Lighthouses of the United States: Western Florida

The United States of America is a federal union of 50 states and a capital district. Most of the 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. 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.

This page covers lighthouses of Florida's west coast, facing the Gulf of Mexico. Lighthouses of the Florida Keys and the east coast are on separate pages.

Navigational aids in the United States are operated by the U.S. Coast Guard but ownership (and sometimes operation) of historic lighthouses has been transferred to local authorities and preservation organizations in many cases. Florida Peninsula lights are the responsibility of the Coast Guard's Sector St. Petersburg, a unit of the Seventh District based in Miami; those west of the Appalachicola River (from Carrabelle westward) are the responsibility of Sector Mobile in Alabama, a unit of the Eighth District based in New Orleans. Sector Mobile has Aids to Navigation Teams based at Panama City and Pensacola.

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.

General Sources
Florida Lighthouse Association
The association works 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 in Florida
Photos by various photographers available from Wikimedia.
Lighthouses in Florida, United States
Aerial photos posted by Marinas.com.
Online List of Lights - U.S. - Florida West Coast
Photos by various photographers posted by Alexander Trabas.
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.
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.
Leuchttürme USA auf historischen Postkarten
Historic postcard images posted by Klaus Huelse.
U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Center: Light Lists
The USCG Light List can be downloaded in pdf format.
NOAA Nautical Charts
Nautical charts for the coast can be viewed online.
Navionics Charts
Navigation chart for Florida.
 


Crooked River Light, Carrabelle, March 2008
Wikimedia Creative Commons photo by Ebyabe


Sanibel Island Light, Sanibel, October 2022
Instagram photo by Sanibel Star

Collier County Lighthouse
* 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). The two 1-story square West Indian wood keeper's houses formerly provided housing for city employees but recently they were being used for storage; both were destroyed completely by Hurricane Ian on 28 September 2022. A 3rd order Fresnel lens similar to the original lens is on display at the Sanibel Historical Museum, along with a 300 mm drum lens installed in 1962. The lighthouse stood through Hurricane Ian in September 2022 but suffered serious damage, losing the lower section of one of its legs. Following emergency repairs the lighthouse was relit on 28 February 2023. An Instagram video shows the lighthouse in August 2023, standing just above the waves and clearly endangered by new storms and rising sea level. Compare this to a 2016 drone view of the light station. A 2022 photo is at the top of this page, Pete Markham has a good 2012 photo of the undamaged lighthouse, Carol Vinzant has a 2011 photo, Wikimedia has numerous photos, Trabas has a photo by Michael Boucher, the Coast Guard has a historic photo taken in 1933, Lighthouse Digest has Jeremy D'Entremont's 2001 article on the history of the light station, and Google has a 2015 street view, a satellite view, and a sunset 2019 sea view. This lighthouse was the first of a class of skeletal lighthouses built in many parts of the country. The light station property was transferred to the Bureau of Land Management in 2000 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. After several delays the transfer of ownership was finally completed in April 2010. In 2013 the city restored and repainted the exterior of the lighthouse. Repairs to the hurricane damage were completed in early 2024 and the lighthouse was repainted. Located at the end of Periwinkle Way at Point Ybel on the eastern tip of Sanibel Island. Site may be closed due to hurricane damage, tower closed. Owner/site manager: City of Sanibel. . ARLHS USA-734; Admiralty J3086; USCG 3-1245.

Lee County Lighthouses
**** 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 the Sanibel Island and Key West keeper's houses); 5th order drum-style Fresnel lens. Lighthouse painted white. A photo is at right, Wikimedia has additional photos, Trabas has a photo, the Coast Guard has a historic photo, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a beach view, a sea view, and a satellite view. The building was critically endangered by abandonment and beach erosion when Lee County took title to it in 1972. The lighthouse was restored in 1985-86 by the Gasparilla Island Conservation and Improvement Association. The building was opened as a museum and the light was reactivated on 21 November 1986. The light station is now managed by the Barrier Island Parks Society. 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. The lighthouse was closed in the summer of 2012 for repairs and repainting; it reopened in September. In 2017 the state legislature approved a grant of $89,435 for needed repairs to the assistant keeper's house. Hurricane Ian damaged the lighthouse in September 2022 and it closed for repairs for all of the 2022-23 season for needed repairs. In July 2023 the state Department of Environmental Protection signed a $3.8 million contract to repair and restore the lighthouse and other historic structures in the area. As work was completed the lighthouse reopened in February 2024. Located at the southern end of Gasparilla Island in Gasparilla Island State Park (entry fee), accessible by toll road from the mainland. Site open, musuem and tower open daily except Tuesdays. Owner: State of Florida. Site manager: Port Boca Grande Lighthouse Museum . ARLHS USA-910; Admiralty J3110; USCG 3-1305.
Boca Grande Light
Port Boca Grande Light, Gasparilla Island, October 2010
Wikimedia Creative Commons photo by Ebyabe

** Gasparilla Island (Boca Grande Entrance Range Rear)
1881 (relocated here in 1927 but not lit until 1932). Reactivated (inactive 2017-2019, apparently the light is now decorative); focal plane 105 ft (32 m); white flash every 6 s. 100 ft (30.5 m) hexagonal pyramidal skeletal tower with central cylinder, all painted white; Tidelands 250 mm lens. J. Retherford Hunter's photo is at right, John Gammel has a 2022 photo, Trabas has a good photo, Jim Wellman has a drone view, the Coast Guard has a historic photo, and Google has a street view and a 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. The tower was in poor condition and in 2016 the Coast Guard leased the property to the Barrier Islands Parks Society for maintenance and restoration. The Society estimated that nearly $1.8 million will be required for a full restoration; as of April 2016 it had raised $400,000. The lighthouse was not damaged significantly by Hurricane Ian; after an engineering study to assure its safety it reopened in April 2023. Note: the status of the light is uncertain. It was extinguished in the fall of 2016 for the benefit of nesting sea turtles in the area. It was to be reactivated in November 2016 but in January a USCG notice to mariners listed it as deactivated. In 2017 the Society opened the lighthouse for climbing for the first time. The lighthouse was reactivated on 9 February 2019 with a replica 4th order Fresnel lens, completing a $1.8 million restoration. However it has not been restored to the light lists and it is not charted as active by Navionics. Located on Gulf Boulevard at Wheeler Road on Gasparilla Island, north of the 1890 lighthouse. Site open (area entry fee), tower open (climbing fee) several times a month October through April, but the schedule varies. Owner: U.S. Coast Guard, leased to Barrier Islands Parks Society (Gasparilla Island Lighthouse). Site manager: Florida State Parks (Gasparilla Island State Park). . ARLHS USA-066; ex-Admiralty J3100.1; ex-USCG 3-1310.

Manatee County Lighthouses
SeaPort Manatee is a cargo port on the southeastern shore of Tampa Bay, in northern Manatee County about 8 miles (13 km) north of Bradenton.

Port Manatee Inbound Range Front
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 142 ft (43 m); quick-flashing green light at night, continuous white light in the daytime, visible only on the range line. Approx. 138 ft (42 m) triangular skeletal tower, painted with red and white horizontal bands. Trabas has a photo and Google has a satellite view. Located in the center of Port Manatee. Site and tower closed. Admiralty J3157; USCG 3-22505.

Gasparilla Island Light, Gasparilla Island, May 2016
Wikimedia Creative Commons photo by J. Retherford Hunter
Port Manatee Inbound Range Rear
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 196 ft (60 m); green light 3 s on, 3 s off at night, continuous white light in the daytime, visible only on the range line. Approx. 187 ft (57 m) triangular skeletal tower, painted with red and white horizontal bands. Trabas has a photo of the two range towers and Google has a satellite view. Located 2300 ft (700 m) east southeast of the front light. Site and tower closed. Admiralty J3157.01; USCG 3-22510.

Hillsborough County (Tampa Area) Lighthouses
Tampa Bay is a large but relatively shallow natural harbor. A major port, it is the center of a metropolitan area having about four million residents. There are numerous skeletal range lighthouses guiding ships in dredged channels in Tampa Bay; most have focal planes of 50 ft (15 m) or less. Only a few of the tallest are listed here.

Mullet Key Range Rear (2)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 24 m (78 ft); white light, 3 s on, 3 s off, visible only on the range line; also a passing light, white flash every 4 s at focal plane 12 m (40 ft). 24 m (78 ft) square cylindrical skeletal tower carrying rectangular daymarks colored red with a white vertical stripe, mounted on a square skeletal platform. Trabas has a photo by Capt. Peter Mosselberger (also seen at right) and Google has a satellite view. Located next to one of the pillars of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge (I-275) in the entrance to Tampa Bay. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty J3152.1; USCG 3-22360.
Big Bend East Range Front
Date unknown. Active (privately maintained); focal plane about 100 ft (30 m); quick-flashing red light. Approx. 100 ft (30 m) square skeletal tower. The tower also carries a rectangular daymark painted red with a white vertical stripe. Trabas has a photo by Capt. Peter Mosselberger and Google has a satellite view. This range guides vessels to the docks of the Mosaic Company, which ships phosphate, fertilizer, and other agricultural products. Located adjacent to a quay at Big Bend, on the east side of Tampa Bay between Gibsonton and Apollo Beach. Site and tower closed. Owner/operator: Mosaic Company. ex-Admiralty J3228; USCG 3-23130.
Big Bend East Range Rear
Date unknown. Active (privately maintained); focal plane about 120 ft (37 m); red light, 2 s on, 2 s off. Approx. 100 ft (30 m) square skeletal tower. The tower, one of three identical radio or TV transmission towers, also carries a rectangular daymark painted red with a white vertical stripe. Trabas has a photo and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Located on the east side of US 41 near Pembroke Road. Site and tower closed. Owner/operator: Mosaic Company. ex-Admiralty J3228.1; USCG 3-23140.
Gadsden Point Cut Range Rear
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 75 ft (23 m); white light, 3 s on, 3 s off, visible only on the range line. 75 ft (23 m) square cylindrical skeletal tower mounted on a square platform supported by piles. Trabas has a photo by Capt. Peter Mosselberger but the light is not seen in Google's satellite view. Located northwest of the Big Bend harbor. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty J3216.9; USCG 3-22855.

Mullet Key Light, Tampa Bay
photo copyright Capt. Peter Mosselberger
used by permission
Tampa Bay Cut K Range Rear
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 69 ft (21 m); green light, 3 s on, 3 s off, visible only on the range line; also a passing light, white flash every 6 s. 69 ft (21 m) square cylindrical skeletal tower mounted on a square platform supported by piles. Trabas has a photo, Google has a distant street view from the US 92 bridge, and the lighthouse is visible in a Google satellite view. This light is typical of roughly a dozen range lighthouses at various locations in Tampa Bay. Located about 1100 ft (350 m) southwest of the Tyson Avenue piers, south of the east end of the Gandy Bridge (US 92) over Old Tampa Bay. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty J3208.41; USCG 3-23785.
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; the Carlisle and Finch DCB-24 aerobeacon foremerly atop the capped tower has been replaced by a modern lens. Pauline Marx's photo is at right, Kody Kozak has a 2022 photo, a closeup photo is available, Jackson Moore has a 2008 photo, Trabas has a photo by Capt. Peter Mosselberger, Marcus Douglas has a 2022 closeup, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Lighthouse Digest has an article on the history of the station, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. The lantern was removed in 1944; the Coast Guard has a historic photo of the lighthouse before the removal and Huelse has a postcard 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 have been shelved. In 2008 the lighthouse was painted in time for a celebration of its 150th anniversary. In late 2008 the state announced that the economic crisis might require closing the state park and laying off the resident caretaker. Alliance members protested these projected cutbacks. In August 2013 the lens pedestal, left discarded in the woods when the lantern was removed, was retrieved for restoration; it will be displayed at the lighthouse. Located on the north end of the island in the mouth of Tampa Bay. The island is accessible by passenger ferry from Fort DeSoto County 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.

Egmont Key Light, St. Petersburg, July 2019
Instagram photo by Pauline Marx

Pinellas County (St. Petersburg Area) Lighthouses
Egmont Channel Range Rear (2)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane at least 80 ft (24 m); green light occulting once every 6 s. Vivian van Zyl has a 2022 street view from the Gulf Fishing Pier but the lighthouse is not shown in Google's satellite view. Originally this was a 119 ft (36 m) square cylindrical skeletal tower with three galleries, mounted on a square platform supported by piles. Google has a 2013 beach view of the original light, which was destroyed by Hurricane Irma in September 2017. The light is missing in Trabas's photo by Capt. Peter Mosselberger and in Alan Beebe's December 2019 street view; Bing's satellite view shows the empty platform that supported the light. This is the main approach range for ships arriving at Tampa Bay. Located about 200 m (650 ft) off the beach at Fort DeSoto County Park. Accessible only by boat but easy to view from the beach. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty J3142.1; USCG 3-1380.
** 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. Chuck Berry has a photo and Google has a street view and a satellite view. The center provides offices for Tampa Bay Watch and classrooms for environmental education activities. Tampa Bay Watch says the light has USCG approval, but it is not charted and not on the 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. 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 30 s. 102 ft (31.5 m) octagonal "Sanibel class" pyramidal skeletal tower with central cylinder. Acrylic 4th order replica Fresnel lens. Lighthouse formerly painted reddish brown but now painted white with a red band at the top; lantern painted black. The keeper's houses have been demolished, but the brick oil house survives. Wikimedia has the Coast Guard photo at right, Kenneth Arbuckle has a 2018 photo, Trabas has Michael Boucher's photo, a 2021 closeup is available, Jeff Miller has a good photo, the Coast Guard has a historic photo showing the keeper's houses, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. 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 4th order lens was installed in November 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. Tours were suspended in 2014 due to contaminated soil found near the tower. In 2017 site improvements were underway, including new fencing and boardwalks. The lighthouse reopened for climbing in June 2018. The exterior of the lighthouse was repaired and repainted in 2023. Located at the southern end of the Anclote Keys northwest of Tarpon Springs. Accessible only by boat; landing facilities are available, and there is passenger ferry service from Tarpon Springs. Site open, tower open on the second weekend of each month October through May. Owner: Florida State Parks. Site manager: Anclote Key Preserve State Park. . ARLHS USA-013; Admiralty J3273; USCG 3-1555.

Anclote Key Light, September 2005
U.S. Coast Guard public domain photo by PA2 Tasha Tully

Pasco County Lighthouse
* Nan's Approach
Date unknown. Active (privately maintained); focal plane about 13 m (43 ft); quick-flashing red light. Short square tower with square lantern atop a 2-story motel. Lantern and tower covered with blue vinyl shingles. Trabas has a photo and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Located at the end of Clark Street in Hudson. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Inn on the Gulf. Admiralty J3277.6; USCG 3-27105.

Levy County Lighthouses
Seahorse Reef (3?)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 31 ft (9.5 m); white flash every 6 s. 31 ft (9.5 m) square skeletal tower mounted on a platform supported by piles. No photo available and the light is not shown in Google's satellite view. The original light here is described by a 1902 coast pilot as a pyramidal iron structure 52.5 ft (16 m) in height. The former National Maritime Inventory page for Cedar Keys (next entry) has 1922 for construction of a light on Seahorse Reef, but it also has a tower height of 51 ft. Another source says that a taller tower was destroyed by a storm in March 1993 and replaced by the present light. (Note: this is a popular site for fishing and scuba diving. Will someone please take a photo of the lighthouse?) Located at the outer edge of a reef about 8.5 mi (14 km) south southwest of the Cedar Keys lighthouse. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty J3286; USCG 3-1615.
Cedar Keys (Seahorse Key)
1854 (George G. Meade). Inactive since 1915 (a decorative light is shown on special occasions); charted as a landmark. 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. Charlie Houder's photo is at right, Donna McCraw has a good photo, Cecil Andrews has a 2021 photo, a 2010 photo is available, the Coast Guard has an 1890s-era photo showing the original appearance of the lighthouse, and Google has a satellite view. In 2003 the university repaired and renovated the building. However, settling of the foundation will require more substantial repairs in the near future and the Fish and Wildlife Service has ordered an engineering study of the building. A relighting ceremony was held in July 2019 after the Florida Historical Board granted $50,000 for a replica Fresnel lens. Hurricane Idalia did serious damage in Cedar Keys in late August 2023; its effects on the lighthouse are not yet known. 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 Nature Coast Biological Station. ARLHS USA-745.

Cedar Keys Light, Levy County, February 2008
Google Maps photo by Charlie Houder

Wakulla County Lighthouse
** St. Marks (2)
1842 (Calvin Knowlton). Station established 1831. Reactivated (inactive 2016-2019); focal plane 82 ft (25 m); white flash every 2.5 s. The light is extinguished mid August through October and in March and April so as not to interfere with bird migration. 73 ft (22 m) brick tower (extended from 65 ft in 1867) attached to a 1-story brick keeper's house (1871). Fresnel lens removed for display. Lighthouse painted white, lantern black. Allen Forrest's photo is at right, Donna McCraw has a great photo, Sarah Battle has a 2021 photo, Dusten Hay has a good 2009 photo, Wikimedia has many photos, the Coast Guard has a historic photo of the present light station, the wildlife refuge web site has the history of the lighthouse, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. This is the second oldest Florida lighthouse. The Friends of St. Marks Wildlife Refuge works for restoration of the light station and has a web site for the lighthouse. The keeper's house has been restored as a visitor center and museum. The Coast Guard spent $150,000 in 2000 to stabilize the station, and the wildlife refuge 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 allowed the Refuge Association to proceed with restoration plans. However, the transfer could not be completed until lead-contaminated soil around the lighthouse was removed. Following other frustrating delays the transfer finally took place in October 2013. In 2014 the refuge began opening the lighthouse for tours once a month. In November 2014 the original 5th order Fresnel lens was removed for restoration; it went on display at the refuge visitor center in April 2015. A $250,000 appropriation to restore the lighthouse was vetoed by Governor Rick Scott in June 2015, but in March 2016 the governor signed a budget bill providing $550,000 to launch the restoration. Rebuilding the lantern room was the first major project. By the summer of 2018 the first phase was restoration was nearly complete. The lighthouse opened for tours on October 5 but visitors are still not allowed to climb to the top. In 2019 a replica 4th order Fresnel lens was installed and the lighthouse was reactivated on October 31. In 2023 the Friends were seeking an attendant to staff the keeper's quarters museum Thursday through Sunday. 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. Limited parking provided. Site open (refuge entry fee), tours of the keeper's house are planned to be available Thursday through Sunday but check the web site for specifics. Tower currently closed. Owner: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Site manager: St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge (St. Marks Lighthouse ). ARLHS USA-801; Admiralty J3300.1; USCG 4-1527 (ex-4-0010).

St. Marks Light, Crawfordville, April 2014
Flickr Creative Commons photo by Allen Forrest

Franklin County Lighthouses
#Carrabelle Channel Inner Range Rear
Date unknown. Removed in 2017. This was a 56 ft (17 m) square skeletal tower mounted on a platform supported by piles. The tower carried a rectangular slatted daymark painted white with a red vertical stripe. Google's satellite view confirms the removal of the light. The range guided vessels in the approach to the Carrabelle River through a channel passing the west end of Dog Island; a directional light now serves this purpose. Located about 1/2 mi (800 m) northeast of the river entrance. Accessible only by boat. Site ope, tower closed. ex-Admiralty J3310.1; ex-USCG 4-2565.
**** Crooked River (Carrabelle)
1895. Reactivated (inactive 1995-2007; now privately maintained); focal plane 115 ft (35 m); two white flashes every 15 s. 100 ft (30.5 m) "Sanibel class" square pyramidal skeletal tower with central cylinder; upper half painted red, lower half white. The original 4th order Henry Lepaute lens, long stored at the Coast Guard Eighth District headquarters in New Orleans, has been returned for display at the visitor center. There's a photo at the top of this page, Alan Culley has a late 2007 photo, a 2021 photo is available, Wikimedia has many photos, the Coast Guard has a historic photo, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. In the late 1990s the lighthouse was abandoned and deteriorating. 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 granted $298,000 for engineering studies and the start of a restoration, which was carried out in 2007. The lighthouse was relit with its original light pattern in a ceremony on 8 December 2007. A replica of the keeper's house was built in 2008-09 to serve as a visitor center and museum. In April 2012 the original wash house, a small outbuilding, was recovered and brought back to the light station. The original keeper's house was sold and relocated 2 miles (3 km) west to a waterfront location at 2463 Highway 98 (Google has a satellite view). It was reported in poor condition as of January 2003, but it was later repaired and in 2011 it was for sale for $269,000. The lighthouse has been dropped from the Admiralty list but it remains in service. Located on the inland side of US 98 just west of Carrabelle Beach. Site open; museum and tower open Wednesday through Sunday afternoons. Owner: City of Carabelle. Site manager: Carrabelle Lighthouse Association . ARLHS USA-205; ex-Admiralty J3314; USCG 4-0050 (= 4-2515).
**** Cape St. George (2) (rebuilt)
1852 (Edward Bowden) (station established 1848). Reactivated (inactive 1994-2009); focal plane 76 ft (23 m); white flash every 6 s. 70 ft (21.5 m) brick tower, painted white; lantern painted black. The keeper's house was destroyed by fire in 1961. The Coast Guard has a historic photo. The first Cape St. George lighthouse was only three years old when it was toppled by the great hurricane of 1851. The present 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. 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 lighthouse 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. 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 21 October 2005. Association members quickly mobilized to salvage 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. The bricks of the interior walls in the reconstructed lighthouse are those of the original. In January 2008 the St. George Island Visitor Center and Lighthouse Museum opened next to the site of the reconstructed lighthouse. In April a replica lantern was placed atop the tower, and in late November the completed lighthouse opened for climbing. In October 2009 a Vega VLB-44 lens was installed and the lighthouse was activated. Ken Minschwaner's photo of the restored lighthouse is at right, Trabas has a photo, Wikimedia has numerous photos, and the reconstructed tower appears in Google's street view and satellite view. In August 2011 a museum opened in a reconstructed keeper's house next to the lighthouse. Research located the Fresnel lens of the original lighthouse at the town hall in Berwick, Louisiana; negotiations to retrieve it were not successful. In 2015 a replica 3rd order lens was ordered for the lighthouse. In 2020 the Association received a $24,000 grant from the Florida Lighthouse Association to help with repainting the tower and restoring the lantern; these projects were completed in January 2021. The lighthouse 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. Located in St. George Island Park. Site open daily, museum and tower open daily except Thursdays. Owner: Franklin County. Site manager: St. George Lighthouse Association . ARLHS USA-140; Admiralty J3328; USCG 4-0075.

Cape St. George Light, St. George Island, May 2017
Instagram photo by Ken Minschwaner

Gulf County (Port St. Joe Area) Lighthouses
* St. Joseph Point (Beacon Hill) Range Rear (relocated) (1)
1902. Inactive since 1960. 41 ft square wood keeper's house surmounted by square cylindrical tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white. Sibling of the Gasparilla Island (Port Boca Grande) Light. Kathy Miller's 2021 photo is at right, Michael Pancier has a 2015 photo, Wikimedia has a 2010 photo, a January 2008 photo is available, the Coast Guard has a photo of the lighthouse when it was in service, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. The lighthouse was replaced by a skeletal tower (see below) in 1960. Sold as a private residence, the building was relocated in 1960 and again in 1979. The original lantern was accidently destroyed during the 1960 relocation. The current owners, JoAnn and Danny Raffield, worked for years to renovate and restore the building. In April 2011 they completed their work by mounting a replica of the original lantern. Located on county road 30A 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, but the lighthouse is easily seen from a beach access parking area next door. Owner/site manager: private. ARLHS USA-1023.
 

St. Joseph Point Light, Port St. Joe, March 2021
Google Maps photo by Kathy Miller
 
*** Cape San Blas (relocated to Port St. Joe) (4)
1885 (station established 1847). Inactive since 1996. 90 ft (27.5 m) "Sanibel class" square pyramidal skeletal tower with central cylinder, painted white. Trisha Awtrey's 2018 photo is at right, Phil Watson has a 2020 photo, Steve Rucci has a 2022 photo, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Built at the point of Cape San Blas, the light station was long endangered by beach erosion; Google's beach view showed the danger in July 2013. In fact erosion had claimed three earlier lighthouses in 1851, 1857, and 1882. Wikimedia has numerous photos of the endangered light station, Judy Baxter has a 2005 photo, Nathan Koskey has a photo of the former foundations of the tower, and Google has a satellite view of the former light station site. The Coast Guard has a rare photo of the third (1859) lighthouse, a handsome round brick tower. The present tower was relocated 1.25 miles (2 km) inland in 1918, but it came under attack by the sea again. The Coast Guard has a 1966 photo showing the light well inland at that time. 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. The other remained in very poor condition before being restored in 2005, as seen in a 2010 photo. The original brick oil house also survives (it appears at the left in the 2010 photo). The station was leased to Gulf County and the St. Joseph Historical Society, and the society opened it to the public; the tower was opened for guided tours on 20 September 2008. The station continued to be critically endangered by beach erosion and by May 2012 local officials were seeking funds to relocate the light station to Port St. Joe. Due to the erosion danger the lighthouse was added to the Lighthouse Digest Doomsday List. Tropical Strom Debby spotlighted the danger in June 2012 by removing another 6-16 ft (2-5 m) of sand from the beach in front of the lighthouse. In October 2012 officials ordered the light station closed. In December the National Park Service awarded ownership of the light station to the city of Port St. Joe, which launched plans to relocate the station to a new waterfront park. In December 2012 the Air Force had the two keeper's houses moved 100 ft (30 m) inland off the beach. In 2014 the Florida legislature appropriated $325,000 for the relocation of the station. In January 2014 the 3rd order Fresnel lens (1906) was removed from the lighthouse for restoration. In April Port St. Joe Commissioners awarded a $510,450 contract for the relocation to GAC Contracting, and on July 15 a convoy of vehicles moved the lighthouse (on its side) and the rest of the light station 12.3 miles to George Core Park on the Port St. Joe waterfront. One of the keeper's houses has been renovated as the station's gift shop. A state grant of $125,000 funded renovations and upgrades to both keeper's houses in 2017. In 2018 fundraising began to restore and return the Fresnel lens for display in a maritime museum planned for the other keeper's house. The tower was closed for repairs in the fall of 2022 but should reopen by the end of the year. Site open, tower normally open for climbing Wednesday through Saturday. Owner: City of Port St. Joe. Site manager: St. Joseph Historical Society (Cape San Blas Lighthouse ). ARLHS USA-135; ex-Admiralty J3366.

Relocated Cape San Blas Light, Port St. Joe, July 2018
Google Maps photo by Trisha Awtrey
* St. Joseph Bay (Beacon Hill) Range Rear (3)
2020 (station establsihed 1960). Active; focal plane 78 ft (24 m) ; white light, 3 s on, 3 s off. The tower carries a rectangular daymark colored red with a white vertical stripe. Google has a 2022 street view of the new tower. The previous tower was destroyed by Hurricane Michael in October 2018; a Google street view confirms its absence. Trabas has a good photo of the earlier tower and Google has a satellite view of the location. This is the original location of the St. Joseph Point lighthouse (see above). Located at the entrance to Beacon Hill County Park on US 98 at St. Joe Beach in Beacon Hill, about 8 miles (13 km) northwest of Port St. Joe. Site open, tower closed. Owner: U.S. Coast Guard. Site manager: Gulf County. Admiralty J3368.1; USCG 4-0095 (= 4-3030).

Bay County (Panama City Area) Lighthouse
St. Andrew Bay A Range Rear
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 65 ft (20 m); white light, 3 s on, 3 s off, visible only on or near the range line. 65 ft (20 m) square skeletal tower mounted on a platform supported by piles. The tower carries a rectangular slatted daymark painted white with a red vertical stripe. Trabas has a photo and Google has a satellite view and a distant street view from shore. The range guides vessels entering St. Andrews Bay through a narrow pass. Located about 400 m (1/4 mi) off the Panama City waterfront near the foot of Balboa Avenue. Accessible only by boat but easy to see from the beach. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. Admiralty J3371.41; USCG 4-3345.

Escambia County (Pensacola Area) Lighthouses
Pensacola Bay Range Rear
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 67 ft (20 m); green light at night, white by day, 3 s on, 3 s off, visible only on the range line. 67 ft (20 m) triangular skeletal tower, mounted on a square platform supported by piles. The tower also carries a rectangular daymark, red with a white vertical stripe. Trabas has a photo and Google has a street view and a satellite view. This range guides vessels across Pensacola Bay to the city's waterfront. Located in the bay off the end of Perry Avenue, about 3/4 mi (1.2 km) east of the US 98 bridge. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. Admiralty J3406.1; USCG 4-4925.
Pensacola East Channel Inner Range Rear
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 69 ft (21 m); green light occulting once every 4 s, visible from all directions. Approx. 62 ft (19 m) square skeletal tower. The tower also carries a rectangular daymark, red with a white vertical stripe. Trabas has Michael Boucher's photo and Google has a street view and a good satellite view. The front light is on a short skeletal tower atop a nearby warehouse. Located on the commercial docks on South Barracks Street in downtown Pensacola. Site status unknown. Owner: U.S. Coast Guard. Site manager: unknown. Admiralty J3409.51; USCG 4-4995.
**** 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 1st order 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. The Fort Barrancas Range Rear Light (focal plane 54 ft (16.5 m); continuous green light; Admiralty J3400.1; USCG 4-4785) stands in front of the keeper's house on a short skeletal tower; the photo at right shows this light well, and it is prominent in a 2010 photo. Anderson has an excellent page for the lighthouse, Trabas has Michael Boucher's photo, Wikimedia has many photos, Marinas.com has aerial photos, the Coast Guard has a historic photo, Huelse has a historic postcard view, Eric Parker has a street view, 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 agreed on a plan to resume tours in May 2008. In 2014 International Chimney Corp. carried out a $425,000 exterior restoration of the tower. In December 2014 the lighthouse received $400,000 for the second phase of the restoration. A third phase was carried out at a cost of $550,000 in 2016. The fourth and final phase was completed by early 2018. The lighthouse is in a secure military base. Visitors must be U.S. citizens or be accompanied by a U.S. citizen and must bring required identification; there also are strict limits on what items can be brought in. A shuttle bus brings approved visitors to the light station. Located off Radford Boulevard (FL 173) on a ridge overlooking the entrance to Pensacola harbor. Site and tower open to guided tours daily. Owner: U.S. Navy (U.S. Naval Air Station Pensacola). Site manager: Pensacola Lighthouse and Museum . ARLHS USA-592; Admiralty J3394; USCG 4-0140.
Pensacola Light
Pensacola Light, Pensacola, March 2012
Flickr Creative Commons photo by lastonein
Navy Range Rear (2)
2021. Active; focal plane 58 ft (18 m); green light, 3 s on, 3 s off, visible only on the range line. 58 ft (18 m) square skeletal tower mounted on a square platform supported by piles and carrying a rectangular daymark colored red with a white vertical stripe. Trabas has a closeup photo by Michael Boucher, Michael Llenza has a closeup sea view, a 2016 photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. This range guides vessels approaching the exit from Pensacola Bay. The original lighthouse was destroyed by Hurrican Sally in September 2020; apparently it has been replaced. Located just off the beach and off Blue Angel Parkway (FL 173) about 3/8 mi (600 m) southwest of the Pensacola lighthouse. Site and tower closed but there's a good view from the highway. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. Admiralty J3404.1; USCG 4-4855.
Caucus Channel Range Rear (2)
2021. Active; focal plane 67 ft (20 m); green light, 3 s on, 3 s off, visible only on the range line. 67 ft (20 m) square skeletal tower, rising from a square concrete equipment shelter. The tower also carries a rectangular daymark, red with a white vertical stripe. Trabas has a closeup photo by Michael Boucher and Google has a satellite view. This is the primary entrance range for Pensacola Bay. The original lighthouse was destroyed by Hurrican Sally in September 2020. Located on the beach just off Blue Angel Parkway (FL 173) about 3/4 mi (1.2 km) southwest of the Pensacola lighthouse. Site and tower closed, but there's a good view from the highway. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. Admiralty J3396.1; USCG 4-4710.

Information available on lost lighthouses:

Notable faux lighthouses:

Adjoining pages: East: Eastern Florida and the Keys | West: Alabama

Return to the Lighthouse Directory index | Ratings key

Posted 2000. Checked and revised September 5, 2023. Lighthouses: 30. Site copyright 2023 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.