Cape Florida Lighthouse

"Though it sits on a tranquil sweep of sandy beach within Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park on Key Biscayne, this pristinely restored lighthouse gives a glimpse into a tumultuous side of South Florida's history. The regal lighthouse, now defunct, tells stories of nautical adventures, Caribbean slave smuggling, and attacks by Native American Seminole tribes. A knowledgeable park ranger conducts half-hour tours several days a week during which you’ll learn about the monument's history as the oldest structure in Dade County (it was built in 1825, twenty years before Florida became a state). When visiting make sure to wear comfortable shoes, as climbing the 109 steps to the top is a mini-workout." - Sara Liss, Terry Ward

"Though it sits on a tranquil sweep of sandy beach within Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park on Key Biscayne, this pristinely restored lighthouse gives a glimpse into a tumultuous side of South Florida's history. The regal lighthouse, now defunct, tells stories of nautical adventures, Caribbean slave smuggling, and attacks by Native American Seminole tribes. A knowledgeable park ranger conducts half-hour tours several days a week during which you’ll learn about the monument's history as the oldest structure in Dade County (it was built in 1825, twenty years before Florida became a state). When visiting make sure to wear comfortable shoes, as climbing the 109 steps to the top is a mini-workout." - Sara Liss, Terry Ward

"A picturesque beacon looms over the soft white beach at Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park. The top of the lighthouse rewards anyone willing to trek up its 109 steps with breathtakingly beautiful views of the park. From this high vantage point, you get uninterrupted vistas of blue-green waves gently lapping against the milky sand. The lighthouse is as historically fascinating as it is beautiful. It’s the oldest standing structure in all of Miami-Dade County. Though first built in 1825, it was reconstructed in 1846 after suffering extensive damage during the Second Seminole War. After being decommissioned and serving a stint as the headquarters of the Biscayne Bay Yacht Club, it was later restored and a small museum was created that’s stuffed with information about the local history. But the beacon isn’t the only historical treasure the park holds. A modest sign stands within a tangle of greenery honoring the site’s role in the National Underground Railroad to Freedom. When Spain ceded Florida to the United States in the 1820s, hundreds of Black Seminoles, many of whom had fled slavery further north, escaped from this southeastern sliver of shore and set sail for freedom in the Bahamas. Some bargained with Bahamian wreckers (sailors who purposely lured ships to shallow seas where they would wreck and could be plundered) to secure passage aboard their vessels. Others boarded makeshift canoes and sloops in the dark of night and began the treacherous journey to freedom. Unfortunately, the construction of the lighthouse is the very thing that brought an end to these clandestine escapes. Its bright light illuminated the beach and surrounding waters during even the darkest hours, making it nearly impossible for anyone to sail away unnoticed." - ATLAS_OBSCURA

"Climb to the Top of a Historic Lighthouse The Cape Florida Lighthouse, inBill Baggs Cape Florida State Park on the tip ofKey Biscayne, is the oldest lighthouse in the state. The newly restored 95-foot white-brick tower, which sits onsand and rocks, attracts plenty of visitors, who enjoy climbing up to the top for the view of downtown Miami and the Atlantic Ocean.The park also includes a replica of the lighthouse keeper’s 1825 cottage."