The Mountain Passage, The Modern Man: The Lighthouse Gallery, The Florida Lights. A Wayƒarer′s Story & Photo Gallery

Cape Canaveral Light. L: 1848, D: 1868, X: 1893

Cape Canaveral Light (New). L: 1868, A: 1960, Active

Cape Florida Light. L: 1825, A: 1978, Active

Carysfort Reef Light. L: 1852, A: 1962, D: 2014

Fowey Rocks Light. L: 1878, A: 1975, Active

Ponce de Leon Inlet Light. L: 1887, A: 1953, Active

St. Augustine Light (old). L: 1824, A: no, D: 1874, X: 1880 (See story below)

St. Augustine Light. L: 1824, A: 1955, Active

St. Johns Light. L: 1954, A: 1987, Active

Dames Point Light. L: 1872, A: no, X: 1913

St. Johns River Light. L: 1830, A: no, D: 1929

American Shoal Light. L: 1880, A: 1963, D: 2015

Cosgrove Shoal Light. L: 1935, A: yes, Active

Dry Tortugas Light. L: 1858, A: 1988, Active

Garden Key Light. L: 1826, A: 1924, D: 1924

Hens & Chickens Shoal Light. L: 1929, A: yes, Active

Hillsboro Inlet Light. L: 1907, A: 1974, Active

Jupiter Inlet Light. L: 1860, A: 1928, Active

Key West Light. L: 1826, A: 1915, D: 1969, Museum

Molasses Reef Light. L: 1921, A: yes, Active

Northwest Passage Light. L: 1855, A: 1911, X: 1971

Pacific Reef Light. L: 1921, A: yes, Active

Pulaski Shoal Light. L: 1935, A: yes, Active

Rebecca Shoal Light. L: 1886, A: 1926, X: 1953

Sand Key Light. L: 1827, A: 1941, R: 2014

Sombrero Key Light. L: 1858, A: 1960, R: 2015

Smith Shoal Light. L: 1933, A: yes, Active

Tennessee Reef Light. L: 1933, A: yes, Active

Anclote Keys Light. L: 1887, A: 1952, Active

Cape San Blas Light. L: 1848, A: 1981, D: 1996

Cape St. George Light. L: 1852, A: 1949, X: 2005

Cape St. George Light (Replica). L: 2008, A: yes, Active

Cedar Key Light. L: 1854, A: no, D: 1915

Charlotte Harbor Light. L: 1890, A: 1918, X: 1943

Crooked River Light. L: 1895, A: 1952, Active

Dog Island Light. L: 1839, A: no, X: 1873 (See story below.)

Egmont Key Light. L: 1848, A: 1990, Active

Gasparilla Island Light. L: 1932, A: 1966, D: 1966

Pensacola Light. L: 1824, A: 1965, Active

Point Boca Grande Light. L: 1890, A: 1956, Active

Sanibel Island Light. L: 1884, A: 1949, Active

St. Joseph Bay Light. L: 1839, A: no, X: 1847, (29.883333, -85.383333)

St. Joseph Pnt. Light. L: 1902, A: no, D: 1960, P: 1979, (29.918242, -85.380497)

St. Marks Light (old). L: 1831, A: no, X: 1842, (See story below)

St. Marks Light. L: 1842, A: 1960, Active

Lake George at St. Johns River

Volusia Bar Light. L: 1886, A: no, X: 1916, (29.2066324, -81.5793756)

Lighthouse Stories

Alligator Reef Light

The Alligator Reef Lighthouse was named after the USS Alligator, built for the US Navy in November 1820. In 1821, the USS Alligator served to liberate several US ships held for ransom in a Cuban bay. Once the pirates were routed, the USS Alligator escorted the small flotilla northward towards the United States. The during the evening of 19 November 1821, the USS Alligator ran aground on Matacumbee Reef. Later, after all hands and property were transferred to the ship Anna Maria, the USS Alligator was set afire to prevent pirates from claiming her. The reef subsequently was called Alligator Reef.

Dog Island Light

Several lighthouses were constructed on the western tip of Dog Island, between St George and Dog Island. These lights marked the middle entrance to St. George′s Sound, and did so during the 1800s until its collapse cause by a hurricane in September 1873. After that, the Dog Island Light was never replaced, but in 1895, the Crooked River Light was built on the mainland as a leading light for the same channel that was previously marked by the Dog Island Light.

During both 1999 and 2006, maritime archaeologists as part of Florida state university discovered the remains of the lighthouse, now only submerged ruins on the offshore side of the island as the island is slowly migrating towards the mainland.

St. Augustine

The first tower at St. Augustine was built about 1737 by the Spanish but while it seems likely that it was used as a lighthouse, the records are not conclusive as to so.

St. Joseph Light

The St. Joseph Bay Light was washed away in 1851. The lens was moved to the Cape San Blas Lighthouse.

The St. Joseph Point Light was replace by a skeletal steel tower in 1960. The old lighthouse structure was moved multiple times as a private residence before it was returned to St. Joseph Bay in 1979. While the old light remains a private residence, its current owner has restored its former appearance with a rebuilt lantern room.

St. Marks Light (Old)

This lighthouse is the second-oldest light station in Florida, St. Augusine Light (Old) being the oldest. It is located on the east side of the mouth of the St. Marks River, on Apalachee Bay and was considered an important port of entry. The town of St Marks, Florida was a shipping center for a prosperous planting region of upper Florida and some areas of Georgia.

Agriculture products, once loaded aboard boats were shipped to New Orleans and/or St. Augustine. The shallow waters leading inland to St Mark, however, often cause boats to run aground and it was decided to build a light to guide boats inland.

The Light was constructed and in 1831, the whale-oil lamps were lit for the first time by Samuel Crosby, who had been appointed the first Keeper of the Light.

Volusia Bar Light

The light was removed in 1916, leaving a foghorn active until 1943. The keeper, whose name was A. J. Anderson was murdered in 1938. Passing mariners noticed that the light was unattended and reported it to the authorities. Upon their arrival, they found that the lighthouse had been ransacked and the keeper was missing. After being missing for more than a week, his body was found floating face-down in the river. An autopsy established that his neck had been broken and that Anderson had apparently struggled with his attacker.

The building was burned by vandals in 1974, however the foundation pilings still show above the water. The murder has never been solved.