Crooked River Lighthouse

For nearly 100 years the Crooked River Lighthouse stood as a guiding light for ships, and fishermen navigating the treacherous pass between Dog and St. George Islands. Today the lighthouse and keeper’s house museum stand on the mainland where the light was originally built in 1895, replacing the three short-lived beacons destroyed by hurricanes on Dog Island.

The 103-foot iron and steel structure was decommissioned by the Coast Guard in 1995 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Carrabelle Lighthouse Association and the City of Carrabelle obtained ownership of the landmark from the Coast Guard just weeks before it was scheduled for auction and the organization created a public park surrounding it. Public and private financial support enabled the restoration of the structure to be completed in 2007.

Nestled in a North Florida forest habitat the lighthouse beams nightly, complete with the original restored 4th order Fresnel lens. The park picnic area features a replica of the Crooked River Lighthouse Keeper’s House which was patterned after the original 1895 plans. The Keeper’s House serves as a museum, gift shop and headquarters for the CLA.

Exhibits include an historical setting of the early 1900s, examples of beacons and the methods of constructing a skeletal tower lighthouse. Everyday life objects in the Keeper’s Room include original clocks, a barometer, a glass fire grenade, pages from the keeper’s watch book, currency and much more.

The Crooked River Lighthouse Keeper’s House Museum now houses the one-of-a-kind lens in a newly created steel lighthouse display case, manufactured to mimic the upper portion of the Crooked River Lighthouse Tower Room. The interactive exhibit features artifacts and interpretive panels highlighting the history of lenses and mariner communication.

Hours vary by season. Please visit our website for hours of operation, specials events, and updates.