South Pass Range Lights

The South Pass Range Lights consist of a 35-meter skeletal tower with a cylindrical utility building positioned at the entrance of Mississippi River Delta.

The first lighthouse at South Pass began operations in 1832 under keeper Henry Heistand, marking the start of guided navigation through this crucial waterway.

The Port Eads area surrounding the lighthouse received its name from James Buchanan Eads, who improved river channel depth for New Orleans trade.

The lighthouse guides vessels through the Mississippi Delta with a DCB-224 lens that reaches 14 nautical miles across the waters.

During Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the lighthouse remained the single structure at Port Eads that endured the storm's destructive forces.

Location: Plaquemines Parish

Inception: 1832

Height: 35 m

GPS coordinates: 29.01528,-89.16694

Latest update: March 4, 2025 07:50