Cape San Blas facts for kids
Cape San Blas is a beautiful piece of land in Florida that sticks out into the Gulf of Mexico. It's like a long finger of land, separating St. Joseph Bay on one side from the big Gulf on the other.
This area is about 59 miles (95 km) southeast of Panama City. It's also about 10 miles (16 km) southwest of the town of Port St. Joe. You can find it on a map at these coordinates: 29°39′49″N 85°21′20″W / 29.66361°N 85.35556°W.
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History of Cape San Blas
Cape San Blas has a long and interesting history, especially during the American Civil War and with its famous lighthouses.
Salt Production During the Civil War
During the American Civil War (1861-1865), Cape San Blas was an important place for making salt. People here built "saltworks," which were special areas where they would collect seawater. Then, they would let the sun evaporate the water, leaving behind the salt.
These saltworks were run by the Confederate side. They could make about 150 bushels (5.3 cubic meters) of salt every day. Salt was very important back then for preserving food. However, in 1862, a ship from the Union side, the USS Kingfisher, sent a group of soldiers ashore. They destroyed the saltworks, stopping the salt production.
The Lighthouses of Cape San Blas
Cape San Blas has been home to four different lighthouses over the years. Building and keeping a lighthouse here was always a challenge because of strong storms and erosion.
The first lighthouse was built in 1847. Sadly, it didn't last long. A powerful storm in August 1851 caused it to collapse.
After that, the government decided to build a second lighthouse. This one was made of brick and finished in November 1855. But just a year later, in August 1856, another hurricane hit Cape San Blas. This storm also destroyed the second lighthouse.
A third lighthouse was completed in May 1858. During the Civil War, it stopped working for a while. But it started guiding ships again in July 1865. Over time, the land around this lighthouse started to wear away due to erosion.
Because of the erosion, a fourth lighthouse was built in 1883. This one was made with a strong iron frame.
Recent Storm Damage
Cape San Blas has faced many strong storms. One of the most recent was Hurricane Michael. This powerful hurricane hit in 2018 and caused a lot of damage. Many vacation homes on the peninsula were badly hurt.
The storm was so strong that it even cut a new path through the land where a road used to be inside St. Joseph Peninsula State Park. Other parts of the road, especially near the very end of the Cape, were also heavily damaged.
