Sanibel Island Light, 2 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel, Florida, USA / Year first lit 1884 / Tower height: 98 feet (30 m) / Construction material: iron

The Sanibel Island Light or Point Ybel Light was one of the first lighthouses on Florida's Gulf coast north of Key West and the Dry Tortugas. The light, 98-foot above sea level, on an iron skeleton tower was first lit on August 20, 1884 and has a central spiral staircase beginning about 10 feet above the ground. It is located on the eastern tip of Sanibel Island, and was built to mark the entrance to San Carlos Bay for ships calling at the port of Punta Rassa, across San Carlos Bay from Sanibel Island. The grounds are open to the public, but the lighthouse itself is not.

Residents of Sanibel Island first petitioned for a lighthouse in 1833, but no action was taken. In 1856 the Lighthouse Board recommended a lighthouse on Sanibel Island, but Congress took no action. In 1877 government workers surveyed the eastern end of the island and reserved it for a lighthouse. Congress finally appropriated funds for a lighthouse in 1883. The foundation for the new lighthouse was completed in early 1884, but the ship bringing ironwork for the tower sank two miles (3 km) from Sanibel Island. A crew of hard-hat divers from Key West recovered all but two of the pieces for the tower.

Punta Rassa became an important port in the 1830s and remained so up to the Spanish–American War. It was primarily used to ship cattle from Florida to Cuba. Until the railroads reached the area in the 1880s, ranchers drove their cattle from open ranges in central Florida to Punta Rassa for shipment to Cuba.

The lighthouse was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. The City of Sanibel now owns the Point Ybel tract and structures, although the tower is still operational under U.S. Coast Guard control.

Credit for the data above is given to the following website:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanibel_Island_Light

Taken in: United States / Florida / Sanibel (show map)

Taken on: November 29, 2019

Tags:

Sanibel Island Light

2 Periwinkle Way

Florida

USA

Year first lit 1884

Tower height: 98 feet (30 m)

Construction material: iron

Focal height: 31 metre

Fresnel lens

iron pipe foundation

Square

pyramidal

skeleton

iron framework

inclosing stair-cylinder and surmounted by lantern

US National Register of Historic Places

Sunshine State

southwest Florida

island

nautical

historic

lighthouse

blue sky

sand

Coast Guard

Point Ybel Tract

Punta Rassa « less

Sets appears in: • Lighthouses of North & South America • Lighthouses of the state of Florida, USA more » • Fort Myers & Lee County, Southwest Florida, USA • Urban Florida I « less

Groups appears in: • South West Florida • Lighthouses of the World more » • *GreatPixGallery 10 Faves+ • A Sense of Place • A Place to live for • * Travel Photography for World Nomads * • * Flickr en Español • *Your city* • Old Florida • *Inspirational Travel Photos • ANYTHING & EVERYTHING PHOTOGRAPHIC / NO SL/AI • *** Flickr's Most Creative Shots *** • 1-2-3 Cityscape • Southwest Florida • " Damn Cool Photographers in the WORLD " .♥.♥.♥ • Historic Florida • *Flickr - 1,5 million photos* We need all your pics !!!* • "Unlimited Photos: No Rules" • Florida Lighthouses ~ Beautiful Beacons • Skylines of Florida • " Your BEST of Today " - Through MY Eyes • * TRAVEL * (Please COMMENT with the CODE !) • A day in the city • SouthWest Florida Photos • **FLICKR AROUND THE WORLD - ♥ - OUR LOVE TO PHOTOGRAPH!** • *anything goes* • A Photographer [No AI or SL] • *****THE ARCHITECTS HANDBOOK!***** • *****WORLDARCHITECTURE!***** • Discover Lee County and Beyond • Southern USA lighthouses • .: CITY :. • A FEAST FOR MY EYES (Public Group) • !*ALL ARE WELCOME*! • Florida Architecture • * just photos * no rules please use comment code appreciated • Florida's Cityscapes & Rural Areas • The Sunshine State • ___The World Around Us___ • City, Urban & Engineering Images • !*All Around The World*! • *** Architecture 2018 *** « less

Stats: 1,977 views / 1 comment

Link to this photo view:
Link to this photo large view: