August 7: National Lighthouse Day
On this day in 1789, the U.S. Congress approved an Act for the establishment and support of lighthouse, beacons, buoys, and public piers. National Lighthouse Day was first celebrated 200 years later when President Ronald Reagan signed Senate Judiciary Resolution 306 of the 100th Congress into law. The joint resolution designated August 7, 1989 as National Lighthouse Day. Although the resolution did not establish the day as an annual celebration, various lighthouse organizations have continued the tradition of taking this day to celebrate the role of lighthouses in the United States.
Curriculum connections: Civil engineering, Fresnel lens, lighthouses, navigation, optics, pharology, safety, shipping, technological innovation.
National Lighthouse Day Banner
Use this banner on social media to share our collection of lighthouse teaching resources.
Florida's Historic Lighthouses
Three-page PDF about Florida’s lighthouses from the Florida Then and Now section of the Exploring Florida website.
Lighthouse Illustrations
Three dozen illustrations of lighthouses, lighthouse lenses, lights, and related technology from the ClipArt ETC website.
Cape Florida Lighthouse
Photo gallery of the Cape Florida Lighthouse at Bill Baggs State Park from the ClipPix ETC website.
Paintings & B/W Photos
A gallery of black-and-white photos of lighthouses and of color paintings of lighthouses by Jack Roland Murphy from the Exploring Florida website.
Three Florida Lighthouses
A gallery of photos of the St. Augustine Lighthouse, the Cape Florida Lighthouse, and the Key West Lighthouse from the Exploring Florida website.
Lighthouses in 3D
Ten stereoviews of lighthouses from the Exploring Florida website. Red/blue 3D glasses required for viewing.
"Lighthouses"
“Lighthouses” is a poem by George E. Merrick from his book, Songs of the Wind on a Southern Shore, and other Poems of Florida. Available on the Lit2Go website. Duration: 46 seconds. Also available as a PDF.