Crooked River Light

Location	Carrabelle Florida United States
Coordinates	29°49′39″N 84°42′04″W / 29.82750°N 84.70111°W / 29.82750; -84.70111
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
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
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 solid dark red except for the black lantern room. Later (at the end of 1901) the lower half was painted white to offset it from the surrounding pine forest. This is the same daymark seen on the lighthouse today - the lower half white, the upper half red and a black lantern room. 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. ^{[4] [5]}

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.^{[ citation needed]}

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

• List of lighthouses in Florida
• List of lighthouses in the United States

Notes

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 Archived 2006-05-05 at the Wayback Machine - 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

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Crooked River Light.

• Crooked River Lighthouse - Carrabelle Lighthouse Association