Sand Key Light, Historic lighthouse off Key West, United States
Sand Key Light is a cast iron lighthouse located about 7 miles southwest of Key West on a shallow reef in the Florida Keys. The structure features iron screw piles driven deep into the seabed to support a tower with a beacon that guides maritime traffic through these waters.
Construction of this lighthouse began in 1827 following numerous shipwrecks on the dangerous reefs of the Florida Keys. It was among the earliest cast iron screw pile lighthouses built specifically to withstand shallow water conditions.
The lighthouse represents the maritime heritage of the Florida Keys, showing how seafarers relied on such structures to navigate treacherous waters. Visitors today can see how this beacon connected the isolated region to the wider shipping world.
The lighthouse sits on an isolated reef and is best viewed by boat, as it is not easily accessible from land. The structure can be photographed from a distance, and boat tours in the area often pass near the site.
The lighthouse was originally built on a natural sand bar that gave the structure its name, but that sandbar has steadily eroded over time. Despite harsh ocean conditions, the cast iron construction has remained standing in the same location for nearly 200 years.
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