Gasparilla Island Rear Range Light

Gasparilla Island Rear Range LightBoca Grande, Florida: At 105 feet, the skeleton tower of the Gasparilla Island Rear Range Light towers over the neighboring beaches and homes in the middle coast of Boca Grande. It is one of two lighthouses on the island, joining the Port Boca Grande Lighthouse further south in aiding ships passing through to Charlotte Harbor.

The story of the lighthouse actually begins in Delaware. It was built by the Phoenix Iron Company and put into service in Lewes, Delaware as the Delaware Breakwater Rear Range Light in 1881. The light remained in service here until 1918 when it was decommissioned due to shifting coastlines. The tower was later dismantled and shipped to Florida in 1921.

In 1927, the tower was sent to Gasparilla Island and erected two miles from the Port Boca Grande Light. The tower received a new coat of white paint and was renamed the Gasparilla Island Rear Range Light. It went into service in 1932 and worked in conjunction with the Front Range Light located a mile off-shore.

Although the Front Range Light is no longer in service, the Rear Range Light remains active. It is maintained by the US Coast Guard and is an aid to navigation.

For photos of the lighthouse and the rest of the island, visit my Boca Grande photo gallery.

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