Spectrum News 13 had a nice little story the other day about the fantastic view from the top of Key West Lighthouse. Having visited there in 1999, I can verify that the lighthouse is a perfect vantage point to survey a wonderful historic community. Old Town Key West boasts the largest historical district of wooden structures on the Department of the Interior’s National Register of Historic Places.
The current lighthouse went into service in 1848, and the town basically grew up around its base. The lighthouse was decommissioned in 1969, and today it serves as a museum dedicated to Key West’s maritime heritage. Visitors are invited to walk up the 88 steps to the top and can explore the belongings, photographs, and words of the keepers and their families.
“The lighthouse gives you a really good idea of just how much the city has grown. It’s just a beautiful view,” said Fiona Mueller, Lighthouse Docent, in the Spectrum News 13 story.
Read more on the Spectrum News 13 website.
Candace was the US Lighthouse Society historian from 2016 until she passed away in August 2018. For 30 years, her work involved lighthouse history. She worked with the National Park Service and the Council of American Maritime Museums. She was a noted author and was considered the most knowledgable person on lighthouse information at the National Archives. Books by Candace Clifford include: Women who Kept the Lights: a History of Thirty-eight Female Lighthouse Keepers , Mind the Light Katie, and Maine Lighthouses, Documentation of their Past.