Maxene Graham, Program Chair introduced

Ray Stewart

Shedding some light on lighthouses for us…

Mr. Stewart was the lightkeeper at the Key West lighthouse while stationed with the Coast Guard. Now, as a member of the Florida Lighthouse Association he  photographs them around the country

He is also a member of the Institute for Mayan Studies and has been photographing archeological sites for 30 years. 

It is difficult to get money to restore these 200 year old structures. 

There are 32 lighthouses in the state of FL.  The one at Cape St. George was reduced to a pile of bricks after the  last hurricane.  The storm took the sand out from under it.  Historians are trying to reclaim it.

The first warning for shipping routes was simple bonfires, then tall buildings with candle-lit chandeliers, then oil lamps with whale or pig oil (rendered fat) which evolved into keroscene in the 1870’s or kerosene under pressure – the blow torch.  A parabolic reflector was then used to dispurse light. 

The keeper’s job was hard as the fuel produced soot and dirt. Dailiy cleaning caused over polishing which took the reflective surface off of the mirrors. The keeper hauled 40 lbs oil cans up 100’s of steps twice a day. 

In 1882,  Fresnel’s lens allowed light to be taken straight out to sea by magnifying light rays from the center point. Then, several lens were hooked together.  The US , after Europe had this new system implemented these lenses in 1885. The glass lenses were made in France weighing 40 lbs each. 

The lenses boosts the candle power immensely pushing the light from 5 miles to 18 miles out to sea.

A clock mechanism would rotate the lens for the flashing effect and sailors could identify the lighthouse by the timing signature of the flashing

Modern glass is now molded in acrylic. The original glass had a green tint to it and surprisingly the restored acrylic ones do also.  These modern lenses can even be found used on trains and automobiles.

Electricity came in the 1920’s – the Statute of Liberty is actually a light house.  In 1922 an elevator was installed but the keeper was fired when they made the bulb electric.

Spotting white light from a lighthouse is safety.  Spotting red light means reefs or danger.  That is why windows will be painted red so that the rotating light will beam red through it.

Lighthouse at Cape Florida

From 1870’s there are six lighthouses situated in the ocean that go span the coast  to  Key West.  They are barges built on a iron platform with iron posts screwed into coral reef.  Sands Key ( Key West) once had a house and a weather station underneath it.  20-30 years ago, teens burned it down. Under the lighthouse a beach comes and goes with time.

Batteries for the lighthouses in the water operate on solar power.  They are guaranteed to work for 2 years but replaced every year. 

Lighthouses are now for environmental safety keeping boats off the reefs.

The lighthouse at St. Augustine  is a day marker based on how it’s painted like a barber pole.

The lighthouse at Cape Canaveral – iron structure was moved twice and rebuilt mile inland. 

The structure nearby a lighthouse was usually the oil house – keeping flammables away from keepers home.

GPS and radar don’t make lighthouses obsolete.  When a freighter has no radar or equipment – they can determine where they are without batteries or electricity.  Fisherman rely on lighthouses during the day to determine distances. 

Question:
Why are there curtins in a light house?  

During the day the sun acts like a magnifying glass focusing light and heat on the mechanism behind lens.  That mechanism can melt.

Michigan has 114 lighthouses, the  most in the country

Florida Lighthouses You Can Visit: