The Garden Key Light

The Garden Key Light is a historic lighthouse located on Garden Key in the Dry Tortugas, Florida.

History

• Construction of the original brick conical tower began in 1824, but it was not completed until 1861, when construction of Fort Jefferson was halted due to the American Civil War.
• In 1858, a new Dry Tortugas lighthouse was built on a nearby island, and the first-order Fresnel lens from the Garden Key lighthouse was relocated there.
• The Garden Key lighthouse received a fourth-order Fresnel lens and became the harbor light for Fort Jefferson.

Architecture

The original brick conical tower stood at approximately 30 meters (100 feet) tall, but it was later replaced by an iron tower on top of a stairwell within Fort Jefferson.

The lighthouse's architecture is characterized by its distinctive shape and use of local materials.

Light Characteristics

• The Garden Key Light originally used a first-order Fresnel lens, which was later upgraded to a fourth-order lens.
• The light's range was reportedly sufficient for navigation in the harbor of Fort Jefferson.
• In 1912, the lighthouse was automated with tanks of compressed acetylene replacing kerosene fuel.

Current Status

The Garden Key Light is currently inactive and no longer serves as an aid to navigation.

It has been preserved as a historic landmark and is now part of the Fort Jefferson National Monument.

Location and Accessibility

The Garden Key Light is located on Garden Key, which is accessible by ferry or seaplane from Key West, Florida.

The lighthouse can be visited by guided tours of Fort Jefferson.

Heritage Status

The Garden Key Light is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a designated National Monument.

Notable Historical Events

• The Garden Key Light played a significant role in American history during the 19th century.
• In 1861, the lighthouse was still under construction when the American Civil War began, and it remained unfinished for several years.
• The lighthouse also gained notoriety as the site of a shipwreck involving the USS Maine in 1898.
• James Fenimore Cooper's novel Jack Tier: or the Florida Reefs (1848) and Ernest Hemingway's short story "After the Storm" (1932), both set at the Garden Key lighthouse, further solidify its place in literary history.