PENSACOLA LIGHTHOUSE
1858
Pensacola Naval Air Station
Pensacola, FL
In 1824, the U.S. government designated Pensacola the site of a navy yard and built a 40' lighthouse on a 40'bluff at the south entrance to Pensacola Bay, making it the first lighthouse built by the government on Florida's Gulf Coast.
A new tower was erected in 1858 on the north side of the bay's entrance. During the Civil War the light remained out of operation until 1863 and was then painted with a white bottom and black top.
The Coast Guard has been in charge of the tower since 1939. In 1974, the tower and buildings went on the National Register of Historic Places.
The automated lighthouse now has four 1000-watt bulbs in the light, but only one is in operation at a time. When a bulb burns out, another automatically comes on. The powerful lens magnifies the light to 40,000 candlepower, which is visible 27 miles at sea.
LIGHTHOUSE - 171' / OPEN - Yes / MUSEUM - No / FEE - No