Historic Provenance

The historic provenance of Sand Key Lighthouse is centuries deep, matching the historic record of North America.

While the first pilgrims were landing on Plymouth Rock, the Spanish had just claimed Sand Key as their territory. This decision was brought about by absolute necessity. The loss of Spanish Galleons on the Great Florida Reef had been catastrophic resulting in loss of precious jewels and treasure from Colombia. Spain decided to claim Sand Key also known as part of the great Florida barrier reef, the third largest in the world. They placed a sailor there permanently to light a lantern on a wooden pole each night to make certain that no ships would venture near. Can you imagine being this sailor marooned with a purpose? The number of shipwrecks in the 1820s after the first US lighthouse was built had increased due to shipping traffic in the region. The first lighthouse built on sand key was a typical stone conical lighthouse which immediately succumbed to the first hurricane to come roaring through. Another was built and it was destroyed also. Finally, in 1853, a new hurricane resistant skeletal design was created and implemented by a young army engineer, a lieutenant known to have excellent engineering skills. His use of screw pile drilling technology placed stout Charleston SC iron piers down inside the solid limestone reef.

The Civil War comes to Fruition - fast forward to 1863.

Little did lieutenant George Gordon Meade know that ten years into the near future his nation would be fighting for its existence and on July 4th he would own the responsibility of Commanding General of the Union Forces at the Battle of Gettysburg. On that day his engineering metal would be tested again as his designed breastworks on the battlefield repelled and destroyed George Pickett's forces during Pickett's Charge. This broke the momentum for Confederate efforts on that day and was considered a turning point in the highly pivotal battle. In fact, very few of Pickett's forces survived to leave the field. George Gordon Meade went on to design hydraulic systems for lighthouses that would keep all lighthouse keepers from manually having to climb the stairs to refill the whale oil patent lamps in the middle of the night in order to keep the lights burning.

Sand Key Expansion

Eventually additional infrastructure was built to allow a weather station and NOAA employees to stay out on Sand Key. In a 1905 Post Card it was noted that additional structures and a communication tower were placed on the key . This was a significant increase in capability and sand key became a US Coast Guard Life Saving Station. However, subsequent hurricanes removed everything and created loss of everything but the wonderfully constructed Iron Giant known as the sand key lighthouse. Even today remnants of brick and iron are found that represent the not so distant history of sand key.

Hallowed Ground

The lighthouse and sand key itself was the source of many gatherings although the ground is hallowed due to the loss of life for the poor souls who did not receive warning of impending hurricanes. Sand comes and goes with the storm surges and wave patterns that exist along this area. A pristine landscape remans to support the lighthouse. To be present is to feel peace and honor to stand in such a place.