Ponce Inlet Light Station

In 1834 the United States Congress appropriated the funds necessary for the building of a lighthouse at Mosquito Inlet, Florida.  The first lighthouse, 45 feet tall, was completed in February 1835 but oil never arrived and the lighthouse was never lit.  That October a hurricane washed away the keeper's quarters and undermined the lighthouse's foundations.  In late December the Seminoles attacked it and burned the stairs.  The area was abandoned and the lighthouse fell into the sea in April 1836.

Construction of the current lighthouse started in 1883 and the light was first lit on November 1, 1887.  In 1970 the light was deactivated in favor of a beacon on the south side of the inlet but was reactivated in 1982 after tall condominiums blocked the beacon.

The 1887 light, at 175 feet, is tallest in Florida and the second tallest on the Unites States east coast.   Some now say that it is the tallest on its original foundations since the Cape Hatteras house was moved due to beach erosion.

Photo of the construction site in 1885. Mosquito Inlet has taken many lives over the years and still takes some these days.  As construction of the lighthouse was about to begin of chief engineer Orville E. Babcock drowned when the boat taking him to shore overturned.  According to newspaper articles of the times as many as five of the eight to 10 schooners used during construction were wrecked and at least six men drowned.	Click on photo for larger version. Photo courtesy of the Florida State Archives
A view of the lighthouse on August 15, 1907.  Compare it with the next photo taken June 22, 2006.	Click on photo for larger version. Photo courtesy of the Florida State Archives
The lighthouse on June 22, 2006. Compare this with the previous photo.	Click on photo for larger version. Photo © 2006 Patrick Beuzet
The lighthouse in 1910.	Click on photo for larger version. Photo courtesy of the Florida State Archives
The lighthouse today.  The building immediately to the left and back of the lighthouse is not original to the station.   It houses the lens display. The partial building at the far right of the photo is the entrance to the complex and houses the gift shop.   It was built following the plans for a new keeper's residence which was never built.	Click on photo for larger version. Photo © 2006 Patrick Beuzet
The lighthouse viewed from the south.	Click on photo for larger version. Photo © 2006 Patrick Beuzet
Overall view of the light station compound.	Click on photo for larger version. Photo © 2006 Patrick Beuzet
A telephoto shot.	Click on photo for larger version. Photo © 2006 Patrick Beuzet
Another telephoto shot of the lighthouse.	Click on photo for larger version. Photo © 2006 Patrick Beuzet
The oil storage building.  It was victim of a fire in the early or mid 1970s which destroyed the roof and part of the interior walls. It was restored by the Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse Preservation Association during the late 1980s.	Click on photo for larger version. Photo © 2006 Patrick Beuzet
The principal keeper's residence.  When you click on the thumbnail to see the larger version the of photo you will notice the vent directly below the chimney.	Click on photo for larger version. Photo © 2006 Patrick Beuzet
One of the assistant keeper's houses.	Click on photo for larger version. Photo © 2006 Patrick Beuzet
And the other.	Click on photo for larger version. Photo © 2006 Patrick Beuzet
A view of the rear of the principal keeper's house.   The ramp going up to the house is for handicapped access and is not original. Behind the house you see the wood shed. The smaller part of that building is the privy. Indoor plumbing and a bathroom were installed in 1921.	Click on photo for larger version. Photo © 2006 Patrick Beuzet
A better view of the woodshed and the privy.   Notice that the wood shed door faces the back of the house but that the convenience door faces the wood.   For modesty?	Click on photo for larger version. Photo © 2006 Patrick Beuzet
Cat cemetery at the edge of the oak scrubs.	Click on photo for larger version. Photo © 2006 Patrick Beuzet
A display of two Cuban rafts found locally.  The one on the left dates back to 1989 and from clothing items found aboard it is thought that children may also have been aboard.  The one on the right was found in 1994.  The orange life vest on the left raft is a sign left by the U.S. Coast Guard that people had been rescued at sea.  The one on the right lacks such a sign.	Click on photo for larger version. Photo © 2006 Patrick Beuzet
A display inside one of the residences.   The box with the books was a travelling library. Supply ships would bring a new one each time the called.   These libraries contained an assortment of books including novels and more serious works.	Click on photo for larger version. Photo © 2006 Patrick Beuzet
One of the main gallery brackets is on display.	Click on photo for larger version. Photo © 2006 Patrick Beuzet
Link to the Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse Preservation Association  They have a good history page which includes the tower specifications.   The site also has an article about Stephen Crane and a link to download his short story "The Open Boat" and his newspaper article about his ship wreck off shore.	Click on photo for larger version. Photo © 2006 Patrick Beuzet

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