Lighthouses Of Florida

Sporting the second-longest coastline in the United States, Florida has over 8,000 miles of sparkling beaches and waterfront property. This valuable landscape and the region’s position between the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico made Florida key in the early expansion of American trade routes, but the state’s several capes and dangerous reefs, rocks, and shoals made travel quite perilous to unwary mariners. When commerce and traffic began to grow between ports on the East Coast and along the Gulf of Mexico in the nineteenth century, it became necessary to construct aids to navigation along the state’s long and treacherous coast. Lighthouses were the solution. Constructed in a variety of styles and sizes, Florida’s lighthouses were erected on what, at the time, were some of the most desolate regions of the southeastern United States and included lonely offshore islands. Manned and inhabited by vigilant keepers and their families, these towers illuminated the dark seas and provided the beacon that guided lost travelers. Large brick structures watched over St. Augustine, Pensacola, and Ponce de Leon Inlet; iron skeletons towered over Crooked River and Hillsboro Inlet; and screwpile lighthouses stood as sentinels in the waters off the Florida Keys.

Florida's lighthouses guide shipping south from the St. Marys River to the tip of the Keys, then north to Pensacola Bay. See some of Florida's oldest and most historic structures, with diverse styles of architecture and daymark designs, including the black-and-white bands of the St. Augustine Lighthouse and the spider-legged iron structures along the Florida Reef. This guide has been revised and updated from previous edition, with new photos of renovated lighthouses. It discusses four lighthouses not included in first edition.

Discover the maritime and human history of Florida's 30 awe-inspiring lighthouses along the East Coast, through the Keys, and up the west coast to the Panhandle. Both modern color and historical black-and-white photographs, as well as postcards and diagrams, illustrate their role in the settlement of not only Florida, but all of America. Florida's shores have been witness to over five centuries of maritime history, including battles in the Revolutionary War, the Seminole Wars, the Civil War, and World War II. Diving into the lives of the keepers of these beacons, the Tuerses describe how the lighthouse keepers navigated not only these political conflicts, but nature's wrath, braving hurricanes and wild storms to keep the lights burning. This meticulously researched book covers the technical--such as the engineering behind the design of the towers and lenses--as well as the personal, including stories of widowed women balancing raising a family with tending the lighthouse.

This engaging and colorful guidebook brings alive the many lighthouses of the Sunshine State. Some thirty Florida lighthouses guide ships south from the St. Marys River to the tip of the Keys, then north to Pensacola Bay. They comprise some of Florida's oldest and most historic structures and represent many diverse styles of architecture and daymarks. This new edition of the bestselling Guide to Florida Lighthouses has been updated with expanded profiles of the lighthouses, new travel information, more history, and recent photos.

Photographers Bob and Sandra Shaklin provide photographs of 30 lighthouses in Florida and 3 in Alabama.

Presents a history of Florida's thirty-three lighthouses, including how they were designed and built, how they operate, and the bravery of their keepers.

Written and fully illustrated by internationally known artist Roger Bansemer, this book, depicting Florida's thirty lighthouses in over 200 paintings and sketches, is sure to be an instant collector's treasure. The artist recently visited each lighthouse - a feat which took him on many land and sea adventures - and offers here the only book with an accurate description of how each looks today.

From Amelia Island to the Keys to Pensacola in the Panhandle, the coast of Florida is dotted with lighthouses of all sizes, shapes, materials, and - best of all – histories. The Florida Lighthouse Trail is a compilation of short histories, written by expert contributors from around the state. Each chapter has fascinating details about these great sentinels. Chock-full of information on dates of construction and operation, changes over time, and Fresnel lenses, this book also serves as a travel guide with directions and contact information for their support organizations. Paul Bradley's beautiful artwork richly illustrates each lighthouse. This new edition features substantially updated information, with the most up-to-date information for history buffs and prospective visitors. The Florida Lighthouse Trail also includes a history of the Florida Lighthouse Association, an extensive glossary, short biographies of the contributors, suggested reading, and an index.