Ponce Inlet Lighthouse Beacon

This third order rotating Fresnel lens was first installed in the Ponse Inlet Lighthouse in 1933.
When the Coast Guard discontinued the tower in 1970, th...
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This third order rotating Fresnel lens was first installed in the Ponse Inlet Lighthouse in 1933.
When the Coast Guard discontinued the tower in 1970, the third order lens was removed from the tower and shipped to the Coast Guard Museum for display. In 1973, as a result of requests by the Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse Preservation Association, the third order lens was returned to Ponce Inlet for restoration and display. In 1982, the Coast Guard reactivated the beacon in the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse using a series of modern lighthouse optics. Following further restoration work, the third order lens was returned to service in the tower in 2004, and the Coast Guard granted permission for the beacon to become a private aid to navigation, maintained by the museum staff. The Ponce Inlet tower is still a working lighthouse today and uses the historic 30-second rotation and characteristic. The 175-foot tower is open for climbing, and yes, you are invited to climb the 203 steps up to the main balcony!

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