National Lighthouse Day - Review Of Local Lighthouses
Ken Cooper • August 7, 2023
Beacons of the Sea: The Stories of Pensacola, Sand Island, Mobile Point, and Middle Bay Lighthouses
National Lighthouse Day, observed annually on August 7th, is a day of recognition dedicated to the towering structures that have guided countless mariners to safety. These iconic beacons of light, standing tall against the vast expanse of the sea, have been instrumental in navigation and maritime safety for centuries.
In this article, we’ll highlight four of the lighthouses in our immediate area, including:
- Sand Island Lighthouse in the Gulf of Mexico south of Dauphin Island
- Mobile Point Lighthouse located at the tip of the Fort Morgan Peninsula
- Middle Bay lighthouse located in Mobile Bay
- Pensacola Lighthouse at the Naval Air Station
The Sand Island Lighthouse, also known as the Sand Island Light Station, is a decommissioned lighthouse located at the southernmost point of Alabama, near Dauphin Island, at the mouth of Mobile Bay. Standing approximately 3 miles offshore from the primary Mobile Bay entrance, this lighthouse has a rich history intertwined with the Civil War and the natural forces of the Gulf of Mexico.
The first lighthouse on Sand Island was constructed by Winslow Lewis in 1837 and completed in 1839. This 55 feet tall structure, however, did not survive the Civil War. A new lighthouse was built in 1859 but was also destroyed during the war in 1863. A 48 feet tall wooden tower was built in 1864 and lasted until 1873.
The current lighthouse, completed by September 1864, includes a two-story lighthouse keeper's dwelling. It stands on 171 interconnected wood pilings covered with 12 feet of concrete. The base is 28 feet in diameter and 6 feet thick, and the lighthouse has a focal height of 125 feet. This lighthouse is a sibling of the Bodie Island Light in North Carolina, sharing similar architectural features.
Over the years, the Sand Island Lighthouse has faced continuous erosion, leading to efforts to add granite blocks to the island to prevent deterioration and loss. In 2003, the state granted $100,000 for a feasibility study to determine if the lighthouse could be relocated to Dauphin Island, but the recommendation was to try to restore it in place. In October 2003, ownership was transferred to the town of Dauphin Island.
In 2006, Thompson Engineering was hired to conduct an engineering study of the lighthouse. In late 2007, the federal government released $320,000 in funds to repair hurricane-related damage, and work to stabilize the foundation of the lighthouse was carried out in the summer of 2008.
In late 2010, the Corps of Engineers approved a project to place millions of cubic yards of sand (dredge spoil) around the lighthouse in an effort to protect it against erosion; the funds came from the BP oil spill mitigation funding. This project was carried out in the fall of 2011, but the artificial island lasted only a year; it was completely washed away by Hurricane Isaac in September 2012.
The Sand Island Lighthouse is on the Lighthouse Digest Doomsday List, as one of the most endangered lighthouses in the country. It was damaged by Hurricane Ivan in 2004 and Hurricane Katrina in 2005, which has further delayed restoration efforts. As of 2022, restoration efforts appear to be nonexistent.
Despite the challenges, the Sand Island Lighthouse remains a significant part of Alabama's maritime history. The original 2nd order Fresnel lens is on display at the Fort Morgan Museum, and the lighthouse's image was used as a stamp cancellation, further cementing its place in history. The Dauphin Island Foundation works with the Alabama Lighthouse Association and acts as an agent and administrator for the Sand Island Restoration Project, continuing efforts to preserve this historic beacon.
Middle Bay Lighthouse
The Middle Bay Lighthouse, affectionately known as the "Screwpile Lighthouse," is a unique fixture in the heart of Mobile Bay, Alabama. Constructed in 1885, this hexagonal wooden cottage-style structure rests on iron pilings screwed into the sandy bay floor, a design that earned it its nickname.
The hexagonal keeper's house was patterned after lighthouses operating in Chesapeake Bay. Unlike traditional lighthouse towers, the Middle Bay Lighthouse resembles a charming coastal home, complete with a red roof and a wrap-around gallery. However, don't let its quaint appearance fool you. At its core, it served a critical function, guiding ships safely through the bay's treacherous waters for nearly 70 years.
The lighthouse's beacon, powered by a fourth-order Fresnel lens, casts a guiding light visible up to 11 nautical miles. Despite its relatively small size, the Middle Bay Lighthouse played a significant role in ensuring the safe passage of countless vessels navigating the Mobile Bay Channel.
In 1967, the Middle Bay Lighthouse was decommissioned, and its beacon extinguished. However, its legacy as a maritime sentinel lives on. In 1971, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places, cementing its place in Alabama's rich maritime history.
After decades of neglect, the lighthouse underwent almost $350,000 in renovations under the guidance of the Alabama Historical Commission. The original iron tower and light were replaced with a modest pole topped by a solar-powered red light.
Today, the Middle Bay Lighthouse stands as a testament to the ingenuity of past generations and the importance of lighthouses in maritime history.
Pensacola Lighthouse: A Beacon of Florida's Gulf Coast
The Pensacola Lighthouse, also known as the Pensacola Light, is an active lighthouse located at Pensacola Bay, Florida. The station was established in 1824, with the current structure built in 1859. The lighthouse is the third iteration of what was originally a lightship, the Aurora Borealis.
The Pensacola Lighthouse is an "early classical" brick tower attached to a 2-story brick keeper's house. The tower is 150 feet tall and sits on a 40-foot bluff, placing the light 190 feet above sea level. The lighthouse is painted with the upper two-thirds in black and the lower third in white. The light shines from a revolving 1st order Fresnel lens from 1869, one of the very few of its type still in service in the U.S.
The lighthouse and its associated buildings were placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. The Pensacola Lighthouse Association, a preservation group, is working for the restoration of the site. The keeper's house has been renovated as the Navy’s Command Display Center, with exhibits on the history of the lighthouse and the Naval Air Station.
In 1989, the lighthouse and keeper's quarters were listed in A Guide to Florida's Historic Architecture, published by the University of Florida Press. The lighthouse remains an active aid to navigation. The 1869 keeper's quarters, adjacent to the lighthouse tower, houses a museum and gift shop also administered by the Pensacola Lighthouse Association.
The Pensacola Lighthouse is considered one of the most haunted lighthouses in America. Paranormal investigators claim that the property has six permanent residents, or ghosts. The lighthouse's Night Tour Coordinator, Rob Boothe, says, “We don’t say that we’re haunted. We say that we’re occupied by six people who really like it here and chose to stay with us.”
One of the spirits is believed to be Ellen Mueller, who grew up and got married at the lighthouse. She died giving birth more than 100 years ago. Ghost hunters use devices that pick up on electromagnetic energy to communicate with the spirits. They ask yes and no questions, and the spirits respond by manipulating the meter on the device.
In the basement, it's believed that the spirits of Thomas and Raymond, runaway slaves who were hanged and buried on the property, can often be found. The tower, which stands about 15 stories high and is 177 steps, is said to be frequented by the spirit of Sam Lawrence, who became head keeper in 1877.
Two children, Lizzy and Joey, who died from Yellow Fever in 1922, are also said to wander all over the lighthouse property and will travel through visitors, causing a fright.
The Pensacola Lighthouse has been featured on national television and was labeled the most haunted lighthouse in the United States ten years ago. The lighthouse offers private and overnight ghost hunts from the spring until November for those interested in experiencing these paranormal activities firsthand.
The Pensacola Lighthouse is located at the Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola. Visitors must bring government issued IDs to enter the base. A shuttle bus brings approved visitors to the light station. The lighthouse is open for guided tours daily. The lighthouse is located off Blue Angel Pkwy on a ridge overlooking the Pensacola Pass.
Mobile Point Original & Replacement (Courtesy "Lighthouse Friends")
Congress appropriated $9,000 on May 14, 1820 for a lighthouse to mark the entrance to Mobile Bay, and Winslow Lewis completed a forty-foot tower on the point by June 1822. When attracting a keeper to this remote location proved difficult, a soldier from the fort was assigned to tend the light. The lamps in the lantern room atop the tower were finally lit for the first time on September 29, 1822. Mobile Point Light was visible from ten miles at sea, but shoals kept ships about the same distance offshore, making it difficult to detect this landfall light.
Following the outbreak of the War Between the States, Confederate forces took control of the fort, and Mobile Point Lighthouse was deactivated. The lighthouse stood on a bluff near the southwest corner of the star-shaped fort, adjacent to a hotshot furnace. Cannon balls were heated in the furnace until they were white hot and then fired at invading wooden ships to set their hulls afire. Near the end of the war the old brick tower was demolished.
The second Mobile Point Lighthouse, a thirty-foot iron tower manufactured in Washington, was erected on the fort’s southwest bastion like its predecessor, and the fixed red light from its fourth-order Fresnel lens was first exhibited on February 15, 1873. A new four-room addition was built onto the old one-room keeper’s dwelling. This residence was painted white and located outside the fort’s bastions. The 1872 iron tower was removed from the grounds in September 2003 for restoration.
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