Patos Island is the northernmost of the San Juan Islands in the state of Washington. The 207-acre island is in the Strait of Georgia, just two miles from the Canadian border. A light and fog signal station was established in 1893 on Alden Point, the northwestern tip of the island, and a more substantial lighthouse building was added in 1908.
In 2007, the Keepers of the Patos Light was formed to preserve the lighthouse. Edrie and Terri Vinson’s comprehensive book, Patos Island Lighthouse has been published by the History Press and will be available for purchase on March 29, 2021. Edrie is the president of the Keepers of the Patos Light, and Terri is the secretary.
Dangerous shoals around Cape Canaveral — on the east coast of Florida — were a constant threat to mariners, leading to the establishment of a lighthouse in 1849. The original brick tower wasn’t tall enough, leading to a decision to build a new tower. The second Cape Canaveral lighthouse, a 151-foot cast-iron tower, began service in 1868.
The Air Force became the owner of the automated lighthouse in 2000, with the Coast Guard continuing to maintain the light. Then, in 2002, the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse Foundation was formed. Rear Admiral Jim Underwood, U.S. Coast Guard retired, is the past president of the Foundation. Becky Zingarelli serves as the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse Museum Director.
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U.S. Lighthouse Society Historian Jeremy D’Entremont is the author of 24 books and hundreds of articles on lighthouses and maritime history. He is a past president of the American Lighthouse Foundation and founder of Friends of Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouses, and he has lectured and narrated cruises throughout the Northeast and in other regions. He is also the producer and host of the U.S. Lighthouse Society’s weekly podcast, “Light Hearted.” He can be emailed at Jeremy@uslhs.org
Great information and interviews! Can’t wait till I see our brick!
Thanks, John! There’s a great bunch of people working for the preservation of Cape Canaveral Light Station.