THE SIX HISTORIC LIGHTHOUSES
THAT GUARDED THE FLORIDA KEYS
Long before GPS and electronic charts, navigating the Florida Keys could be dangerous. Hidden reefs claimed countless ships, leading to a remarkable chain of lighthouses built during the 1800s to guide sailors through the Florida Reef.
Here are six historic towers that still stand today.
1. CARYSFORT REEF LIGHTHOUSE — 1852
Six miles offshore of Key Largo, Carysfort Reef Lighthouse was built in 1852 after a lightship had marked the dangerous reef since 1826. Its skeletal iron design became a familiar style for reef lighthouses throughout the Keys.
2. ALLIGATOR REEF LIGHTHOUSE — 1873
Standing 136 feet offshore of Islamorada, Alligator Reef Lighthouse was first lit in 1873. The reef was named for the USS Alligator, a Navy schooner wrecked there in 1822. The tower remains an Upper Keys landmark.
3. SOMBRERO KEY LIGHTHOUSE — 1858
Built offshore of Marathon in 1858, Sombrero Key Lighthouse has an interesting connection to the Civil War. Engineer George G. Meade worked on the lighthouse before becoming the Union general who defeated Robert E. Lee at Gettysburg.
4. AMERICAN SHOAL LIGHTHOUSE — 1880
Completed in 1880, American Shoal was one of the last major iron reef lighthouses built in the Keys. It replaced the simpler Totten Beacons once used to mark dangerous waters. Remains of one can still be found nearby.
5. SAND KEY LIGHTHOUSE — 1853
Southwest of Key West, Sand Key Lighthouse replaced a brick tower destroyed by the devastating hurricane of 1846. Its iron replacement was first lit in 1853 and designed to better withstand the powerful hurricanes of the Keys.
6. LOGGERHEAD KEY LIGHTHOUSE — 1858
At the western end of the Florida Reef, Loggerhead Key Lighthouse rises from the Dry Tortugas. First illuminated in 1858, its powerful Fresnel lens could reportedly be seen from as far as 53 miles away.
Today, GPS and modern electronics make navigation far easier. But these old towers remain reminders of a time when sailing the Florida Reef could be deadly.
They're more than lighthouses. They're survivors—and a remarkable part of Florida Keys history.
Nautical Mile Magazine
