Panhandle Florida has many interesting and historic sites for residents and visitors alike. Locations with archeological remains of pre-Columbian civilization, forts and battle grounds, and even beaches where soldiers trained for the invasion of Europe during World War II.
Few compare to visiting a functioning navigation aide which was constructed in the late 19th century, but is still used as a line-of-sight reference point for travelers off the coast of Franklin County. The Crooked River Lighthouse still beams its light out over the Gulf for sailors and boaters using dead reckoning as a means of finding their way.
Before the days of GPS and wireless communications, sailors had to depend on navigational tools which had been used for centuries. Lighthouses were part of the directional system that helped mariners to safely arrive at their intended ports.
The industrial appearance of the Crooked River Lighthouse reflects the no-frills approach to guiding cargo ships through the region as it passed into the 20th century. The light itself peers above the surrounding forest and projects a light shaft 17 miles out.
Cylindrical lenses directed shafts of light miles out over the salt water where ships traveled the sea lanes. The lighthouses appeared on charts used by the seafarers, offering reassurance that their ship and cargo were still on the correct course.
The lighthouse in Carrabelle was a relatively late addition to the navigational infrastructure, being built in 1895. It replaced the latest light on Dog Island which had been destroyed by a storm in 1875.
Its appearance is different from the traditional lighthouse form of previous years. It is a skeletal tower with a 103-foot-tall central cylinder containing circular stairs which terminate at a balcony.
Above the balcony is the lighted area known as the lantern. It was electrified in 1933, but in previous years either the lighthouse keeper or his assistant had to trudge up the staircase every evening to ignite the light. And it had to be fueled too.
In the days before elevators, in what was then a remote and isolated section of north Florida, lighthouse keepers and their staff (usually an assistant keeper) had to climb the tower to light the lantern and keep it fueled.
Weather notwithstanding, the light station crew had to ensure the beacon was shining each night all night. With advances in technology the light was automated in 1952 and no longer staffed.
In 1995, the Crooked River Lighthouse was decommissioned, and the light went out.
Fortunately, the Carrabelle Lighthouse Association was able to acquire the facility and return the light to service in 2007. It is open to the public, and the lighthouse keeper’s house serves as a museum displaying, among other artifacts, the original 4th Order Fresnel lens which dependably served the region for decades.
For a taste of the keeper’s life, the lighthouse tower is open for climbing by visitors. This experience is recommended only to those in good physical condition who wear comfortable, flat-soled shoes.
The steel stair steps are exceptionally narrow, necessitating attention to find a sure footing as the incline moves in a circular spiral toward the top. The railed balcony provides a breathtaking 360-degree view of Carrabelle and open water to the south.
While the Crooked River Lighthouse and its museum may not have the adrenaline-fueled thrills of the theme parks in central Florida, it does offer a glimpse into Florida’s genuine past.
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