One of the brightest lights in the world shines from Hillsboro Inlet—the light beam emanating from the Hillsboro Inlet Lighthouse, which can be seen from 28 nautical miles (just over 32 miles) away. Built in 1907, the lighthouse has withstood major hurricanes and fires to guide ships through the shallow waters and coral reefs of Hillsboro Inlet for the past 118 years.
In 1855, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers designated Hillsboro Inlet as hazardous to the safe navigation of ships and recommended that Congress authorize the funding of a lighthouse. However, due to a lack of funds, more than 50 years passed before the approval and construction of the Hillsboro Inlet Lighthouse began.
During that time, Hillsboro Inlet continued to challenge ships. In 1900, the SS Copenhagen, a British cargo steamer, sank after striking a reef in 25 feet of water off the coast of Pompano Beach. Finally, in 1901, the United States Lighthouse Board persuaded Congress to authorize the construction of a lighthouse at Hillsboro Inlet. “The sinking of the SS Copenhagen really jumpstarted getting this lighthouse,” says David Velez, a Hillsboro Lighthouse Preservation Society (HLPS) volunteer. The HLPS, a nonprofit organization, works with the U.S. Coast Guard to maintain the lighthouse.
At 147 feet tall at its highest point, the Hillsboro Inlet Lighthouse is one of the tallest lighthouses on the East Coast. One hundred and sixty-seven winding steps lead to the watch deck of the lighthouse, which offers sweeping views of the coast and overlooks part of the Florida Reef, where sharks and fish are commonly spotted.
One of the lighthouse’s most unique features is its second-order, bivalve Fresnel Lens, which dates back to 1907 and was the most technologically advanced at the time. “The lens is original from 1907,” says Amber Velez, membership chair of the HLPS, whose grandfather was one of Hillsboro Inlet’s original lighthouse keepers. “Only a few of these lenses are still active, one being ours. Others are on display in museums. Ours is rotating just as it was in 1907.”
The lens comprises 356 glass pieces that form a large diamond. “When it was first put into service, the lighthouse had a vaporized kerosene light visible up to 15 nautical miles out,” explains David Velez. “They created the lens in such a way that no matter where the light was coming from the kerosene flame, it would refract and create a horizontal beam shooting out into the ocean.”
In 1932, the lighthouse went from kerosene to electrical power, and in 2021 it switched to an LED light visible from 28 nautical miles out. “That’s only at 50% brightness,” says David Velez. “If we increased it to maximum brightness, we’d probably get complaints from residents.”
Originally the Hillsboro Inlet Lighthouse used a mercury bath to rotate its Fresnel lens, which weighs about 3,500 pounds. Floating the heavy lens on a pool of liquid mercury allowed it to rotate quickly with minimal effort, creating the bright flashing signal that lighthouses are known for. “This was done on mercury because mercury is frictionless,” explains Ralph Krugler, a historian with the HLPS and author of “The (Almost) Complete History of the Hillsboro Inlet Lighthouse.”
“Once the lens was floating, with one finger, you could push a giant lens around in circles,” says Krugler.
The lighthouse keepers were responsible for maintaining the mercury bath. When dust, sand, or other impurities built up in the mercury, they had to strain it. “They would drain the mercury and run it through a cheesecloth,” says Krugler. “These guys weren’t wearing gloves and were doing all this by hand.” Sadly, keepers were commonly referred to as “mad hatters,” as constant exposure to the bath often led to mercury poisoning and abnormal behavior.
Throughout the years, several major hurricanes caused some mercury to spill out of the basin. Thankfully in 1998, all mercury was removed from the lighthouse, and the mercury bath was replaced with a ball-bearing system that would rotate the lens. In 1974, the lighthouse became fully automated, meaning keepers were no longer needed.
On Friday, March 14, the HLPS is hosting its annual fundraising gala. Those who attend will be treated to a private tour of the lens room and an up-close look at the original 1907 Fresnel lens, an experience not available on public tours.
Proceeds from the gala—which takes place under the full moon on the lighthouse grounds—will go toward upkeep, repairs, and HLPS’s restoration project.
The million-dollar restoration project involves a complete overhaul of the struts, cables, and turnbuckles, along with the blasting and repainting of the lighthouse to restore it to its original color scheme composed of three black sections and two white.
“It’s a 10-year restoration plan with a 10-year guarantee,” explains Amber Velez. “We’ll have 10 years of guaranteed service, so if anything happens with the paint or rust starts coming back, the restoration company will come back and take care of it.”
Because the lighthouse is located on U.S. Coast Guard grounds and is bordered by the Hillsboro Club, it is only open to the public once a month for public tours. Upcoming tours are scheduled for March 8, April 12, May 10, and June 15. Visitors meet at the Sands Harbor Resort and Marina in Pompano Beach and are transported by boat to the lighthouse grounds.
For more information, visit www.hillsborolighthouse.org.