St. Petersburg in Hillsborough County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)

First Light Tower Built In 1848 - Similar To This

— Egmont Key State Park —

Photographed by Brandon D Cross

1. First Light Tower Built In 1848 - Similar To This Marker

Inscription. At this location the first permanent light tower was built in 1848. The tower was designed to be round and made of brick. The tower was to be 40 feet high, 20 feet around at the base and 10 feet 6 inches at the top. Wooden circular staircase provided a way to the top and three windows to allowed light for the stairs. A soapstone deck capped the brickwork and access to the deck was an iron ladder leading to an iron scuttle door 24 x 26 inches. The tower was whitewashed inside and out.

The lantern was 8-sided and would protect the lamps and reflectors from weather. The roof was copper and framed with iron. Six panes of French Plate glass 16 x 24 inches made the 4th order lantern. The roof of the lantern had a dome surmounted by an iron traversing ventilator and wind vane.

Erected by Florida Park Service.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Communications • Forts and Castles • Parks & Recreational Areas • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1848.

Location. 27° 36.067′ N, 82° 45.631′ W. Marker is in St. Petersburg, Florida, in Hillsborough County. It can be reached from Anderson Boulevard (Florida Route 679) 1½ miles west of Pinellas Bayway South, on the left when

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traveling west. The marker is located on Egmont Key National Wildlife Refuge and State Park and can only be reached by boat or ferry. The ferry departs from the bay pier within Fort De Soto Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 3500 Pinellas Bayway South, Saint Petersburg FL 33715, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is on Florida’s Tampa Bay.

It is also in the American South

and on the Gulf Coast.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

a Gulf of Mexico state,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Foghorn (within shouting distance of this marker); Egmont Key Train (within shouting distance of this marker); Spanish-American War Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); Optic Display on the Egmont Key Light - 1944 (within shouting distance of this marker); Egmont Key Light (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Civil War Burials (about 400 feet away); Egmont Key Lighthouse Cemetery (about 400 feet away); Fort Dade Mine Wharf (about 400 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in St. Petersburg.

More about this marker. Marker is on Egmont Key, which in Hillsborough County but has a St. Petersburg zip code.

Also see . . .
1. Egmont Key Lighthouse. (Submitted on August 19, 2024, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida.)
2. Most People Have No Idea This Historic Ghost Town In Florida Exists. (Submitted on August 19, 2024, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida.)

First Light Tower Built In 1848 - Similar To This image. Click for full size.

Photo courtesy Egmont Key State Park Museum

2. First Light Tower Built In 1848 - Similar To This

Copy of original photo used
for the historical Marker

Photographed by Brandon D Cross

3. First Light Tower Built In 1848 - Similar To This Marker

Egmont Key Light Tower image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Brandon D Cross

4. Egmont Key Light Tower

Credits. This page was last revised on December 7, 2024. It was originally submitted on August 19, 2024, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. This page has been viewed 127 times since then and 26 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on August 19, 2024, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.