Although the number of lighthouses in Florida was much greater a century ago, The Sunshine State still has 30 historic lighthouses along Florida?s 1200 mile coastline. Some of these lighthouses are easily accessible to visitors but charge admission to climb to the top, while others require a boat ride to reach and are in serious need of repairs and renovation before anyone will be allowed inside. Lighthouses have been constructed out of various materials over the years, but the stone structures have both the longevity and the beauty to attract nautical history buffs from around the world.Some of the more notable lighthouses in the state include the lighthouse at Fernandina Beach in Amelia Island. The tower was completed in 1838 and is still in use today. St. Augustine?s lighthouse was built in 1875, and the swirling black and white striped pattern is similar to lighthouses in the Carolinas. Farther down the Atlantic coast is the distinctive red brick lighthouse at Ponce Inlet (pictured). The current tower was completed in 1886 and was resurrected from a state of decay?along with historic buildings from the light station-- in the 1970s. The white brick Cape Florida lighthouse in Key Biscayne (near Miami) is part of Bill Baggs State Park, which has one of the nicest beaches in Florida.
Moving over to the Florida Keys, the white brick lighthouse in Key West is a favorite landmark. Completed in 1848, the lighthouse was constantly upgraded and historians have preserved the tower and the adjoining light station as it appeared in 1890. Farther up the Gulf Coast, there are more iron lighthouses constructed on various barrier islands, and the lighthouse at Pensacola requires special permission to view because it is located on a Naval Air Station. For more information on lighthouses in Florida and other parts of the country, visit http://www.us-lighthouses.com/.
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