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Cape Canaveral

Cape Canaveral

Photo courtesy of
the National Park Service.

    The 1848 Cape Canaveral Lighthouse was one of the first man-made structures built on the cape. Rebuilt in 1868, it is 145 feet high and is constructed of iron plates bolted together with interior bricks. The lighthouse was painted with black and white bands in 1873 and was moved to its current site in 1894. During World War II, enemy submarines used its beam to target passing ships, attacking the tanker Pan Massachusetts and many other vessels. During one period, 24 ships were sunk and the Coast Guard rescued hundreds of sailors. The light was extinguished until war’s end. The current lens was installed in 1993. The lighthouse is not open, although it may be seen on a bus tour of the Kennedy Space Center.



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