Florida's Majestic Lighthouses....Anclote Key Lighthouse

The Anclote Key Lighthouse sits on the southern tip of Anclote Key, off the coast of Tarpon Springs, Florida at the mouth of the Anclote River. Tarpon Springs is a historical little town that depends on tourism for it's economy. Tarpon Springs is well known for it's sponges which are found at the bottom of the Anclote River. Walking through the shops and getting a taste of Greek Culture is a must see.

In the midst of all this lies a little island called Anclote Key. The word Anclote is a spanish word meaning Anchor. The island is 180 acres and 4 miles long and not even a mile in width. Much of the 180 acres is marshy and damp which makes it hard to travel around unless you walk along the sand beaches.

Construction of this lighthouse began in June 1887. The lighthouse was completed and first lit on September 15, 1887. The first lens in the tower was a third order Fresnel Lens lighted by a kerosene lamp. The oil house was not built until 1894. The lighthouse structure can be defined as a square pyramid with a cylindrical stairway in the middle with a gallery on top where the light is. Cast iron was the principle building material as it only rusts on the surface and it slower rusting than normal iron or steel. The tower is painted a reddish brown color and the top of the lighthouse gallery is painted black. Tension rods or struts were used to hold the four main supports together.

In 2002 a restoration and stabilization was started once again the light will shine out over the surroundings. This lighthouse is not open to the public.