The Crooked River lighthouse will unveil its new Fresnel lens this Saturday.
On Jan 13th, after 47 years in ‘safe exile” at the 8th District US Coastguard Headquarters in New Orleans, the Crooked River Lighthouse 4th -order Fresnel lens once again began its rotation, driven by a modern electric motor.
It is now located at the Crooked River Lighthouse Keeper’s House Museum.
This lens, made of brass and glass prisms, was fabricated in 1894 in Paris, France.
It served as a beacon to mariners from the top of the Crooked River Lighthouse from 1895 until the lens was removed by the Coast Guard in 1976 due to a mercury leak in the rotation system.
From 1976 until the lighthouse was decommissioned by the US Coast Guard in 1995, a series of modern optics served to illuminate the lighthouse.
The lens returned to Carrabelle on February 19, 2020 and has been on display awaiting its new permanent case with interpretive exhibits funded through the Florida Lighthouse Association.
On Saturday, the new interactive exhibit will be officially open to the public for viewing.
The automated exhibit will feature artifacts and interpretive panels highlighting the history of lenses and mariner communication.
If you would like to see the lend for yourself, come out to the Crooked River lighthouse on Saturday as they celebrate Crooked River Park Fest from 9 AM to 9 PM.
The day-long celebration will include an extended Country Market from 9 till 3 with over 30 vendors, and a full moon climb Saturday night from 6 to 9 with live pirate music from Tom Mason and the Blue Buccaneers.
The Fresnel lens will be on display all day at the lighthouse museum.
On Jan 13th, after 47 years in ‘safe exile” at the 8th District US Coastguard Headquarters in New Orleans, the Crooked River Lighthouse 4th -order Fresnel lens once again began its rotation, driven by a modern electric motor.
It is now located at the Crooked River Lighthouse Keeper’s House Museum.
This lens, made of brass and glass prisms, was fabricated in 1894 in Paris, France.
It served as a beacon to mariners from the top of the Crooked River Lighthouse from 1895 until the lens was removed by the Coast Guard in 1976 due to a mercury leak in the rotation system.
From 1976 until the lighthouse was decommissioned by the US Coast Guard in 1995, a series of modern optics served to illuminate the lighthouse.
The lens returned to Carrabelle on February 19, 2020 and has been on display awaiting its new permanent case with interpretive exhibits funded through the Florida Lighthouse Association.
On Saturday, the new interactive exhibit will be officially open to the public for viewing.
The automated exhibit will feature artifacts and interpretive panels highlighting the history of lenses and mariner communication.
If you would like to see the lend for yourself, come out to the Crooked River lighthouse on Saturday as they celebrate Crooked River Park Fest from 9 AM to 9 PM.
The day-long celebration will include an extended Country Market from 9 till 3 with over 30 vendors, and a full moon climb Saturday night from 6 to 9 with live pirate music from Tom Mason and the Blue Buccaneers.
The Fresnel lens will be on display all day at the lighthouse museum.
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