Key West Lighthouse & Keeper's Quarters

ABOUT THIS PLACE

The first light on this island was destroyed by the hurricane of 1846 and this tower replaced it two years later. What made it unusual was its keeper: a woman held the post in the nineteenth century, which was close to unheard of in the service. Over the years the light gained a Fresnel lens, the tower was raised, the keeper's quarters were improved and the whole thing was electrified. The Coast Guard decommissioned it in 1969 once the technology no longer needed a keeper living beside the light. Eighty-eight steps lead up the tower and the view takes in the whole of the old town, including the roof of the Hemingway house directly opposite. The quarters below hold the museum. Open every day from ten in the morning until five, with last admission at 4:30. Adults pay seventeen dollars, less if booked online, and children under seven go free