A Few Of FR's Finest....Every Day....11-26-03....Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse

dansangel

[dansangel]

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day

Free Republic made its debut in September, 1996, and the forum was added in early 1997.   Over 100,000 people have registered for posting privileges on Free Republic, and the forum is read daily by tens of thousands of concerned citizens and patriots from all around the country and the world.

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day was introduced on June 24, 2002. It's only a small room in JimRob's house where we can get to know one another a little better; salute and support our military and our leaders; pray for those in need; and congratulate those deserving. We strive to keep our threads entertaining, fun, and pleasing to look at, and often have guest writers contribute an essay, or a profile of another FReeper.

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~ Billie, dansangel, dutchess, Mama_Bear, Aquamarine ~

From The Loxahatchee River Historical Society, Jupiter, Florida Website:

The Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse is the oldest existing structure in Palm Beach County, FL. It was completed and first lit on July 10, 1860. The lighthouse stands on an ancient Indian shell mound, dated around 700 AD and is 108 feet high with 105 steps from the base to the top.

The light was produced by a first order Fresnel lens made by the Henry-Lepaute Company in Paris. The rotating lens flashes (burst of light when bulls-eye passes viewer's line of vision) is 1.2 seconds, eclipses (darkens) 6.6 seconds, flashes 1.2 seconds, eclipses 21 seconds, and then repeats the cycle. The light can be viewed approximately 20 miles out at sea.

George Gordon Meade, a Lieutenant at the Bureau of Topographical Engineers and later the general who defeated Robert E. Lee at Gettysburg, designed the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse. Work began on the mound in 1853, but slowed when the inlet filled with silt, the Third Seminole War erupted from 1855 to 1858, and Florida's notorious heat, humidity, and insects took their toll on the workmen.

After the light was lit in 1860, a group of Confederate sympathizers, including some of the Lighthouse Keepers, sneaked into the tower and removed enough of the lamp and revolving mechanism to make it unserviceable. Throughout the war, the light remained dark.

After the war, sections of the lens assembly were returned, and the light once again beamed on June 28, 1866. Captain James Armour became the lighthouse keeper and would serve for forty-two years.

During World War II, it was necessary for wartime safety to dim the lighthouse through the use of a low-wattage bulb. Several ships were sunk offshore, and the sad duty of recovering the bodies as they washed ashore fell to the Lighthouse Keepers.

In 1959, the two-story Lighthouse Keeper's dwelling was torn down and new quarters were built. In 1973, the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse was put on the National Register of Historic Places. For a number of years, the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse was painted a "firehouse" red, but during the 1999 restoration, the tower's color was returned to the natural red brick. The work on the tower took 8 months and cost $850,000.

The Loxahatchee River Historical Society administers the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse. The lighthouse is owned and maintained as an active maritime aid to navigation by the U.S. Coast Guard.



Previous Lighthouse Threads on the Finest:

"Lighthouses - Tybee Island, Hunting Island and St. Simons Island"

"The Lighthouse at Old Presque Isle, MI"

"Sapelo Island, GA Lighthouse"

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 11-24-03 Military Monday 11-25-03 Countdown To The Holidays

Opinions by our own 'King of Ping' The guy's good, folks!

Thanks, Mixer!

1) Click on the graphic to open the Calendar.
2) Once there you can click on any month and even click to the right to go into next year. Once you are in the month that you joined FR you will need to click on the number in the calendar and then an add item screen will come up.
3) In the next box enter your name in the "Calendar Text" field and then click on submit.
4) If any of the screens fail to load simply click on refresh in your browser and that will usually fix it.
5) If all else fails or simply if you want me to do this for you send me a FReepmail and I will gladly do it for you. ~Mixer

Click on the photo to view the album. To
submit your photo, please contact dansangel or .45MAN at danbh59@yahoo.com
and include Freeper Photo Album in subject line.

[MEG33]

Lovely post,dansangel.Great picture,mayor.Happy Thanksgiving all!

[dansangel]

I'll be able to listen to the show more than once if I want to. :)

Will definitely check it out!

[dansangel]

Will do, (((((((Dubya)))))))

I pray for our troops daily. We will all add your nephew to the prayer so that he will be remembered on this forum, as well.

A Blessed Thanksgiving to you and your family.

[dansangel]

Thank you sweet ((((((MEG)))))))

Hope you have a Blessed and Happy Thanksgiving!

[dansangel]

(((((((((Temple Owl)))))))))

So good to *see* you again. Please have a Blessed and Happy Thanksgiving!

[MEG33]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

[Pippin]

EEK!!!

I see DEMOCRATS!!!!

Run for your lives!!!

[The Thin Man]

HAPPEE BRRRTHDAY, DUTCHESS!

[Pippin]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ((((DUTCHESS))))!!!!!

[Calpernia]

>>>It has changed a lot over the years.

We are going to take a road trip south as soon as Frankie is *fully* potty trained. So FL is on a planned route.

>>>I *almost* recognize the tune - hint please?

"Light the Fire Again"

[The Thin Man]

Welcome back, hobbit. :)

[Calpernia]

If my children found a dead cat/bird/anything, they are/would be upset. But....an animal eating another animal we view/treat differently.

My daughter did have an immediate, knee jerk, 'oh poor bird'. My husband and I immediately jumped in. That is how the Falcon eats. That is how we eat, yada yada yada...

She did get paste it and took in the treat of seeing a Falcon so close and being part of the experience.

[Pippin]

Hi, (((TTM)))!

[SpookBrat]

Wow. What an interesting history lesson. I'll have to get down that way and see it. I'm forwarding this thread to my mother-in-law because she has a soft spot for lighthouses.

Thanks for your dedication and pretty work here. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.

[dansangel]

(((((((Spookie)))))))

Thank you for the kind words. I miss FL so much I can't stand it. I keep hoping we can find employment there so we can go home.

We're visiting over Christmas - told .45MAN he'll have to drag me back kicking and screaming! :-)

[dansangel]

"Light the Fire Again"

Arrrggghh. I'm still clueless. Who does it?

[Calpernia]

>>>Great pictures of the hawk

Now I'm going to tease you!

Meg, that is a Peregrine Falcon.

The Peregrine Falcon, (Falco Peregrinus), is a medium to large sized falconwith long, tapered, pointed wings. The wingspan can get up to 42". The adult blue, immature dark brown.

Peregrine Falcons hunt by stooping onprey (mostly birds) at high speed... sometimes as fast as **200 mph**. <---COOL!

[Calpernia]

TTM is misspelling??? What is up with that?

Are you feeling ok Officer Spellgood?

[Dubya]

Thank you. We are proud of Kenny and also concerned about his safety.

[Dubya]

Thank you for praying for the troops and Kenny.