Lighthouses of Florida

Most of the U.S. state of Florida occupies a long peninsula separating the Atlantic Ocean from the Gulf of Mexico; the state's western "panhandle" extends westward along the Gulf coast. As a result, Florida has by far the longest coastline of any state of the eastern U.S. Nearly all of the coast is low and sandy, broken occasionally by narrow inlets. For visibility at a distance, the Florida coast requires tall lighthouses.

Florida has about three dozen lighthouses, including several of the country's most famous light towers. The Florida Lighthouse Association (FLA) works for preservation of all the light stations. Nearly all the onshore stations are now supported by local lighthouse societies, and FLA has helped organize a Reef Lights Association to work for preservation of the offshore lights. Efforts of FLA and local associations have led to restoration projects undertaken or planned at most of the onshore lighthouses. Few states have worked as hard on lighthouse preservation as Florida in recent years.

ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. Admiralty numbers are from volume J of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. USCG numbers are from Volume III of the U.S. Coast Guard Light List for lights of the peninsula and from Volume IV for lights of the state's western panhandle.

Ponce de Leon Inlet Light, December 2004
Creative Commons photo by Micah Maziar

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 Keys Reef Lights Foundation: This organization promotes the preservation of the six historic offshore lighthouses of the the Florida Keys.
Florida Lighthouses: Excellent photos and visitor accounts for most of the lighthouses, posted by Kraig Anderson.
Lighthouses in Florida, United States: Aerial photos posted by Marinas.com.
Historic Light Station Information and Photography - Florida: Information and historic photos posted by the U.S. Coast Guard.
Lighthouses of Florida: Photos and 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.
Unstaffed Offshore Lights of the Florida Keys: The Directory's article on this little-known group of minor lighthouses.

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). The Coast Guard has a historic photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. 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. 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, Anderson also has good photos, and Google has a satellite view. 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. 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.


**** 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, Marinas.com has aerial photos, the Coast Guard has a historic photo, and Google has a satellite view. 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. 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 the Ponce de Leon Inlet lighthouse museum. The keeper's house was demolished in 1967, but the brick oil house survives. 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, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a fine satellite view. The lighthouse was relocated farther from the beach in 1894, but the original foundation survives near Launch Complex 46. The lighthouse was renovated by the Coast Guard in 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. 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 was closed while this danger was assessed. Located near the Cape, about 1 mile (1.5 km) inland. Site generally closed to visitors, but NASA offers bus tours that pass the lighthouse. The Air Force offers guided tours of the tower on the second Wednesday of each month (U.S. citizens only, reservations required). Owner: U.S. Air Force. Site manager: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. ARLHS USA-108; Admiralty J2888; USCG 3-0625.
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.

* 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. A photo is available. 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.
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. A photo is available, Coast Guard has a historic photo. 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.

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. The Coast Guard has a historic photo. 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. 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.
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. A 2008 photo is available, the Coast Guard has a historic photo taken in 1933, Lighthouse Digest has a article on the history of the light station, and Google has a satellite view. 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. Located at the end of Periwinkle Way at Point Ybel on the eastern tip of Sanibel Island. Site open, tower closed. Owner: U.S. Coast Guard. Site manager: City of Sanibel. ARLHS USA-734; Admiralty J3086; USCG 3-1245.


* 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, the Coast Guard has a historic photo, and Google has a good satellite view. 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. 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 Coast Guard has a historic photo of the lighthouse before the removal. Marinas.com has aerial photos, Lighthouse Digest has an article on the history of the station, and Google has a satellite view. 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. Located on the north end of the island in the mouth of Tampa Bay. 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.
** Tampa Bay Watch (Tierra Verde): 2005. Active (unofficial); 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 is not on the 2007 USCG 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 houses have been demolished, but the brick oil house survives. Darren Osgood has a fine photo, and the Coast Guard has a historic photo showing the keeper's houses. Once critically endangered after years of neglect and vandalism, this light station has been pulled 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. The replica 4° lens was installed November 15, 2004. In 2005, a new support group, Friends of Anclote Key State Park & Lighthouse, 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. Donna McCraw has a good photo, the Coast Guard has an 1890s-era photo showing the original appearance of the lighthouse, and 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; Google has an indistinct satellite view. 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

* 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° bivalve 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. Alan Culley has a late 2007 photo, the Coast Guard has a historic aerial photo, the Carrabelle Chamber of Commerce has a web page for the lighthouse, and Google has a hazy satellite view. 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. Located on the inland side of US 98 just west of Carrabelle Beach. 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.

* 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 private residence, the building was relocated in 1960 and again in 1979. The lantern was accidently destroyed during the 1960 relocation. A January 2008 photo is available, the Coast Guard has a photo of the lighthouse when it was in service, and Google has a satellite view. 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 on 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. 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 revolving 1° 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. A 2008 closeup is available, Marinas.com has aerial photos, the Coast Guard has a historic photo, and Google has a satellite view. 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, Pensacola Lighthouse Association, 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. In May 2007 the Navy closed the tower due to liability concerns. After extended negotiations, the Navy and the Pensacola Lighthouse Association have agreed on a plan to resume tours in May 2008. Located off Radford Boulevard (FL 173) on a ridge overlooking the entrance to Pensacola harbor. Site and museum open daily (active military base; visitor passes generally available at the FL 173 gate on Blue Angel Boulevard); tower open on Saturdays (check locally for current information). 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. Donna McCraw has an excellent closeup photo, and Google has a satellite view. 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. 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 Point Range Front (1902-?). ARLHS USA-799.
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.
Faro Blanco (1950), Islamorada, has never been a recognized 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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