Early Lighthouse Development
Florida’s first American light station began operating in St. Augustine on April 5, 1824. Shortly after, Pensacola’s west coast light station followed in December 1824. Cape Florida, in the Keys, activated its station in December 1825. By 1845, when Florida became a state, lighthouse construction had already produced sixteen towers and thirteen light stations.
Notable Engineers
During the 1850s, Lt. George Gordon Meade—later known for commanding Union forces at Gettysburg—designed, built, or contributed to seven Florida lighthouses. These included Carysfort Reef, Sand Key, Cedar Keys, Cape Florida, Sombrero Key, Jupiter Inlet, and the original beacon at Rebecca Sand. His engineering contributions laid the foundational elements for Florida’s lighthouse system.
Tallest and Shortest Towers
The Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse stands as Florida’s tallest at 175 feet and ranks as the second tallest brick lighthouse in the U.S. In contrast, the Cedar Key Lighthouse on Seahorse Key, measuring 23 feet tall, is the shortest in the state. However, it compensates with its location on the second-highest coastal elevation in Florida, 52 feet above sea level. Additionally, Amelia Island Lighthouse claims the highest built elevation, standing on a 55-foot bluff.
Record-Setting Locations
Pensacola Lighthouse holds the record for the highest focal plane above sea level at 191 feet. This includes its 150-foot structure situated on a 45-foot bluff. Cape San Blas experienced the construction of four different towers since 1847, largely due to hurricane destruction. The current steel skeletal tower, constructed in 1885, was moved to its existing site in 1918.
Modern Milestones
The final tall brick lighthouse erected in Florida was the Mosquito (Ponce de Leon) Inlet Lighthouse in 1887. Meanwhile, the last manned light station to be constructed was the St. Johns River Light Station in 1954. It transitioned to automation in 1967.
Moreover, Sand Key Lighthouse became the first in Florida to receive a Fresnel lens, which was first lit on July 20, 1853. By 1861, the onset of the Civil War, thirteen Florida lighthouses had been fitted with these lenses.