Sombrero Key Light, Offshore lighthouse near Marathon, Florida

Sombrero Key Light is a red iron octagonal pyramid structure standing approximately 142 feet (43 meters) above the water. The tower features multiple platforms that once served as working and living spaces for the lighthouse keepers.

Sombrero Key Light entered service in 1858 and was the last lighthouse built under the supervision of Lieutenant George Meade of the Bureau of Topographical Engineers. It was automated in 1960 and deactivated in 2015, when a 6-metre pole with a small platform took over about 300 metres from the old tower. The structure was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on 9 March 2012.

The lighthouse served as a vital beacon for mariners navigating hazardous waters between the Keys. Its red iron frame became a familiar and trusted landmark for generations of ships passing through the region.

Since the lighthouse sits on a submerged reef, it is not directly accessible from land. Visitors can view it from a boat or learn about its history and original Fresnel lens through exhibits at the Key West Lighthouse Museum.

The original Fresnel lens that illuminated ships for over a century now resides in the Key West Lighthouse Museum. This sophisticated optical system was a breakthrough in lighting technology and could alert vessels from great distances away.