Tag: Sand Island Lighthouse (b) (Mobile Bay AL)

Wikipedia says: Sand Island Light, also known as Sand Island Lighthouse (and historical light station), is a decommissioned lighthouse located at the southernmost point of the state of Alabama, United States, near Dauphin Island, at the mouth of Mobile Bay, Alabama. It is located roughly 3 miles offshore from the primary Mobile Bay entrance, bounded on the east by Mobile Point and on the west by Dauphin Island.

The first lighthouse on Sand Island, constructed by Winslow Lewis in 1837, was a 55 feet (17 m) structure completed in 1839. The lighting was provided by 14 lamps in 16 inch reflectors and a first-order lens, known as the Lewis lamp, which was a poorly designed version, or Argand-style lamp. Lewis enjoyed a monopoly through his relationship with Stephen Pleasonton that lasted until 1853.

In 1859 a new lighthouse was completed but was destroyed during the Civil War, on February 23, 1863, by Confederate John W. Glenn. The Confederate soldiers at Fort Morgan observed Union soldiers in the lighthouse spying on the fort, and the guns of the fort opened fire totally destroying the lighthouse. In 1864 a 48 feet (15 m) wooden tower was built that lasted until 1873.

By September 1864 the current lighthouse was completed, that included a two-story Lighthouse keepers dwelling, and the land at the time was approximately 400 acres (160 ha). The base is 28 feet (8.5 m) in diameter and 6 feet (1.8 m) thick, constructed on 171 interconnected wood pilings covered with 12 feet (3.7 m) of concrete, and with a 125 feet (38 m) focal height.