The Hillsboro Lighthouse is located in the quaint town of Hillsboro Beach, Florida. The historic landmark is situated on the southern tip of the barrier island, which is also know as the Hillsboro Mile or Millionaire’s Mile. The lighthouse is in good company, with quite a few Hillsboro Beach homes valued over ten million dollars.
Congress authorized construction of the lighthouse in 1901 as “much needed by vessels bound through the Florida straits into the Gulf of Mexico or to the island of Cuba. Its erection will complete the chain of lights which extend from Jupiter Inlet to Tortugas, so that the navigator can make one light before losing sight of another.”
Construction of the Hillsboro Lighthouse in April 1906. SOURCE: Hillsboro Lighthouse Preservation Society
The lighthouse contains 5,500,000 candlepower light and is said to be the most powerful light on the east coast of the United States of America. Construction of the 136 foot structure began in 1906 and was completed in 1907.
According to LighthouseFriends.com, a website created by an enthusiast who has visited every lighthouse in the United States, there are about 1,000 lighthouses in the U.S., with 52 of those being in Florida. The Hillsboro Lighthouse is only one of 32 operational lighthouses in Florida today.
Much of the Hillsboro Lighthouse’s current day preservation efforts is due mostly to the Hillsboro Lighthouse Preservation Society, which was founded in 1997. The primary purpose of the society is preserving the lighthouse in its original form for the safety, enjoyment and education of the public.
There are regular tours of the lighthouse. To see a current schedule, visit the Hillsboro Lighthouse Preservation Society (HLPS) Tours Calendar. You can also visit the HLPS Museum, which is located at A1A and 2700 North Ocean Boulevard in Pompano Beach, Florida. For more information about tours or the museum, you can also call 954-609-7974 or email info@hillsborolighthouse.org.
