Elbow Cay, Hope Town, The Bahamas — North Atlantic (Lucayan Archipelago of the West Indies)

Elbow Reef Lighthouse

of Elbow Reef Lightstation

— 1863 —

Elbow Reef Lighthouse Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Tracy Andersen Roberts

1. Elbow Reef Lighthouse Marker

Inscription.

Elbow Reef Lighthouse
Constructed in 1863
Renovated in 1938 and 1954
Height 120 ft above sea level
Tower height 89 ft above ground level
325,000 candle power with 17 miles visibility
101 steps to the lantern room

Erected 1863.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Communications • Industry & Commerce • Waterways & Vessels. In addition, it is included in the Lighthouses series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1863.

Location. 26° 32.382′ N, 76° 57.729′ W. Marker is in Elbow Cay, Hope Town. It can be reached from Queen's Highway. The marker is on the northwest shore of Hope Town Harbour, south of Lighthouse Marina and north of Hope Town Inn and Marina. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1 Queen's Hwy, Elbow Cay, Hope Town, The Bahamas. Touch for directions.

Regionally, it is on the Atlantic Ocean,

in North America,

in the Western Hemisphere,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once a British colony.

Other nearby markers. At least 5 other markers are within walking distance

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of this marker: M/V Athel Queen (approx. 0.4 kilometers away); Loyalist Landing Site (approx. 0.6 kilometers away); Founding of Wyannie Malone Historical Museum (approx. 0.6 kilometers away); St. James Methodist Church (approx. 0.6 kilometers away); Breadfruit Tree (Artocarpus altilis) (approx. 0.6 kilometers away).

Regarding Elbow Reef Lighthouse. A Brief History
Between 1836 and 1887 the British Imperial Lighthouse Service (ILS) commissioned 11 manned lightstations to be built as remote outposts in the Bahama Islands. Manned and hand-operated continuously since 1863, the Elbow Reef Lightstation is now the only active Bahamian lighthouse to remain hand-wound and kerosene burning. It is the only lighthouse of this kind in the world.

In 1973, oversight of the 11 Bahamian lighthouses passed from the British Imperial Lighthouse Service to The Bahamas Port Department. Two had already been decommissioned and between 1973 and 2012, the other lighthouses were automated except Elbow Reef at Hope Town and San Salvador.

Elbow Reef Lighthouse was saved (from automation) by the Bahamas Lighthouse Preservation Society (BLPS) which formed

Elbow Reef Lighthouse Marker and Entry Door image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Tracy Andersen Roberts, November 14, 2024

2. Elbow Reef Lighthouse Marker and Entry Door

in 1992. By promising the Bahamas Government to take over the maintenance needs of the Lighttower, they were able to stop the decommissioning plans. This group, BLPS was reorganized and renamed, the Elbow Reef Lighthouse Society in 2013.

The Lighthouse and eight outbuildings including two Keepers Quarters are historic buildings (built 1862-1863). All outbuildings were badly damaged in the 2019 Hurricane Dorian.

In February, 2021 The ERLS met with the Prime Minister Dr. The Most Honourable Hubert Minnis to report that out of a near one million dollar restoration effort, the ERLS had completed critical repairs to the lighstation from donations. Over $305,452 in cash (plus $70,000 in kind) has been implemented in restoration projects from October 2019 - January 2021

In October 2021, the ERLS Toured the U.S. Embassy to see how much work had progressed post-Hurricane Dorian.

Also in October 2021, the Bahamian Project profiled the work of the ERLS. On February 18, 2022, the U.S. Embassy Nassau held a ceremony at the ilghtstation with the ERLS and heads of Government to announce that the 2021 Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation

Elbow Reef Lighthouse seen from below image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Tracy Andersen Roberts, November 14, 2024

3. Elbow Reef Lighthouse seen from below

was awarded to the ERLS.

https://www.elbowreeflighthousesociety.com/

Also see . . .
1. Elbow Reef Lighthouse Society.

Official Website

(Submitted on December 3, 2024, by Tracy Andersen Roberts of Atlanta, Georgia.)

2. Elbow Reef Lighthouse.

Wikipedia Entry

(Submitted on December 3, 2024, by Tracy Andersen Roberts of Atlanta, Georgia.)

Elbow Reef Lighthouse image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Tracy Andersen Roberts, November 14, 2024

4. Elbow Reef Lighthouse

Elbow Reef Lightstation sign image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Tracy Andersen Roberts

5. Elbow Reef Lightstation sign

Welcome to the Elbow Reef Lightstation Visiting Hours Mon-Sat 9am-6pm Sunday-Closed Gift Shoppe Hours Mon-Sat 10am-4pm Sunday-Closed ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Please Stop our by [sic] Gift Shoppe Your Donation Will Help Us to Keep the Light On! School and Scout Groups are Welcome with Chaperones.

Elbow Reef Lighthouse interior image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Tracy Andersen Roberts

6. Elbow Reef Lighthouse interior

Credits. This page was last revised on December 20, 2025. It was originally submitted on December 2, 2024, by Tracy Andersen Roberts of Atlanta, Georgia. This page has been viewed 119 times since then and 16 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on December 2, 2024, by Tracy Andersen Roberts of Atlanta, Georgia. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on December 3, 2024, by Tracy Andersen Roberts of Atlanta, Georgia. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.