Historic Light Station
Information
& Photography
PUERTO RICO
ARECIBO LIGHT
(FARO DE ARECIBO)
Loctation; PORT ARECIBO ENTRANCE/NORTH SHORE; ABOUT 35 MILES WEST OF SAN JUAN ON THE NORTH COAST OF PUERTO RICO
Station Established: 1898
Year Current Tower(s) First Lit: 1898
Operational? YES
Automated? YES 1964
Deactivated: n/a
Foundation Materials: STONE
Construction Materials: STONE
Tower Shape: HEXAGONAL ATTACHED. TO RECTANGULAR BLDG
Height: 46-feet, focal plane height = 120-feet
Markings/Pattern: WHITE W/BLACK LANTERN
Characteristics:
Relationship to Other Structure: ATTACHED
Original Lens: THIRD ORDER, FRESNEL 1898
Foghorn:
HISTORICAL INFORMATION:
- The United States acquired the lighthouses of Puerto Rico as a result of the Spanish American War. The Spanish had erected modern up to date illumination systems. The lighthouses were well built and have never had to be rebuilt.
- 1900: The lighthouse board acquired responsibility for the aids to navigation
PHOTOGRAPHS (click on light name below to access image):
CABRAS ISLAND LIGHT
Station Established: 1902
Year Current Tower(s) First Lit: 1902
Operational? YES
Automated? YES
Deactivated:
Foundation Materials:
Construction Materials: STONE
Tower Shape: CYLINDRICAL ATTACHED TO SQUARE HOUSE
Markings/Pattern: NATURAL "TURRETT"
Relationship to Other Structure: INTEGRAL
Original Lens: SIXTH ORDER, FRESNEL 1902
PHOTOGRAPHS (click on light name below to access image):
CABRAS ISLAND LIGHT (75 dpi); CABRAS ISLAND LIGHT (300 dpi); 16 January 1946; Photo No. JUAN 8842; "looking N.N.E. #4621".
CAPE ROJO LIGHT (CABO ROJO)
SOUTHEAST OF POLE OJEA ON CAPE ROJO
Station Established: 1882
Year Current Tower(s) First Lit: 1882
Operational? YES
Automated? YES 1967
Deactivated: n/a
Foundation Materials: STONE
Construction Materials: STONE
Tower Shape: HEXAGONAL
Markings/Pattern: NATURAL W/BLACK LANTERN
Relationship to Other Structure: ATTACHED
Original Lens: THIRD ORDER, FRESNEL 1882
PHOTOGRAPHS (click on light name below to access image):
CABO ROJO LIGHT (72 dpi); CABO ROJO LIGHT (300 dpi--11.5 megabytes): Circa 2005, provided courtesy of Luis Lebron. NOT AN OFFICIAL U.S. COAST GUARD PHOTO.
CAPE SAN JUAN LIGHT
(CABO SAN JUAN)
CAPE SAN JUAN/NE OF SOROCCO
Station Established: 1880
Year Current Tower(s) First Lit: 1880
Operational? YES
Automated? YES 1985
Deactivated: n/a
Foundation Materials: STONE
Construction Materials: STONE
Tower Shape: CYLINDRICAL
Markings/Pattern: WHITE W/BLACK BAND AROUND BASE/BLACK LANTERN
Relationship to Other Structure: ATTACHED
Original Lens: THIRD ORDER, FRESNEL 1880
PHOTOGRAPHS (click on light name below to access image):
CARDONA ISLAND (CAYO CARDONA) LIGHT
Location: On island west side of entrance to harbor
Station Established: 1889
Year Current Tower(s) First Lit: 1889
Operational: Yes
Automated: Yes, 1962
Deactivated: n/a
Foundation Materials: Stone
Construction Materials: Stone
Tower Shape: Cylindrical
Markings/Pattern: White with black lantern
Characteristic: Flashing white (4 seconds)
Relationship to Other Structure: Attached
Original Lens: Sixth Order, 1889
Historical Information:
- Station established in 1889.
- Characteristic of light changed to flashing white every 3 seconds (flash duration 0.3 seconds duration of 230 candlepower) on 25 May 1922.
- Color of tower and dwelling changed to white by 16 February 1925.
- Light changed to show a white flash every 4 seconds (flash 0.4 seconds -- eclipse 3.4 seconds) on 14 July 1937.
- Extinguished due to war, 1942.
- Relighted on 10 November 1943.
- Name changed to Isla Cardona Light on 1 November 1953.
- Name changed to Cayo Cardona Light on 13 June 1958.
- Changed to electric powered illumination on 11 April 1962.
- Candlepower increased to 400 (12V 2.03 amp lamp) & equipped with daylight control on 16 March 1967.
Photographs:
Cardona Island Light, 1916: (75 dpi) ; (300 dpi); Original caption: "Cardona Island Lt. Sta., P.R. . . . Looking approx. SW; Distance approx. 150'." photo dated 16 November 1916; no photo number; photographer unknown.
Cardona Island Light, 1937: (75 dpi) ; (300 dpi); Original caption: "Cardona Isl. Lightstation at entrance to Ponce, P.R. . . rec'd with Dist. letter 12-9-1937 (1436)."; photo dated 8 October 1937; photo by F. C. Hingsburg.
Isla Cardona Light, 1948: (75 dpi) ; (300 dpi); Original caption: "Cardona Island Light Station, Ponce Harbor, PR [;] 7th CG District."; photo dated December, 1948; no photo number; photographer unknown.
Cayo Cardona Light: (75 dpi) ; (300 dpi); no caption/date/photo number; photographer unknown. An aerial view of the tower and dwelling from landward; probably taken in the late 1940s.
CULEBRITA ISLAND (ISLA CULEBRITA) LIGHT
VIRGIN PASSAGE/ANTILLES ISLAND
Station Established: 1886
Year Current Tower(s) First Lit: 1886
Operational? YES
Automated? YES 1964
Deactivated: n/a
Foundation Materials: STONE
Construction Materials: STONE
Tower Shape: CYLINDRICAL
Markings/Pattern: GRAY TOWER/RED TRIM ON DWELLING
Relationship to Other Structure: INTEGRAL
Original Lens: FOURTH ORDER, FRESNEL 1888
PHOTOGRAPHS (click on light name below to access image):
GUANICA LIGHT
POINT MESETA/SOUTH SHORE
Station Established: 1893
Year Current Tower(s) First Lit: 1893
Operational? NO
Automated? UNK
Deactivated: 1950
Foundation Materials:
Construction Materials: BRICK & CEMENT BLOCKS
Tower Shape: OCTAGONAL W/OUT LANTERN
Markings/Pattern: WHITE
Relationship to Other Structure: INTEGRAL
Original Lens: SIXTH ORDER 1893
PHOTOGRAPHS (click on light name below to access image):
MONA ISLAND LIGHT (ISLA DE MONA)
MONA ISLAND/WEST SHORE PUERTO RICO
Station Established: 1900
Year Current Tower(s) First Lit: 1900
Operational? NO
Automated? YES 1973
Deactivated: 1976
Foundation Materials: CONCRETE
Construction Materials: IRON
Tower Shape: SKELETAL W/CENTRAL CYLINDER
Markings/Pattern: BLACK
Relationship to Other Structure: SEPARATE
Original Lens: SECOND ORDER, FRESNEL 1900
PHOTOGRAPHS (click on light name below to access image):
MUERTOS ISLAND LIGHT
(ISLA CAJA DE MUERTOS)
SE OF PONCE ON MUERTOS ISLAND
Station Established: 1887
Year Current Tower(s) First Lit: 1887
Operational? YES
Automated? YES 1945
Deactivated: n/a
Foundation Materials: STONE
Construction Materials: STONE
Tower Shape: CYLINDRICAL
Markings/Pattern: GRAY W/BLACK LANTERN
Relationship to Other Structure: INTEGRAL
Original Lens: THIRD ORDER, FRESNEL 1887
PHOTOGRAPHS (click on light name below to access image):
POINT BORINQUEN LIGHT
1.3 MILES NE OF POINT BORINQUEN
Station Established: 1889
Year Current Tower(s) First Lit: 1920
Operational? YES
Automated? YES 1976
Deactivated: n/a
Foundation Materials: STONE
Construction Materials: STONE
Tower Shape: CYLINDRICAL W/OUT LANTERN
Markings/Pattern: GRAY
Relationship to Other Structure: SEPARATE
Original Lens: FOURTH ORDER 1889
PHOTOGRAPHS (click on light name below to access image):
POINT FIGURAS LIGHT
(PUNTA DE LAS FIGURAS)
S.E. OF ARROYO/SOUTH SHORE
Station Established: 1893
Year Current Tower(s) First Lit: 1893
Operational? NO
Automated? UNK
Deactivated: 1938
Foundation Materials:
Construction Materials: BRICK/STONE
Tower Shape: OCTAGONAL TOWER ON DWELLING
Markings/Pattern: WHITE W/O LANTERN
Relationship to Other Structure: INTEGRAL
Original Lens: FIFTH ORDER, FRESNEL 1893
PHOTOGRAPHS (click on light name below to access image):
NO PHOTOGRAPH AVAILABLE
POINT JIGUERO (HIGUERO) LIGHT
NORTHWEST ON RINCON
Station Established: 1892 Z
Year Current Tower(s) First Lit: 1922
Operational? YES
Automated? YES 1933
Deactivated: n/a
Foundation Materials: CONCRETE
Construction Materials: CONCRETE
Tower Shape: OCTAGONAL CYLINDRICAL
Markings/Pattern: GRAY
Relationship to Other Structure: INTEGRAL
Original Lens: SIXTH ORDER 1892
PHOTOGRAPHS (click on light name below to access image):
POINT MULAS LIGHT
WEST SHORE VIEQUES ISLAND
Station Established: 1885
Year Current Tower(s) First Lit: 1896
Operational? NO
Automated? YES 1949
Deactivated:
Foundation Materials: STONE
Construction Materials: BRICK/STONE
Tower Shape: OCTAGONAL ON RECTANGULAR DWELLING
Markings/Pattern: WHITE W/BLACK LANTERN
Relationship to Other Structure: INTEGRAL
Original Lens: SIXTH ORDER, FRESNEL 1896
PHOTOGRAPHS (click on light name below to access image):
POINT TUNA LIGHT
SOUTHEAST OF PUERTO MAUNABO
Station Established: 1892
Year Current Tower(s) First Lit: 1892
Operational? YES
Automated? YES 1989
Deactivated: n/a
Foundation Materials: STONE
Construction Materials: STONE
Tower Shape: OCTAGONAL
Markings/Pattern: WHITE W/BLACK LANTERN
Relationship to Other Structure: INTEGRAL
Original Lens: THIRD ORDER, FRESNEL 1892
PHOTOGRAPHS (click on light name below to access image):
PORT SAN JUAN
(EL MORRO) LIGHT
ON EL MORRO/SAN JUAN HARBOR ENTRANCE
Station Established: 1846
Year Current Tower(s) First Lit: 1908
Operational? YES
Automated? YES 1962
Deactivated: n/a
Foundation Materials: FORT
Construction Materials: BRICK/MASONRY
Tower Shape: SQUARE TOWER ON CASTLE
Markings/Pattern: GRAY "MOORISH REVIVAL"
Relationship to Other Structure: INTEGRAL
Original Lens: THIRD ORDER, FRESNEL 1908
PHOTOGRAPHS (click on light name below to access image):
PUERTO FERRO LIGHT
(FARO DE PUERTO FERRO)
SOUTH SHORE VIEQUES ISLAND
Station Established: 1896
Year Current Tower(s) First Lit: 1896
Operational? NO
Automated?
Deactivated: 1926
Foundation Materials:
Construction Materials: STONE
Tower Shape: OCTAGONAL W/OUT LANTERN
Markings/Pattern: WHITE
Relationship to Other Structure: INTEGRAL
Original Lens: FIFTH ORDER, FRESNEL
PHOTOGRAPHS (click on light name below to access image):
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