Ponce de Leon Inlet Light facts for kids
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| The Mosquito Inlet Light, later known as the Ponce de Leon Inlet Light | |
| Location | 4931 South Peninsula Dr Ponce de Leon Inlet Ponce Inlet, Florida South of Daytona |
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| Coordinates | 29°4′50.22″N 80°55′40.86″W / 29.0806167°N 80.9280167°W |
| Year first lit | 1887 (current structure) |
| Automated | 1953 |
| Deactivated | 1970; reactivated, 1982 |
| Foundation | brick |
| Construction | brick |
| Tower shape | conical tower |
| Height | 175 feet (53 m) |
| Focal height | 159 feet (48 m) |
| Original lens | First order Fresnel lens, 1887-1933, Third order Fresnel lens, 1933-1970 and since 2004 |
| Range | 17 nautical miles; 32 kilometres (20 mi) |
| Characteristic | fixed light (original) Group flashing 6 times every 30 sec (current) |
The Ponce de Leon Inlet Light is a famous lighthouse and museum in Central Florida. It stands at Ponce de León Inlet. At 175 feet tall, it is the tallest lighthouse in Florida. It is also one of the tallest lighthouses in the United States. Only the Cape Hatteras Light in North Carolina is taller. This historic lighthouse is located between the St. Augustine Light and the Cape Canaveral Light. The Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse Preservation Association helped restore it. Because of their hard work, the lighthouse became a special National Historic Landmark in 1998.
History of the Lighthouse
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The very first lighthouse for this area was built in 1835. It was on the south side of what was then called Mosquito Inlet. Sadly, the oil needed for the lamp never arrived. Soon after the tower was finished, a big storm washed away sand from its base. This made the lighthouse weak.
The Second Seminole War began shortly after. In December 1835, Seminole Native Americans attacked the lighthouse. They broke the glass in the lantern room. They also set fire to its wooden stairs. Because of the war, no repairs could be made. The lighthouse collapsed the next year.
Many ships crashed along the coast near Mosquito Inlet. But it took until 1883 for a new effort to build a light there. The new lighthouse was finished in 1887. It was built on the north side of the inlet. Its design was based on standard plans, but with changes for this specific spot.
Chief Engineer Orville E. Babcock oversaw the building. Sadly, he drowned in Mosquito Inlet in 1884. The tower was completed, and its lamp was lit in 1887. This powerful lamp could be seen 20 miles away.
In 1897, a writer named Stephen Crane was on his way to Cuba. He was going to report on a revolt against Spanish rule. The ship he was on, the SS Commodore, sank off the Florida coast. Crane escaped in a small boat with some crew members. They eventually saw the Mosquito Inlet Light and steered towards it. Crane later wrote about this experience in his famous short story, "The Open Boat".
The lighthouse's first lamp burned kerosene. In 1909, it was replaced with a brighter oil vapor lamp. In 1924, a generator was put in place. This provided electricity for the keepers' homes. It also pumped water, replacing an old windmill pump. The lighthouse beacon became electric in 1933. It used a 500-watt lamp. At the same time, the large first-order Fresnel lens was replaced. A smaller, third-order rotating Fresnel lens took its place.
In 1927, the name of Mosquito Inlet was changed. It became Ponce de Leon Inlet. In 1939, the lighthouse was transferred to the United States Coast Guard. The Coast Guard managed it for the next 30 years. In 1970, the Coast Guard stopped using the old light station. They set up a new beacon at New Smyrna Beach.
The abandoned lighthouse property was then given to the Town of Ponce Inlet. Concerned citizens urged the town to accept it. In 1972, the Town of Ponce Inlet took over the Light Station. The Lighthouse Preservation Association was formed to manage the museum. That same year, the lighthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
Visiting the Museum Today
In 1982, the lighthouse light was turned back on. This happened mainly because tall buildings were blocking the Coast Guard's new beacon. On August 5, 1998, the Ponce De Leon Inlet Light Station was named a National Historic Landmark. It is one of only eleven lighthouses to receive this special honor.
The lighthouse and three homes where the keepers lived have been restored. They are now open to the public every day. You can even climb to the top of the lighthouse tower!
The museum displays several important lenses. These include the original 1867 Barbier et Fenestre first-order lens. This lens was installed in 1887. Also on display is an 1860 "Henry Lepaute" rotating first-order Fresnel lens. This lens was once used at the Cape Canaveral Light Station.
The 1904 Barbier, Benard, et Turenne rotating third-order Fresnel lens has been restored. It is now back in service in the tower. Today, it works as a private aid for ships. The museum staff maintains it. The lighthouse is just south of Daytona Beach.
See also
In Spanish: Faro Ponce de León para niños
