Entry No. 20 — the Miami file — filed under: lighthouse

Cape Florida Lighthouse, Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park

On July 23, 1836, Seminole warriors attacked the lighthouse during the Second Seminole War, torching the base and igniting stored lamp oil; assistant keeper John Thompson's Black helper Aaron Carter was killed, and Thompson survived a full day trapped atop the tower with three rifle balls in each foot and the stairway burned away beneath him before Navy schooners spotted the smoke and rescued him.

The move: Take the ranger-led climb up Florida's oldest standing structure (rebuilt taller after the attack), then walk the shoreline where the rescue ships anchored and picture the keeper's one-day wait.

• 📍 Key Biscayne
• 💸 $$
• ⚡ Up for anything
• 🌗 Indoors

Where: 1200 S Crandon Blvd, Key Biscayne, FL 33149

Hours: Added 2026-07-19 — confirm current hours before you go.

⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.

Plan a visit & invite your people →

Further reading: Wikipedia · Official site

last checked: 2026-07-19