The Key West Lighthouse is located in Key West, Florida. The first Key West lighthouse was a 65-foot (20 m) tower completed in 1825. It had 15 lamps in 15-inch (380 mm) reflectors.
The first keeper, Michael Mabrity, died in 1832, and his widow, Barbara, became the lighthouse keeper, serving for 32 years. The Great Havana Hurricane of 1846 destroyed the lighthouse; the USS Morris, which was wrecked during the storm, reported "a white sand beach covers the spot where Key West Lighthouse stood". Barbara Mabrity survived, but fourteen people who had sought refuge in the lighthouse tower died, including seven members of her family. (The same hurricane destroyed the Sand Key Lighthouse, eight miles (13 km) away, killing six people, including the keeper, Rebecca Flaherty, another widow of a previous keeper.) Barbara Mabrity continued to serve as keeper of the Key West Light until the early 1860s, when she was fired at age 82 for making statements against the Union (Key West remained under Union control throughout the Civil War).[1][2]
As both lighthouses serving Key West had been destroyed in the 1846 hurricane, a ship, the Honey, was acquired and outfitted as a lightship to serve as the Sand Key Light until new lighthouses could be built. Due to efforts to reorganize the Lighthouse Board, Congress was slow to appropriate funds for the new lighthouses. The new tower for the Key West Light was completed in 1848. It was 50 feet (15 m) tall with 13 lamps in 21-inch (530 mm) reflectors, and stood on ground about 15 feet (4.6 m) above sea level. In 1858 the light received a third-order Fresnel lens. In 1873 the lantern was replaced (it had been damaged by a hurricane in 1866), adding three feet to the height of the tower. The growth of trees and taller buildings in Key West began to obscure the light, and in 1894 the tower was raised twenty feet, placing the light about 100 feet (30 m) above sea level.[3][4]
After the Coast Guard decommissioned the Key West Light in 1969, it was turned over to Monroe County, which in turn leased it to the Key West Arts and Historical Society. The society operates the lighthouse and its associated buildings as the Key West Light House and Keeper's Quarters Museum. On display at the museum is the first-order Fresnel lens from the Sombrero Key lighthouse.[5]
Otheredit
In 2020 the Key West Art and Historical Society announced they designed a new small-group visitor area at the Lighthouse because of the Pandemic.[6]
Referencesedit
^. 2005-12-23. Archived from the original on 2005-12-23. Retrieved 2021-01-10.
^"Key West Lighthouse". www.us-lighthouses.com. Retrieved 2021-01-10.
^"Key West Lighthouse". LighthouseFriends. Retrieved 2021-01-10.
^"Key West Lighthouse - Key West, Florida". www.exploresouthernhistory.com. Retrieved 2021-01-10.
^"Key West Lighthouse & Keeper's Quarters | Monroe County, FL - Official Website". www.monroecounty-fl.gov. Retrieved 2021-01-10.
west, lighthouse, located, west, florida, first, west, lighthouse, foot, tower, completed, 1825, lamps, inch, reflectors, locationwhiteheads, point, west, floridacoordinates24, 55064, 80088, 55064, 80088towerfoundation, natural, emplaced, constructionbrickauto. The Key West Lighthouse is located in Key West Florida The first Key West lighthouse was a 65 foot 20 m tower completed in 1825 It had 15 lamps in 15 inch 380 mm reflectors Key West LighthouseKey West LighthouseLocationWhiteheads Point in Key West FloridaCoordinates24 33 02 N 81 48 03 W 24 55064 N 81 80088 W 24 55064 81 80088TowerFoundation Natural emplaced ConstructionBrickAutomated1915Height73 feet 22 m ShapeConicalLightFirst lit1849Deactivated1969Lens13 Argand lamps with 21 inch 530 mm reflectors Original lighthouse U S Coast Guard Archive Current lighthouse U S Coast Guard Archive Contents 1 History 2 Other 3 References 4 External linksHistory editThe first keeper Michael Mabrity died in 1832 and his widow Barbara became the lighthouse keeper serving for 32 years The Great Havana Hurricane of 1846 destroyed the lighthouse the USS Morris which was wrecked during the storm reported a white sand beach covers the spot where Key West Lighthouse stood Barbara Mabrity survived but fourteen people who had sought refuge in the lighthouse tower died including seven members of her family The same hurricane destroyed the Sand Key Lighthouse eight miles 13 km away killing six people including the keeper Rebecca Flaherty another widow of a previous keeper Barbara Mabrity continued to serve as keeper of the Key West Light until the early 1860s when she was fired at age 82 for making statements against the Union Key West remained under Union control throughout the Civil War 1 2 As both lighthouses serving Key West had been destroyed in the 1846 hurricane a ship the Honey was acquired and outfitted as a lightship to serve as the Sand Key Light until new lighthouses could be built Due to efforts to reorganize the Lighthouse Board Congress was slow to appropriate funds for the new lighthouses The new tower for the Key West Light was completed in 1848 It was 50 feet 15 m tall with 13 lamps in 21 inch 530 mm reflectors and stood on ground about 15 feet 4 6 m above sea level In 1858 the light received a third order Fresnel lens In 1873 the lantern was replaced it had been damaged by a hurricane in 1866 adding three feet to the height of the tower The growth of trees and taller buildings in Key West began to obscure the light and in 1894 the tower was raised twenty feet placing the light about 100 feet 30 m above sea level 3 4 After the Coast Guard decommissioned the Key West Light in 1969 it was turned over to Monroe County which in turn leased it to the Key West Arts and Historical Society The society operates the lighthouse and its associated buildings as the Key West Light House and Keeper s Quarters Museum On display at the museum is the first order Fresnel lens from the Sombrero Key lighthouse 5 Other editIn 2020 the Key West Art and Historical Society announced they designed a new small group visitor area at the Lighthouse because of the Pandemic 6 References edit Key West Arts and Historical Society Custom House Lighthouse Museum East Martello Towers 2005 12 23 Archived from the original on 2005 12 23 Retrieved 2021 01 10 Key West Lighthouse www us lighthouses com Retrieved 2021 01 10 Key West Lighthouse LighthouseFriends Retrieved 2021 01 10 Key West Lighthouse Key West Florida www exploresouthernhistory com Retrieved 2021 01 10 Key West Lighthouse amp Keeper s Quarters Monroe County FL Official Website www monroecounty fl gov Retrieved 2021 01 10 HISTORIC LIGHTHOUSE HIGHLIGHTS KEY WEST Florida Keys Weekly Newspapers 2020 10 23 Retrieved 2021 01 10 External links editKey West Light House and Keeper s Quarters Museum official site nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Key West Lighthouse http www kwahs org Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Key West Lighthouse amp oldid 1177249591, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
