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Cape St. George, Florida

Harbour Lights Limited Edition #633
2001 Regional Exclusive

On a desolate island off the Florida coast, there stood an old lighthouse - barely. This Leaning Tower of Florida, otherwise known as the Cape St. George lighthouse, has had more than its share of hard knocks, Hurricane Opal took a huge swipe in 1995. Then subsequent storms left the 750 ton structure clinging to the eroding shore at a precarious 8-10 degree slant. The interior of the tower could actually be reached by climbing through the foundation. It looked like this beacon of hope was about to give up all hope and surrender to the Gulf of Mexico.

In stepped the campaign to "Save the Light," a group of concerned citizens in the nearby town of Apalachicola. Their first job was to convince the public that the light was indeed worth saving. Skeptics pointed out that it was only accessible by boat or a swampy mosquito-ridden one mile hike. Proponents countered that more and more people wanted to explore sites off the tourist bus-beaten track.

They also pointed to the light's rich history. Cape St. George was the site of the horrible wreck of the Tiger in 1766. All the crew and passengers, marooned on the island, starved to death - except for one man and one woman. Yet it wasn't until 1833 that the first lighthouse warned mariners of the barrier islands dangers. Storms took their toll, but the third tower, built in 1852, managed to survive. Today it holds the honor of being Florida's oldest "as built"  lighthouse.

Before the Civil War, Apalachicola was a booming cotton port. In 1862, Union ships moved in. Some accounts say that Confederates dismantled the light and damaged the keeper's dwelling in order to keep Union soldiers from utilizing it. Others place the blame on the Union soldiers, reporting that they used the dwellings as a smoking and lounging saloon. After the war, the light was replaced and the lighthouse returned to its duty of guiding ships. It was automated in 1949 and abandoned in 1994 by the Coast Guard.

The biggest factor in deciding whether or not this beautiful lighthouse was worth saving was, of course, financial. Those opposed doubted the money could be raised. Those in favor replied with more than "ayes." They opened their wallets. Tens of thousands of dollars have been raised, enabling the Cape St. George lighthouse to be ever so carefully straightened, This is only the first step of restoration, but a large one indeed

We've depicted the Cape St. George as it clung to the vanishing shore, somewhere between two destinies. We are happy to report that it stands much taller and prouder today.

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* Available from Retail Dealers sponsoring Collectors Regional Events held in 2001. 

Photography by Paul L. Brady © Harbour Lights  December 13, 2001