Boca Grande & Gasparilla Lighthouses, Lunch Vistas in Englewood, Florida, UK.
Sylvias
Loc: North Yorkshire England
Boca Grande Lighthouse. In 1888, the U.S. Congress allocated $35,000 for the U.S. Lighthouse Service to build a lighthouse on Boca Grande Pass, the deepest natural port in the state, it was lit December 31, 1890. The light was used to mark Boca Grande Pass, the entrance to Charlotte Harbor. A phosphate facility was built in 1912 at Port Boca Grande and ships from around the world came to the island to load phosphate.
The lighthouse is an iron screw pile design with a wood frame. It originally had a 3½ Order clamshell Fresnel lens today a 5th Order drum lens has taken the place of the original lens.
The lighthouse is currently home to a museum filled with the rich history of Gasparilla Island. Learn about the Calusa Native Americans, the island’s role in the phosphate industry of the 1900s, and the world-famous tarpon fishing in the Boca Grande Pass.
Gasparilla Lighthouse. The 105’ tower was built in 1881 by the Phoenix Iron Company of Trenton, N.J. It began service just north of Lewes, Delaware as the Delaware Breakwater Rear Range Light, known locally as the Green Hill Lighthouse. In 1927, the lighthouse was reassembled and installed on Gasparilla Island just south of the town of Boca Grande by the U.S. Lighthouse Service. The tower was painted white and a 4th order Fresnel lens was installed and lit on January 1, 1932. The light was not manned, but continuously maintained by
the Light Keepers of Gasparilla Island Light Station, better known as Port Boca Grande Lighthouse. It was hit by Hurricane lan on September 28, 2022, the winds pushed against it on the west side causing the east supports to buckle while the west supports did their job and held the lighthouse upright, it is currently undergoing repairs.
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Nice set. Even better since I see no sharks or 'gators. Nice shot on the Willet
Awesome set of images Sylvia!
Don
Outstanding, Sylvia. And you got photobombed by a dragonfly to top it off.
Beautifully done, Sylvia. Great detail in the downloads. Loved reading the history also.
Fun Fact: Boca Grande is in Lee County Florida, but if you were in Ft Myers (County Seat) or anywhere else in Lee, you would have to drive through Charlotte County to get there.
I designed the public safety radio system for Lee (and Charlotte) County and getting to and from Boca Grande chewed up a lot of time. It is a beautiful island though, as Sylvia's pictures perfectly capture.
Beautiful images and very nice accompanying narrative! Well done Sylvia.
Great set of photos, Sylvia--enjoyed!
These are beautiful places, and your images really make them look appealing. Really nice set.
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