Featured Destination Story

Molasses Reef Lighthouse

Key Largo, FL

Molasses Reef is a coral reef located within the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. It lies to the southeast of Key Largo, within the Key Largo Existing Management Area, immediately to the east of John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. Its lighthouse has marked the reef for most of the 20th century.

The Molasses Reef Light was a screw-pile tower built and lit in 1921. It was built as a square pyramidal skeletal tower that held a lantern room at the top. Its light flashes every 10 seconds; with a range of seven nautical miles. As it was only built to mark local hazards, the light did not need to shine very far. Keepers' quarters were not included, as the light was fully automatic from the time it was first lit. The lantern has now been removed, but it is still an active aid to navigation.