Near Cape Canaveral in Brevard County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)

Cape Canaveral Lighthouse

Photographed By Jamie Cox, August 2, 2012

1. Cape Canaveral Lighthouse Marker

Inscription. On May 21, 1838, Florida territorial delegate Charles Downing requested a lighthouse be built on Cape Canaveral. The first lighthouse completed in Jan. 1848 stood 65-feet tall, had a 55-foot tower and a 10-foot lantern room equipped with 15 lamps on 21-inch reflectors. The brick tower and keeper's home cost under $13,300. Nathaniel Scobie oversaw construction and appointed the first keeper. With the advent of the Civil War, S. Mallory, Confederate Navy Secretary, ordered Florida east coast lighthouses "extinguished." Keeper Mills Burnham removed the lamp and buried it in his orange grove. A state-of-the-art, 151 foot iron tower was erected in 1868 and topped with a 1st Order Fresnel lens. The tower's living quarters were used for storage and a weather station. In 1871 a storm surge washed over the lighthouse area spoiling lamp oil and drinking water. This and shoreline erosion caused the lighthouse to be moved. From Oct. 1893 to Jul. 1894 the tower was dismantled, moved by tram one mile inland and re-erected, along with a 1st and 2nd assistant's and keeper's homes, to its present location. In 1939 the Coast Guard took ownership. In 2000 stewardship was transferred to the 45th Space Wing, Patrick Air Force Base.

A Florida Heritage site

Erected 2008 by The Brevard County Historical

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Commission The Brevard County Tourist Development Council and the Florida Department of State. (Marker Number F-628.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Waterways & Vessels. In addition, it is included in the Lighthouses series list. A significant historical month for this entry is May 1979.

Location. 28° 27.582′ N, 80° 32.555′ W. Marker is near Cape Canaveral, Florida, in Brevard County. Marker is on Lighthouse Road, on the left when traveling north. This marker is on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, which is not open to public traffic. The most likely way to visit this marker is via the Kennedy Space Center bus tour from the visitor's center. You'll have to pay the general admission to the visitor's center. There is more than one bus tour available. To see this marker, be sure to take the bus tour for the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Again, this site is not open to the public except for these tour groups. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Cape Canaveral FL 32920, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. A different marker also named Cape Canaveral Lighthouse (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Early Cape Life (about 400 feet away); Cape Canaveral's Native Americans (about 400 feet away); Cape Canaveral Light Station (about

Photographed By Mary Anne Moore, June 24, 2020

2. Cape Canaveral Lighthouse Marker

400 feet away); Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (approx. 2.1 miles away); Launch Site of America's First Satellite, Explorer I / The Space Race Begins (approx. 2.1 miles away); First United States Space Launch (approx. 2.1 miles away); Launch Complex 26 (approx. 2.1 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Cape Canaveral.

Additional keywords. Kennedy Space Center

Cape Canaveral Lighthouse image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Jamie Cox, August 2, 2012

3. Cape Canaveral Lighthouse

Photographed By Jamie Cox, August 2, 2012

4. Cape Canaveral Lighthouse

The lighthouse is getting a new coat of paint in this photo.

Cape Canaveral Lighthouse Marker and Lighthouse image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Mary Anne Moore, June 23, 2020

5. Cape Canaveral Lighthouse Marker and Lighthouse

The first Cape Canaveral lighthouse was made of brick and built in 1848, but mariners couldn’t see the light at only 65 feet tall. A new, iron lighthouse was constructed next to the old lighthouse in 1868 and stood 151 feet tall. Both of these lighthouses preceded the one you see today.

Cape Canaveral Lighthouse Marker and US Army Hangar C image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Mary Anne Moore, June 24, 2020

6. Cape Canaveral Lighthouse Marker and US Army Hangar C

Built in 1953, Hangar C is the oldest structure of its type on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. It was built as the Cape’s first exclusive missile assembly building. Inside, walk among restored launch systems with everything from early winged missiles to ballistic missiles to boilerplate capsules. See the evolution of America’s early rocket and space programs.

Credits. This page was last revised on June 26, 2020. It was originally submitted on April 26, 2013, by Jamie Cox of Melbourne, Florida. This page has been viewed 936 times since then and 24 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on April 26, 2013, by Jamie Cox of Melbourne, Florida. 2. submitted on June 25, 2020, by Peter Fischer of Phoenix, Arizona. 3, 4. submitted on April 26, 2013, by Jamie Cox of Melbourne, Florida. 5, 6. submitted on June 25, 2020, by Peter Fischer of Phoenix, Arizona. • Craig Swain was the editor who published this page.