St. George Reef Light

"It was a very fun and interesting trip"

"Got the amazing opportunity to go spend the day out on the lighthouse! Amazing place. Reach out and support the light house preservation society."

"Probably the MOST SPECTACULAR lighthouse in the United States. St. George Reef was first lit in 1892 after ten years of construction. Situated about six miles offshore, the lighthouse was the most expensive ($752,000) ever built in the US. A first order Fresnel lens produced a white flash every twelve seconds and was visible up to 20 miles in clear weather. The lens was 144 feet above sea level. The lower 70 feet is a stone caisson which contained equipment for the steam (later air) powered foghorns and generators for electricity. Usually a head keeper and three assistants were stationed at any one time. The constant storms and isolation caused many keepers to resign or get transferred. At least five keepers died while stationed at the lighthouse. Some storms were so severe that waves actually crested the top of the tower, 150 feet above the ocean! In May 1975, the lighthouse was decommissioned and abandoned due to advances in technology and that the station was one of the most dangerous to access. After deteriorating for over a decade, the St. George Reef Lighthouse Preservation Society was formed in 1986 to restore and protect the historic structure. Today, the group offers tours of the lighthouse a few times a year. Guests are flown out via helicopter."