Port Isabel Lighthouse, Texas

Work started on this lighthouse in 1852. It had an 82-foot tower and a third order Fresnel lens. It was occupied by both sides during the Civil War.  It was briefly out of service because the government did not have title to it, so it condemned the land.  It remained in service until 1905.  It was sold in 1927.  Presently it is owned by the town of Port Isabel, and is a Texas State Historic Site.

Sanibel Island Lighthouse, Florida

This lighthouse, first lit in 1884, marks the entrance to San Carlos Bay on Sanibel Island.  It was constructed of iron positioned on an iron pile 98 feet tall.  It is 102 feet above sea level.  Illumination is provided by a third-order Fresnel lens and consists of two paired flashes every 10 seconds.   It was automated in 1949.

Pensacola Lighthouse, Florida

The Pensacola lighthouse was the second one on the site, erected in 1859.  It is 150 feet tall, and located on a 40 foot bluff within the Pensacola Naval Air Station.  It was fully automated in 1965, and is still operational.  It has a first-order Fresnel lens that blinks every 20 seconds.  It can be seen over a distance of 27 miles. 

The keeper's house is now a museum and gift house.  It has a great view of Pensacola Bay and the three forts in the area.  Check it out when you're there.

Ocracoke Lighthouse, North Carolina

The Ocracoke lighthouse is claimed to be the second oldest in the country by the National Park Service, started in 1823.  It is located on Ocracoke Island, one of the Outer Banks.  It was equipped with fourth order Fresnel lens.  The lens was removed by the Confederates during the Civil War, and returned to service after the war.  It was automated in 1955, and is still in operation.