Mona Island Light, also known as Faro de la Isla de la Mona, is a historic lighthouse located on the island of Mona, Puerto Rico, in the Mona Passage between Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. It is the only lighthouse built of iron and steel in Puerto Rico. While some sources reported that the structure was designed by Gustav Eiffel, who also designed the Eiffel Tower in Paris,[3][4] recent studies have shown that the tower was designed around 1885 by Spanish engineer Rafael Ravena.[5]
It is the first of two lighthouses built by the U.S. government in Puerto Rico.
It was first lit in 1900 and automated in 1973.[6] In 1976, the light was deactivated and replaced by a modern beacon. The structure has deteriorated severely since deactivation. The lighthouse is listed in "Frommer's 500 Places to See Before They Disappear"[3] and Lighthouse Digest magazine described the condition of the lighthouse as dire: "This lighthouse has to be among the most endangered in the U.S. – along with being one of the most isolated – rusting away in the tropical heat and humidity."[7]
Two sets of plans were drawn up between 1885 and 1886 by Spanish engineer Rafael Ravena,[5] working for the Spanish government, for a lighthouse on the eastern side of Mona Island to help mark Mona Passage, which runs between Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. One set of plans called for a massive masonry structure with twenty five rooms for three keepers, families and supplies and a light with a range of 22 miles. However this was not the design that was finally used, probably due to the very porous and brittle sandstone conditions of Mona Island.[8]
The second set of plans called for an iron tower with a separate living quarters for one keeper and his family. This plan was approved in 1887, and work on the station started in the early 1890s. The lighthouse's materials were fabricated in France by Duclos & Cie. The U.S. government continued its construction after the Spanish–American War in 1898.[9]
The 1.1 miles (1.8 km) long narrow-gauge Mona Island Tramway had a gauge of 600 mm (1 ft 11+5⁄8 in). Its 231 ft long incline ran from the beach to a cave. Goods were carried through the cave, and then hauled by a stubborn donkey on a canopy-covered wagon along a 6000 ft long track to the lighthouse.[10][11]
Donkey-drawn narrow gauge railway
U.S. National Register of Historic PlacesEdit
The lighthouse, as "Faro de la Isla de la Mona", was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1981.[2]
mona, island, light, also, known, faro, isla, mona, historic, lighthouse, located, island, mona, puerto, rico, mona, passage, between, puerto, rico, dominican, republic, only, lighthouse, built, iron, steel, puerto, rico, while, some, sources, reported, that, . Mona Island Light also known as Faro de la Isla de la Mona is a historic lighthouse located on the island of Mona Puerto Rico in the Mona Passage between Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic It is the only lighthouse built of iron and steel in Puerto Rico While some sources reported that the structure was designed by Gustav Eiffel who also designed the Eiffel Tower in Paris 3 4 recent studies have shown that the tower was designed around 1885 by Spanish engineer Rafael Ravena 5 Mona Island LightLocationMona Island Mayaguez Puerto RicoCoordinates18 5 5 2 N 67 51 4 4 W 18 084778 N 67 851222 W 18 084778 67 851222TowerConstructed1900 FoundationConcreteConstructionIronAutomated1973Height12 m 39 ft ShapeSkeletal with central cylinderMarkingsBlackHeritageNational Register of Historic Places listed place LightFirst lit1900Deactivated1976Focal height98 m 322 ft LensSecond order FresnelCharacteristicFl W 5s Faro de la Isla de la MonaU S National Register of Historic PlacesU S Historic districtContributing propertyPart ofIsla de Mona historic district ID93001398 MPSLighthouse System of Puerto Rico TRNRHP reference No 81000689 1 2 Added to NRHPOctober 22 1981 Mona Island Light ca 1913It is the first of two lighthouses built by the U S government in Puerto Rico It was first lit in 1900 and automated in 1973 6 In 1976 the light was deactivated and replaced by a modern beacon The structure has deteriorated severely since deactivation The lighthouse is listed in Frommer s 500 Places to See Before They Disappear 3 and Lighthouse Digest magazine described the condition of the lighthouse as dire This lighthouse has to be among the most endangered in the U S along with being one of the most isolated rusting away in the tropical heat and humidity 7 Contents 1 History 2 Railway 3 U S National Register of Historic Places 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksHistory EditTwo sets of plans were drawn up between 1885 and 1886 by Spanish engineer Rafael Ravena 5 working for the Spanish government for a lighthouse on the eastern side of Mona Island to help mark Mona Passage which runs between Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic One set of plans called for a massive masonry structure with twenty five rooms for three keepers families and supplies and a light with a range of 22 miles However this was not the design that was finally used probably due to the very porous and brittle sandstone conditions of Mona Island 8 The second set of plans called for an iron tower with a separate living quarters for one keeper and his family This plan was approved in 1887 and work on the station started in the early 1890s The lighthouse s materials were fabricated in France by Duclos amp Cie The U S government continued its construction after the Spanish American War in 1898 9 Railway EditMain article Mona Island Tramway The 1 1 miles 1 8 km long narrow gauge Mona Island Tramway had a gauge of 600 mm 1 ft 11 5 8 in Its 231 ft long incline ran from the beach to a cave Goods were carried through the cave and then hauled by a stubborn donkey on a canopy covered wagon along a 6000 ft long track to the lighthouse 10 11 nbsp nbsp Donkey drawn narrow gauge railwayU S National Register of Historic Places EditThe lighthouse as Faro de la Isla de la Mona was listed on the U S National Register of Historic Places in 1981 2 See also EditList of lighthouses in Puerto RicoReferences Edit Inventory of Historic Light Stations National Park Service Retrieved 2009 03 29 a b National Register Information System National Register of Historic Places National Park Service March 13 2009 a b Frommer s 500 Places to See Before They Disappear Frommer s 2008 ISBN 978 0 470 18986 3 Retrieved 2009 03 31 Mona Island Inventio Magazine University of Puerto Rico Archived from the original on 2008 05 12 Retrieved 2009 04 01 a b Mari Mutt Jose A Shanklin Sandra January February 2011 Endangered Mona Island s Mystique Dispelled PDF Lighthouse Digest Historic Light Station Information and Photography Puerto Rico United States Coast Guard Historian s Office Archived from the original on 2017 05 01 Retrieved 2009 03 30 Shanklin Sandra Mona Island Lighthouse Lighthouse Digest Archived from the original on 2011 06 14 Retrieved 2009 04 01 Lighthouses Friends Mona Island Retrieved 2009 04 01 Holland Francis Ross 1988 America s Lighthouses Courier Dover Publications pp 197 ISBN 0 486 25576 X Roger W Aponte Railroads of Puerto Rico Ferrocarriles de Puerto Rico Spanish version Roger W Aponte Railroads of Puerto Rico Ferrocarriles de Puerto Rico English Spanish version External links EditHistoric American Engineering Record HAER No PR 24 Isla de Mona Light Mona Island Cabo Rojo Cabo Rojo Municipio PR 41 photos 3 color transparencies 4 data pages 3 photo caption pages Portals nbsp Puerto Rico nbsp Engineering Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Mona Island Light amp oldid 1170267397, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
