Gasparilla Island Lights facts for kids
| Location | south tip of Gasparilla Island, on the Boca Grande Pass |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 26°43′02.5″N 82°15′39.4″W / 26.717361°N 82.260944°W |
| Year first constructed | 1890 |
| Year first lit | 1890 |
| Automated | 1956 |
| Deactivated | 1966, reactivated 1986 |
| Foundation | iron screw piles |
| Construction | wood frame |
| Tower shape | octagonal lantern at roof peak of a square house |
| Height | 44 feet (13 m) |
| Original lens | three and a half order Fresnel lens |
| Characteristic | white light flashes every 20 seconds |
| Location | 2 miles north of Port Boca Grande Lighthouse |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 26°44′31.4″N 82°15′48.8″W / 26.742056°N 82.263556°W |
| Year first lit | 1932 |
| Automated | 1956 |
| Deactivated | 2014, reactivated 2018 |
| Foundation | iron steel piles |
| Construction | wrought iron |
| Tower shape | skeletal tower |
| Height | 105 feet (32 m) |
| Original lens | fourth order Fresnel lens |
| Range | 10 nm (red sector) |
| Characteristic | white light with red sector, 6 second isophase period |
The Gasparilla Island Lights are two important lighthouses located on Gasparilla Island in Boca Grande, Florida. These lights helped guide ships safely into the Boca Grande Pass, which leads to Charlotte Harbor. The two lighthouses are the Port Boca Grande Lighthouse and the Gasparilla Island Light (also known as the Rear Range Light).
Contents
Port Boca Grande Lighthouse: A Guiding Light
The Port Boca Grande Lighthouse first shone its light on December 31, 1890. It was built as a two-story wooden house resting on strong iron screw-piles. The light itself was placed in a small tower, called a cupola, on the roof. The lighthouse keeper, who was in charge of the light, lived right inside the lighthouse. There was also a separate house nearby for the assistant keeper.
Helping Ships and Trade
This lighthouse played a big role in guiding ships. At first, it helped ships carrying cattle from Charlotte Harbor to Cuba. Later, in the 1890s, Phosphate ore became a very important cargo. This ore came from the Peace River area. When the Charlotte Harbor and Northern Railway was built to Port Boca Grande in 1909, even more ships started coming. During World War II, the port became a safe place for ships in the Gulf of Mexico. More than 30 ships a day would pass by the lighthouse!
Saving a Historic Lighthouse
In 1966, the Port Boca Grande Lighthouse was turned off. The Coast Guard left it in 1969. Without care, the building started to fall apart. By 1970, the beach around it was washing away, and waves were even breaking under the lighthouse! To save it, two rock walls were built, and new sand was added to the beach.
Lee County took over the lighthouse in 1972. On February 28, 1980, this historic lighthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's recognized as a very important historical site. Restoration work began in 1985, and in 1986, the light was turned back on!
A Park and a Museum
In 1988, the lighthouse and the land around it became part of Gasparilla Island State Park. In 1999, the Historic Port Boca Grande Lighthouse and Museum opened to the public. Today, you can visit the museum and learn about its history. The lighthouse still works as an "Aid to Navigation," which means it helps ships find their way. The U.S. Coast Guard team in St. Petersburg takes care of its lamp room.
Gasparilla Island Light: The Rear Range Light
The Gasparilla Island Light has an interesting past. It was first built in 1885 in Delaware to serve as the Delaware Breakwater Range Rear Light. Because of beach erosion, it was taken out of service in 1918.
Moving a Lighthouse
The tower was taken apart in 1921. Then, it was moved and put back together on Gasparilla Island in 1927. However, it didn't start shining its light until 1932. It became the "rear entrance range light" for Port Boca Grande. There was also a "front entrance range light" about a mile offshore in the Gulf of Mexico.
How Range Lights Work
These two lights worked together to help ships. They flashed at different speeds. When a ship's navigator saw the two lights line up perfectly, they knew it was the right time to turn and enter Boca Grande Pass safely. Even though the front range light is gone now, the Boca Grande Rear Range Light still helps guide ships today. It is also maintained by the U.S. Coast Guard team in St. Petersburg.
Restoration and Return
The Gasparilla Island Light was turned off by the Coast Guard in 2014. In 2016, the lighthouse was given to the Barrier Islands Parks Society. This group worked hard to restore the lighthouse. They even put in a copy of its original Fresnel lens, which is a special type of lens that makes the light very bright and focused. The light was switched on again in 2018, continuing its important job.
Images for kids
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Gasparilla Island Lighthouse, U.S. Coast Guard Archive
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Gasparilla Island Rear Range Light, U.S. Coast Guard Archive
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The flag found nearby the two lights
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The main lighthouse, containing the gift shop now
