Maritime Heritage Background
Big Bend Lighthouses Since 1829 six Big Bend lighthouses have served as navigational beacons to guide military, commercial, and recreational vessels from around the world. St. Marks – 1829
St. George Island – 1833
Dog Island – 1839
Cape St. George Island – 1848
Seahorse Key – 1854
Crooked River - 1895
From the Ground Up Ownership Lighthouses are the property of the Federal Government. In the 1800s building a lighthouse was a long, involved political process. Once a location had been selected, the Governor of the Florida Territory, or the Territorial Legislature, would discuss the need for a lighthouse with a Territorial Delegate to Congress. The Delegate would then petition for the construction of the lighthouse, sometimes contacting the Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce with a special plea. If successful, Congress would pass an act, appropriating a sum of money for construction of the new lighthouse. Keepers
A newly constructed lighthouse was first required to be inspected by the Collector of Customs for that area. If accepted, and some were not, the next step would be to hire a Keeper to be responsible for maintaining the tower’s many whale-oil lamps. By 1859 all United States lighthouses had replaced the outdated Argand lamps with more efficient and powerful Fresnel lenses. James Williams, who lit the light at the Crooked River Lighthouse for the first time on October 28, 1895, logged this report: "Everything worked well, weather was clear and fine. Keeper stood watch to 12 p.m. Light was good throughout the watch. Commander Newman came to see how it worked at 8 p.m." Perils Property Loss Ann Dudley, the first woman keeper at St. Marks Lighthouse lost most of her worldly possessions in the hurricane of 1851. Her losses totaled around $1,100, but her petition to Congress for compensation went unheeded. Personal Safety Fearing for the safety of his family during the Second Seminole Indian War (1835-42), Keeper Crosby of the St. Marks Lighthouse requested that a detachment of soldiers be stationed nearby. His request was denied. Crosby then asked for an escape boat that he could use in case of an attack, but again his petition went unheeded. War Big Bend Lighthouses suffered damage from both Union and Confederate troops during the Civil War. If attack appeared imminent, valuable items such as lenses would be hidden for fear that Union troops would damage or destroy them. Dwellings and towers were often pressed into service as a barracks, fortress, or lookout tower. The St. Marks Lighthouse was bombarded by Union ships and the tower stairs burned to prevent Confederates from using it as a lookout post. It was reported that, at the end of the war, retreating Confederates tried unsuccessfully to destroy the tower by setting off charges in its foundation. Natural Disasters Fragile barrier islands tend to migrate, losing sand in some areas while gaining it in others. As a result, lighthouses, some of which were located only 500 yards from the Gulf, were frequently damaged by beach erosion. However, hurricanes were most destructive. Since the 1800s over one hundred hurricanes have passed over or near the Big Bend. Some of the most damaging were: October 1842; September 1843; August 1851; September 18, 1873; Hurricane Opal in October 1995; Hurricane George in September 1998; and Hurricane Dennis in July 2005. |
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Captain J. P. Hungerford and his family survived the hurricane of September 1843 at the St. Marks Lighthouse by escaping to the attic. Unfortunately, fifteen others in the dwelling drowned. 
