American Shoal Light facts for kids
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| American Shoal lighthouse | |
 American Shoal Light
Location in Florida
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| Location | south-east of the Saddlebunch Keys close to Looe Key Florida United States |
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| Coordinates | 24°31′31″N 81°31′10″W / 24.525189°N 81.519464°W |
| Year first constructed | 1880 |
| Automated | 1963 |
| Deactivated | 2015 |
| Foundation | screw-pile with platform |
| Construction | wrought iron skeleton tower |
| Tower shape | octagonal pyramidal skeletal tower with platform and 2-storey keeper's quarters, central cylinder, balcony and lantern |
| Markings / pattern | red tower and lantern |
| Height | 110 feet (34 m) |
| Focal height | 109 feet (33 m) |
| Original lens | First-order drum Fresnel lens (1880) |
| Current lens | VRB-25 aerobeacon |
| Range | white: 14 nautical miles (26 km; 16 mi) red: 10 nautical miles (19 km; 12 mi) |
| Characteristic | Fl (3) W 15s. (two red sectors) |
| Racon | "Y" (– • – –) |
| Admiralty number | J3002 |
| ARLHS number | USA-011 |
| USCG number | 3-1015 |
The American Shoal Light is a historic lighthouse located in Florida, United States. It stands in the ocean, southeast of the Saddlebunch Keys and close to Looe Key. This important structure was finished in 1880. Its light first shone on July 15, 1880. The lighthouse was built using the same design as the Fowey Rocks lighthouse, which was completed two years earlier.
Contents
History of the Lighthouse
Building a Light for Safety
As early as 1851, plans were made to build a series of large lighthouses. These lighthouses were meant to mark the dangerous Florida Reefs. These reefs are shallow areas that can be very risky for ships.
The lighthouses were all made with a strong, open metal framework. This design helped them stand strong against hurricanes. They were built one by one over many years. The American Shoal Light was one of the last ones to be completed in 1880.
Construction and Design
A company from Trenton, New Jersey, built the American Shoal Light. It took only 13 months to make, ship, and put together the lighthouse at its location. The spot chosen for the lighthouse was 15 miles to the east, right on the edge of the outermost reefs. The water there was about 4 feet deep.
Building the lighthouse took about two years. When it was finished, it cost around $94,000. The light was turned on for the first time on the night of July 15, 1880.
The American Shoal Light was built using wrought iron. It stands on a screw-pile foundation. This means its base is made of giant screws drilled into the seabed. There is also a platform above the water. The lighthouse is a skeletal tower, meaning it has an open framework.
The light itself is about 109 feet (33 meters) above the water. The living area for the lighthouse keepers is an octagonal (eight-sided) building. It sits on a platform about 40 feet (12 meters) above the water. The tower's metal frame and the living area are painted brown. The circular stairs inside, which lead up to the light, are painted white.
Lenses and Automation
The original light had a special lens called a first-order drum Fresnel lens. This type of lens makes the light very bright and visible from far away. It made a flash every 5 seconds.
In 1963, the lighthouse became automated. This means it no longer needed people living there to operate it. A smaller, fourth-order lens was installed. This new light was powered by solar energy. The light that is there now (but is not working) is a VRB-25 aerobeacon.
The light could be seen from about 14 nautical miles (26 kilometers) away in its white sections. In its red sections, it could be seen from about 10 nautical miles (19 kilometers) away.
Other Facts
The U.S. Coast Guard lists this lighthouse as number 1015 in their official list of lights.
In 1990, the U.S. Postal Service honored the American Shoal Light. They put its picture on a 25-cent postage stamp.
The lighthouse was turned off in 2015. It no longer guides ships.
On May 20, 2016, some people boarded the lighthouse. The United States Coast Guard later helped these people. Some were taken back to Cuba, and others were taken to the Guantanamo Bay Naval Station.
Head Keepers
These are some of the people who worked as head keepers at the American Shoal Light:
- William Bates (1880 – 1889)
- Henry P. Weatherford (1899 – 1905)
- Alfred A. Berghell (1905 – 1907)
- Arthur C.E. Hamblett (1907 – 1908)
- John Peterson (1908 – 1910)
- William H. Curry (1910 – at least 1915)
- Thomas M. Kelly (1917)
- William H. Pierce (at least 1919)
- Richard C. Roberts (at least 1921 – at least 1936)
- James O. Duncan (1939 – at least 1940)
Future of the Lighthouse
On February 1, 2019, an announcement was made about the lighthouse. It would be given away for free to certain groups. This included government agencies, schools, non-profit organizations, or community groups. They could get the lighthouse if they wanted to use it for things like education, parks, recreation, culture, or saving history. Groups that wanted the lighthouse had to apply by April 2, 2019.
