse Digest article on the light station. Accessible by seaplane, passenger ferry or catamaran from Key West. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Dry Tortugas National Park. ARLHS USA-316.

[Rebecca Shoal (2)]

1985 (station established 1886). Active; focal plane 66 ft (20 m); white flash every 6 s (red sector covers the shoal). 68 ft (21 m) square pyramidal skeletal tower, mounted on a square platform supported by four straight piles. The Coast Guard has a historic photo of the former lighthouse (1886-1985), a square 1-1/2 story wood keeper's house with a round lantern centered on the roof. The 1886 lantern, rescued from a scrap metal dealer in Ocala, is mounted on a faux lighthouse at Key Largo (see above). Located on a shoal in the Gulf of Mexico 43 miles (69 km) west of Key West. Accessible only by boat; tower closed. Site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-690; Admiralty J3056; USCG 3-1090.

Dry Tortugas (Loggerhead Key)

1858 (George G. Meade?). Active; focal plane 151 ft (46 m); white flash every 20 s. 157 ft (48 m) early classic brick tower, solar-powered VRB-25 aerobeacon. Lower half of tower painted white, upper half and lantern black. 1-story brick keeper's house (1922), original kitchen, and other outbuildings preserved. The 2° bivalve Fresnel lens (1909) is on display at the Coast Guard Training Center, Yorktown, Virginia. The keeper's house is used as housing for park service personnel. Located on Loggerhead Key at the far western end of the Dry Tortugas. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Dry Tortugas National Park. ARLHS USA-236; Admiralty J3060; USCG 3-1095.

West Coast (Gulf of Mexico) Lighthouses

* Sanibel Island

1884. Active; focal plane 98 ft (30 m); two white flashes every 6 s. 102 ft (31 m) square pyramidal skeletal tower with central cylinder, painted brown; Tidelands 300 mm lens (1965). Two 1-story square West Indian wood keeper's houses are used as housing for city employees, who also maintain the light station. A 3° Fresnel lens similar to the original lens is on display at the Sanibel Historical Museum, along with a 500 mm lens used 1962-1965. This lighthouse was the first of a class of skeletal lighthouses built in many parts of the country. The light station property is controlled by the Bureau of Land Management and leased to the City of Sanibel. In early 2008, the city and the Sanibel Historic Committee were anticipating ownership of the lighthouse and planning its restoration. Transfer of the property to the city is expected before the end of 2008. Lighthouse Digest has a article on the history of the light station. Located at the end of Periwinkle Way at Point Ybel on the eastern tip of Sanibel Island; Google has a satellite view. Site open, tower closed. Owner: U.S. Coast Guard. Site manager: City of Sanibel. ARLHS USA-734; Admiralty J3086; USCG 3-1245.

**** Boca Grande (Port Boca Grande, Gasparilla Island) 1890. Reactivated (inactive 1966-1986); focal plane 41 ft; white light occulted every 4 s. 44 ft (13.5 m) square cylindrical tower and lantern centered on the roof of a square wood West Indian keeper's house (very similar to Sanibel Island and Key West keeper's house); 5° drum-style Fresnel lens. Lighthouse painted white. Anderson has excellent photos and a historical account. The building was critically endangered by abandonment and beach erosion when Lee County took title to it in 1972. Restored in 1985-86, the building is a museum. The assistant keeper's house, identical except for the lantern, is a park ranger residence. The light station survived a nearly direct hit from Hurricane Charley on August 13, 2004; the catwalk and two cedar cisterns were destroyed. Located at the southern end of Gasparilla Island in Gasparilla Island State Park (entry fee), accessible by toll road from the mainland. Google has a fine satellite view. Site open; lighthouse open daily November through May and Wednesday through Sunday June through October. Owner: State of Florida. Site manager: Boca Grande Lighthouse Museum. ARLHS USA-910; Admiralty J3110; USCG 3-1305.

Boca Grande Light, January 2007; anonymous Creative Commons photo

* Boca Grande Entrance Range Rear (Gasparilla Island)

1881 (relocated here in 1927 but not lit until 1932). Active; focal plane 105 ft (32 m); white light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 100 ft (30.5 m) hexagonal pyramidal skeletal tower with central cylinder, all painted white; Tidelands 250 mm lens. Bryan Penberthy also has a good photo. This tower was built in 1881 as the Delaware Breakwater Range Rear light at Lewes, Delaware; disassembled in 1921, it was rebuilt in Florida in 1927. Not manned separately in Florida, it was maintained by keepers from the older Port Boca Grande station. In 2003, the front range light was discontinued and this lighthouse was officially renamed the Gasparilla Island Light, the name the Port Boca Grande lighthouse had prior to its deactivation in 1966. In 2004 the Coast Guard announced plans to deactivate the light, but scrapped them after public protests. There are troubling reports that the tower is in poor condition. Located on Gulf Boulevard at Wheeler Road on Gasparilla Island, north of the 1890 lighthouse. Google has a good satellite view. Lighthouse recently transferred to Florida State Parks. Site open (area entry fee), tower closed. Owner: State of Florida. Site manager: Gasparilla Island State Park. ARLHS USA-066; Admiralty J3100.1; USCG 3-1310.

Egmont Key (2)

1858 (station established 1848). Active; focal plane 85 ft (26 m); white flash every 15 s. 87 ft (26.5 m) early classic brick tower, painted white, lantern removed; Carlisle and Finch DCB-24 aerobeacon atop the capped tower. The lantern was removed in 1944. The lighthouse is believed to be the oldest building in the Tampa area. The Egmont Key Alliance offers tours of the site and hopes to restore the missing lantern. In late 2000 sand was added to the key's beaches to slow beach erosion near the tower. In the summer of 2001, the Coast Guard announced plans to deactivate the light, but these plans seem to have been shelved. Anderson has recent photos, and Lighthouse Digest has an article on the history of the station. Located on the north end of the island in the mouth of Tampa Bay; Google has a satellite view. The island is accessible by passenger ferry from Fort DeSoto Park, on FL 679 south of St. Petersburg. Site open, base of tower open on selected weekends. Owner: U.S. Coast Guard. Site manager: Egmont Key State Park. ARLHS USA-269; Admiralty J3144; USCG 3-1370.

** Tierra Verde

2005. Active; focal plane 74 ft (23 m); white flash every 4 s. Approx. 13 m (43 ft) lantern room centered atop a 3-story wood environmental education building. Building painted blue with white trim; lantern painted black. The center provides offices for Tampa Bay Watch and classrooms for environmental education activities. The light has reportedly been accepted as an official navigation aid, but it is not yet on the Light List. Located on the west side of Tampa Bay at 3000 Pinellas Bayway South (FL 679) in Tierra Verde, south of St. Petersburg; Google has a satellite view. Owner/site manager: Tampa Bay Watch. ARLHS USA-1335.

Anclote Key

1887. Reactivated (inactive 1985-2003, now maintained by the state of Florida); focal plane 105 ft (32.5 m); four white flashes every 20 s. 102 ft (31.5 m) octagonal "Sanibel class" pyramidal skeletal tower with central cylinder. Acrylic replica 4° Fresnel lens. Lighthouse painted reddish brown, lantern black. The keeper's house has been demolished, but the brick oil house survives. Once critically endangered after years of neglect and vandalism, this light station has been yanked back from the grave by dedicated volunteers and state financing. The Gulf Islands Alliance and Tampa Bay Harbour Lights club worked for restoration, and the tower was transferred from the Bureau of Land Management to the state of Florida, making restoration possible. In 2001 the state built a dock to provide access to the island; Lighthouse Digest reported on these early efforts in February 2001. In 2003, International Chimney Corp. carried out a $1.5 million project to restore the lighthouse, and the tower was relit on September 13. In the spring of 2004, a 1-story octagonal wood ranger's house was built; this house is similar to a traditional keeper's house but it is not a reproduction of the historic houses at this station. The replica 4° lens was installed November 15, 2004. In 2005, a new support group, Friends of Anclote Key State Park, was organized, and on October 15 the lighthouse was opened to visitors for the first time. Located at the southern end of the Anclote Keys northwest of Tarpon Springs. Accessible only by boat; landing facilities are available. Site open, tower closed except for occasional open house dates. Owner: Florida State Parks. Site manager: Anclote Key Preserve State Park. ARLHS USA-013; USCG 3-1555.

Cedar Keys (Seahorse Key)

1854 (George G. Meade). Inactive since 1915. 23 ft (7 m) square brick keeper's house surmounted by hexagonal cylindrical tower and lantern. Built atop a dune, the lighthouse had a focal plane of 75 ft (23 m). The building, expanded with 1-story wood additions, is now a dormitory for the University of Florida Marine Laboratory. The Marine Laboratory has posted a virtual tour of the site. In 2003, the university repaired and renovated the building. Located on Seahorse Key in Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuge. Site and tower closed except for an occasional open house. Owner: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Site manager: University of Florida Marine Laboratory. ARLHS USA-745; Admiralty J3284.

Florida Panhandle (Gulf of Mexico) Lighthouses

* St. Marks (2) 1842 (Calvin Knowlton). Station established 1831. Active; focal plane 82 ft (25 m); white light occulting every 4 s. 73 ft (22 m) brick tower (extended from 65 ft in 1867) attached to a 1-story brick keeper's house (1871). The original 5° Fresnel lens is mounted in the lantern but not in use; the active light is a 250 mm lens mounted on the gallery. Lighthouse painted white, lantern black. This is the second oldest Florida lighthouse. The wildlife refuge web site has the history of the lighthouse, and the University of Florida has a web site with additional photos. The St. Marks Refuge Association works for restoration of the light station. There are plans to renovate the keeper's house as a visitor center. The Coast Guard spent $150,000 in 2000 to stabilize the station, and the wildlife refuge has improved the road and parking facilities. In 2002 the leaky roof of the keeper's house was repaired. In July 2005, Hurricane Dennis broke a window of the lantern, soaking the inside of the tower with rain water, and washed out part of the parking lot. In June 2006, Congress passed an act transferring the lighthouse from the Coast Guard to the Fish and Wildlife Service; this will allow the Refuge Association to proceed with restoration plans. However, the transfer cannot be completed until lead-contaminated soil around the lighthouse is removed, and this won't be before sometime in 2007 at least. Located on the coast on the east side of the St. Marks River entrance, at the end of county road 59 about 8 miles (13 km) south of U.S. 98. Site open (refuge entry fee), tower closed. Owner: U.S. Coast Guard. Site manager: St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge. ARLHS USA-801; Admiralty J3300.1; USCG 4-0010.

St. Marks Light, September 2006 photo copyright Donna McCraw; used by permission

* Crooked River (Carrabelle)

1895. Inactive since 1995. 100 ft (30.5 m) "Sanibel class" square pyramidal skeletal tower with central cylinder; upper half painted red, lower half white. The original 4° bivalave Henry Lepaute lens is on display at the Coast Guard Eighth District headquarters in New Orleans. The keeper's house was sold and relocated 2 miles (3 km) west; it was reported in poor condition as of January 2003. In the late 1990s the lighthouse was abandoned and deteriorating. Watch list. The Carrabelle Lighthouse Association was formed in 1999 to work for restoration of the station. In 2000, the City of Carrabelle secured ownership of the site and leased it to the association. The state has granted $298,000 for engineering studies and the start of a restoration. The Chamber of Commerce has a web page for the lighthouse. Located on the inland side of US 98 just west of Carrabelle Beach. The lighthouse is inconspicuous in a Google satellite view. Site open; tower closed except for occasional open houses, but there is parking provided next to the tower. Owner: City of Carabelle. Site manager: Carrabelle Lighthouse Association. ARLHS USA-205; Admiralty J3314.

#Cape St. George (2)

1852 (Edward Bowden). Light station established 1848. Inactive since 1994. The lighthouse has collapsed; it was a 70 ft (21.5 m) brick tower, painted white; lantern painted black. The keeper's house was destroyed by fire in 1961, but its chimney was standing at last report. The first lighthouse was toppled by the great hurricane of 1851. The lighthouse was built on the point of the cape on Little St. George Island, where it was accessible only by boat plus a hike of about 1 mile (1.6 km) in sand. For many years it was one of the most endangered lighthouses in the United State and a longtime resident of the Lighthouse Digest Doomsday List. The Shanklins have a portfolio of photos documenting the lighthouse's decline. In early 1999 the lighthouse, then known as the Leaning Tower of Florida, was on the beach, rolled off its pile foundation by the waves and leaning at more than 10°. The Cape St. George Lighthouse Society then leased the tower from the Coast Guard. A $250,000 project to stabilize the tower righted the tower on a 10-foot (3 m) concrete foundation surrounded by sheet pilings. However, waves continued to wash around the base. In July 2001, it was reported to FLA that the tower was straight and surrounded by a caisson. Lowell Thomas has a photo taken in October 2002. By early 2004, however, the lighthouse was once again standing in the water and frantic efforts were underway to save it. Later in 2004 the St. George Lighthouse Association was formed to work for saving the lighthouse by moving it inland. The lighthouse stood through glancing blows from several hurricanes in 2004-05, but it finally collapsed in quiet weather on the afternoon of October 21, 2005. The Association has salvaged as much as possible of the tower. Lighthouse Digest has a report on these efforts. In 2007, the state legislature appropriated $350,000 for the reconstruction of the lighthouse, and work was underway by the end of 2007. In January 2008, the St. George Island Visitor Center and Lighthouse Museum opened next to site of the reconstructed lighthouse. The new location is in a county park in the beach resort town of St. George Island, about 12 mi (19 km) east northeast of the original site. The reconstructed lantern is on display at the new site. Located in St. George Island Park. Site open. ARLHS USA-140.

* Cape San Blas (4) 1885 (station established 1847). Inactive since 1996. 90 ft (27.5 m) "Sanibel class" square pyramidal skeletal tower with central cylinder, painted white. A 3° bivalve Fresnel lens (1906) remains in the tower. The light station has long been endangered by beach erosion, which claimed three earlier lighthouses in 1851, 1857, and 1882. The present tower was relocated 1.25 miles (2 km) inland in 1918, but it is under attack by the sea again. In 2000, the U.S. Air Force assumed control of the site and began working to stabilize and restore the buildings. Two keeper's houses, collapsing onto the beach early in 1999, were relocated and one was renovated for use as an office. The other remained in very poor condition for at least five years, but Mark Scott has an April 2005 photo that shows it has been restored. The original brick oil house also survives (it appears at lower left in the photo). The Panama City News Herald has printed the history of the light station, and a panorama of the site is available. Stephen Wilmoth has May 2003 photos; he says the light is in operation, but it does not appear on the current USCG Light List. Located off county road 30E about 750 yd (700 m) northwest of the point of the cape and about 5 miles (8 km) west of Indian Pass. Google has a satellite view. Site and tower closed, although the lighthouse can be seen from outside the fence. Owner: U.S. Air Force. Site manager: Gulf County. ARLHS USA-135; Admiralty J3366.

Cape San Blas Light , September 2005 Creative Commons photo by Judy Baxter

* St. Joseph Point (Beacon Hill) Range Rear

1902. Inactive since 1960. 41 ft square wood keeper's house surmounted by square cylindrical tower; no lantern. Sibling of the Gasparilla Island (Port Boca Grande) Light. Sold as a provate residence, the building was relocated in 1960 and again in 1979. The lantern was accidently destroyed during the 1960 relocation. The Coast Guard has a photo of the lighthouse when it was in service. The current owners, JoAnn and Danny Raffield, have been working for years to renovate and restore the building and plan to mount a reconstructed lantern. Located at county road 30 next to Pressnell’s Fish Camp, 2.2 mi (3.5 km) south of the intersection of U.S. 98, south of Port St. Joe. Google has a satellite view. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: private. ARLHS USA-1023; Admiralty J3370.

* Pensacola (2)

1859 (John Newton). Station established 1824. Active; focal plane 191 ft (58 m); white flash every 20 s. 150 ft (46 m) "early classical" brick tower attached to a 2-story brick keeper's house. The light shines from a 1° revolving Fresnel lens (1869), one of very few of its type still in service in the U.S. Upper two thirds of the lighthouse painted black, lower third white. This is the tallest lighthouse on the U.S. Gulf of Mexico coast. The property was authorized by Congress for inclusion in the Gulf Islands National Seashore, but it has not been transferred to the National Park Service. A preservation group, Friends of the Pensacola Lighthouse, is working for restoration of the site. The keeper's house has been renovated as the Navy’s Command Display Center, with exhibits on the history of the lighthouse and the Naval Air Station. The local flotilla of the Coast Guard Auxiliary conducts weekly tours. However, in May 2007 the Navy closed the tower due to liability concerns. Located off Radford Boulevard (FL 173) on a ridge overlooking the entrance to Pensacola harbor. Google has a satellite view. Site and museum open daily (active military base; visitor passes generally available at the FL 173 gate on Blue Angel Boulevard); tower closed. Owner: U.S. Navy. Site manager: U.S. Naval Air Station Pensacola. ARLHS USA-592; Admiralty J3394; USCG 4-0180.

Lighthouses of Inland Lakes

[Volusia Bar]

1885. Inactive since 1943. 1-1/2 story screwpile lighthouse burned ca. 1974. Foundation pilings remain visible. Located on the west side of the upper St. Johns River entrance on the south side of Lake George, about 3 miles (5 km) northwest of Astor. Accessible only by boat. Site open. ARLHS USA-869.

* Mount Dora

1988. Active (privately maintained); blue flashing light. 35 ft (11 m) stucco-covered brick tower with hexagonal lantern and gallery, painted with horizontal red and white bands. An excellent closeup photo is available. The lighthouse was built with citizen contributions. Located on Grantham Point, in Gilbert Park at the south end of Tremain St. on the northeast side of Lake Dora in Mount Dora, about 25 miles (40 km) northwest of Orlando. Google has a satellite view. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: City of Mount Dora.

Information available on lost lighthouses:

• Amelia Island North Range Rear (1872-ca. 1930), St. Mary's River entrance. ARLHS USA-1054.
• Charlotte Harbor (1890-1943), Charlotte Harbor. ARLHS USA-157.
• Dames Point (1872-1913), St. Johns River below Jacksonville. ARLHS USA-1022.
• Dog Island (1838-1873), St. George Sound off Carrabelle. ARLHS USA-233.
• Ft. Barrancas (1888-1930), near Pensacola. ARLHS USA-289.
• Ft. McRee Range Front and Rear (1859-1888), Perdido Key. ARLHS USA-292 and 1198.
• Pensacola Bar (1859-early 1900s). ARLHS USA-593
• St. Joseph's Bay (1839-1846), St. Joseph Peninsula. ARLHS USA-1023.

Notable faux lighthouses:

• Boca Chita, in Biscayne National Park, was never accepted as an active lighthouse.
• Katie's Light at Amelia Island is a fair copy of a Chesapeake Bay screwpile lighthouse, but it has never been used as an aid to navigation.
• Whale Harbor Inn Restaurant, Islamorada, has a faux lighthouse that is a well known landmark on the Overseas Highway (US 1).

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Checked and revised July 6, 2007. Lighthouses: 36. Site copyright 2007 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.