Crooked River Light, Maritime navigation light in Carrabelle, Florida.
Crooked River Light is a 30.5-meter (100-foot) lighthouse whose central cylindrical column is painted white on the lower half and red on the upper half, with a black lantern room. Around the column, a white open steel lattice framework of crossed beams forms a tapered base and supports the lantern at the top. Small rectangular windows pierce the red and white sections.
This lighthouse was built in 1895 to replace three earlier beacons on Dog Island that had been destroyed by storms. It helped guide ships through the passage between Dog Island and St. George Island.
The Keeper's House Museum, rebuilt in 2008–09 as a replica of the keepers' quarters, displays the original 1894 fourth-order Fresnel lens returned in 2020. The lens was made in Paris and removed by the Coast Guard in 1976 after mercury leaked from its float container.
The museum and tower are open Wednesday to Sunday afternoons. The climb goes up the internal spiral staircase to the circular gallery beneath the black lantern room. Visitors should weigh the stair climb before setting out.
The original 4th Order Fresnel lens, made in Paris in 1894, was removed by the Coast Guard in 1976 after mercury leaked from its float container. It returned to the site in 2020 and is displayed in the Keeper's House Museum.
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