Hillsboro Inlet Lighthouse, north side of Hillsboro Inlet between Fort Lauderdale and Boca Raton, Hillsboro Beach, Florida
HILLSBORO INLET LIGHT
Location: NORTH SIDE HILLSBORO INLET
Station Established: 1907
Year Current Tower(s) First Lit: 1907
Operational? YES
Automated? YES 1974
Deactivated: N/A
Foundation Materials: IRON PILING
Construction Materials: IRON
Tower Shape: OCTAGONAL SKELETAL W/CYLINDER
Markings/Pattern: LOWER THIRD WHITE/UPPER BLACK
Relationship to Other Structure: SEPARATE
Original Lens: SECOND ORDER BIVALVE, FRESNEL 1907
Historical Information:
- Hillsboro named for Wills Hills, the Earl of Hillsborough, British Secretary of State for the colonies when the British controlled Florida.
- 1902-1904 - 3 separate Congressional acts approve a total of $90,000 to fund the lighthouse.
- 1907- Lighthouse is first lit on March 07.
- 1920 - Lighthouse is electrified.
- 1926 - Major hurricane exposed the foundation of the lighthouse.
- 1930 – 260’ stone breakwater built to stabilize the land.
- 1942 - Tanker Lubrofol torpedoed off Hillsboro Beach.
- Post WWII - Radio Beacon added to tower.
- 1974 - Lighthouse fully automated.
Keepers:
- Alfred A. Berghell (Head Keeper, 3/9/1907 - 8/1/1911)
- Henry A. Keys (1st Asst. Keeper, 3/8/1907 - 3/21/1907)
- Robert H. Thompson (2nd Asst. Keeper, 3/8/1907 - 6/1/1908)
- Thomas E. Albury (1st Asst. Keeper, 3/21/1908 - 3/1/1909)
- Samuel R.A. Curry (2nd Asst. Keeper, 6/1/1908 - 7/12/1909)
- Clifton H. Lopez (1st Asst. Keeper, 3/1/1909 - 9/11/1909)
- W.A. Lopez (1st Asst. Keeper, 3/1909 - 8/1909)
- Harvey E. Behringer (2nd Asst. Keeper, 7/12/1909 - 4/1/1910)
- Ramon Pinder (1st Asst. Keeper, 9/11/1909 - 10/21/1910)
- George B. Neumian (1st Asst. Keeper, 10/21/1910 - sometime prior to 1919)
- Michael L. Shanahan (2nd Asst. Keeper, 4/1/1910 - 7/1/1911)
- Thomas Knight (Head Keeper, 8/1/1911 - 1936)
- William M. Sharit (2nd Asst. Keeper, 1/1/1911 - 7/15/1911)
- John T. Corcoran (2nd Asst. Keeper, 7/15/1911 - 12/3/1911)
- Lawrence F. Meyer, (2nd Asst. Keeper, 12/3/1911 unknown)
- Clarence Malloy (1st Asst. Keeper 1919)
- Rinaud Heisser (1st Asst. Keeper, 1919 - 1920)
- R. Nivens (2nd Asst. Keeper, 1919 - sometime prior to 1921)
- G. Phelps (Asst. Keeper, 11/1920 - 6/1923)
- J.E. Powell (1st Asst. Keeper, 1920 - unknown)
- Judge Beckman Isler (2nd Asst. Keeper, 1921 - 1939)
- Benjamin F.Stone (Asst.Keeper, 1925 - after 1927)
- Benjamin F.Stone (Head Keeper, 1936 - 1943)
Researched and written by Marie Vincent, a volunteer through the Chesapeake Chapter of the U.S. Light House Society.