Biloxi Lighthouse

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=60 BGCOLOR="#669999" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B><U>Biloxi Lighthouse</U></B></div> <div> <B>Biloxi, Mississippi</B></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=165 BGCOLOR="#A6CAF0" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="132" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 35 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id37.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Pride of Baltimore at Federal Hill"><U><B><IMG SRC="007151d0.gif" border=0 width="21" height="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id104.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Concord Point Lighthouse"><U><B><IMG SRC="008151d0.gif" border=0 width="21" height="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="20"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="35" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="20" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id21.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" 11 x 14 Pen Ink"><U><B><IMG SRC="00d0d1d0.gif" border=0 width="13" height="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="27"></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></B></div> <div> <A HREF="id21.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" 11 x 14 Pen Ink"><U><B>Return to 11" x 14" pen and ink page</B></U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=420 BGCOLOR="#FFFBF0" TEXT="#080000"> <div>   <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" >  </FONT>           </div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>The Biloxi Lighthouse has an interesting direct lineage to Baltimore, Maryland.  It was constructed of iron in sections in Baltimore by the firm of Murray and Hazelhurst, well known builders of iron railroad bridges and a wide range of railroad, marine, and steam equipment.  The completed iron sections of the lighthouse were transported to Mississippi aboard the brig </B><B>General North</B><B>.   The iron sections constituted the primary exterior structure which formed an outer shell or sheath which was then lined with locally made brick.  The 48 foot tower is one of the few of its type remaining on the gulf of Mexico on the Gulf of Mexico.  Construction was completed in 1848.  It was illuminated by a fourth order Fresnel lens visible at a distance of 13 nautical miles.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>The original site of the light was a sand bluff.  Neglect during the Civil War years and the subsequent failure of a retaining wall in 1867 caused the tower to lean two feet off center. In danger of toppling into the Mississippi Sound, the tower was righted by excavating under the North side.  Also, because of the constant exposure to salt and moisture, rust was becoming a serious problem for the exposed iron and to prevent this the tower was given a protective temporary coating of black coal tar.  This subsequently gave rise to a popular myth (probably started by Yankee carpetbaggers) that the community had painted the structure black because of the death of Lincoln. The lighthouse was repainted white when maintenance and repair efforts were completed.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>During most of its existence as an active station, the Biloxi lighthouse was exclusively tended by women keepers beginning with Mary Reynolds in 1854.  Maria Younghans assumed these duties in 1867 and was succeeded her daughter Miranda in 1920. The light was electrified in 1926.  It was deeded to the City of Biloxi by the United States Coast guard in 1968.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>The Biloxi lighthouse is a National Historic landmark, a Mississippi State Landmark, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.</B></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>