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The Volusia Bar Lighthouse

Much has been written about this iconic structure which once graced the southern end of Lake George.  This page attempts to display lesser known information and  also to highlight the excellent work done by other writers and researchers.

While some duplication has been necessary to accurately portray the story of the lighthouse, every effort has been made to keep it to a minimum.

Location Map


Before the Lighthouse was there

Chart of Volusia Bar

Picture
"showing location of work of improvement now in progress. Accompanying annual report of July 15th 1881." 







Credit: Murray Hudson Antiquarian Maps, Prints & Globes


Construction completed - March 1886

Annual Report of the Light-House Board of the United States to the Secretary of the Treasury - for the Fiscal year ended June 30th, 1886:

"520. Volusia Bar, on Volusia Bar, south end of Lake George, Florida. — In
December, 1885, the iron foundation and frame dwelling previously prepared were
shipped from Baltimore and Charleston to Jacksonville, Fla., and thence
transported with the working party to the site. The work was finished early in
March. The structure consists of a frame dwelling, resting on a combined iron
and wooden foundation and surmounted by a fourth-order illuminating apparatus,
located in the water near the south end of Lake George, Saint John's River,
Florida. It is placed so as to guide vessels on the lake to the jetties which
bound the entrance to Volusia Bar. Two stake-lights are placed so as to form a
range to guide vessels through the interval between the heads of the jetties. A
fog-bell apparatus is placed on the keeper's dwelling."

Credit: Google Books

The Lighthouse through the Years

Lighthouse - 1915

Picture
U.S. Coast Guard photo from 1915. The fog bell is just barely visible under the eves of the roof on the second floor.

The wooden structure on the back porch  may have been an over water privy. Photo appears to have been taken from the northwest

Lighthouse - unknown date

Picture
Note the small boat on the lower dock. Photo appears to have been taken from an easterly direction

Lighthouse - Circa 1930

Picture
Credit: State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory,
http://floridamemory.com/items/show/33720

Lighthouse Ruins - 2006

Picture
Credit: Jeffrey F. White


From the Air......

Explore how time has changed Volusia Bar & the Lighthouse - view old aerial photographs and Google Earth historical imagery in this interesting slideshow
Credits:     George A Smathers Libraries - University of Florida Digital Collections (1941 -  1980)
                   Google Earth (1995 -  2013)

Picture

Check Back Soon!

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