Crooked River Light
 Crooked River Light | |
 | |
| Location | Carrabelle Florida United States |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 29°49′39″N 84°42′04″W / 29.82750°N 84.70111°W |
| Tower | |
| Constructed | 1895 |
| Foundation | concrete base |
| Construction | wrought iron skeletal tower |
| Automated | 1965 |
| Height | 100 feet (30 m) |
| Shape | square pyramidal skeletal tower with central cylinder, balcony and lantern |
| Markings | white lower half tower, red upper half tower, black lantern |
| Operator | Carrabelle Lighthouse Association[1][2] |
| Heritage | National Register of Historic Places listed place  |
| Light | |
| Deactivated | 1995-2007 |
| Focal height | 115 feet (35 m) |
| Lens | fourth order Fresnel lens |
| Range | 17 nautical miles (31 km; 20 mi) |
| Characteristic | Fl (2) W 15s. |
Crooked River Lighthouse | |
| Nearest city | Carrabelle, Florida |
| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1895 |
| NRHP reference No. | 78000941[3] |
| Added to NRHP | December 1, 1978 |
The Crooked River Light, also known as the Carrabelle Light, was built in 1895 to replace the Dog Island Light on Dog Island, which had been destroyed in 1875 by a hurricane. The location on the mainland allowed the light to serve as the rear range light for the channel to the west of Dog Island, used by ships in the lumber trade.
History
The Crooked River Lighthouse, built in 1895, replaced three lighthouses on Dog Island that over the years were destroyed by storms. The lightstation grounds originally included a house for both the Keeper and the Assistant Keeper, and several outbuildings. At first the lighthouse was painted metallic brown, then the lower half was painted white, and finally the present daymark of the upper half red and the lower half white was chosen. After being electrified in 1933, the lighthouse was automated and unmanned in 1952. In 1964 the two houses and all outbuildings were sold and removed from the site. The original 4th Order lens was removed by the Coast Guard in 1976, due to mercury leakage in the float container. The lens was replaced by a modern optic and this beacon remained in operation until the lighthouse was decommissioned in 1995.
In 1999 the Carrabelle Lighthouse Association was formed to restore, preserve, and open the lighthouse to the public. This goal was achieved between 2007-2009. An acrylic replica of the original glass Fresnel lens was installed and the lighthouse serves as an aid to navigation once again.
Head keepers
- James A. Williams (1895 – 1906)
- Albert A. Williams (1906 – 1912)
- Carl Wilson (1913)
- Jefferson D. Miller (1913 – 1918)
- Milton E. Wheelock (1919)
- Thorwald Hansen (at least 1921 – at least 1945)
See also
Notes
- ^ Crooked River (Carrabelle) The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved 1 July 2016
- ^ Florida Historic Light Station Information & Photography United States Coast Guard. Retrieved 1 July 2016
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
References
- "Historic Light Station Information and Photography: Florida". United States Coast Guard Historian's Office. Archived from the original on 2017-05-01. Retrieved June 29, 2008.
- National Park Service Inventory of Historic Light Stations - Florida Lighthouses - accessed January 16, 2006
- Florida Lighthouse Page - Crooked River Lighthouse History - accessed June 9, 2008
- Crooked River Lighthouse - Carrabelle Lighthouse Association - accessed November 3, 2009
- Crooked River Lighthouse - LighthouseFriends.com - accessed November 3, 2009
- Crooked River Lighthouse - City of Carrabelle - accessed November 3, 2009
- Photograph: "Sign: Crooked River Lighthouse History." - accessed November 14, 2010
External links
- Crooked River Lighthouse - Carrabelle Lighthouse Association
