CARRABELLE, Fla. (WTXL) — It’s a hidden gem buried inside Florida’s Forgotten Coast.
“It is 103 feet tall. It has 138 stairs. It’s one of a number of lighthouses that has an exoskeleton which is a structural framework,“ said Steve Allen, the President of the Carrabelle Lighthouse Association.
Allen has been with the organization for six years. The Crooked River Lighthouse has been a fixture along U.S. Highway 98 in Franklin County for more than a century. It once guided sailors. Now, it’s a museum filled with stories.
It even has the original lens of the Crooked River Lighthouse built in Paris. A beacon you can’t find anywhere else in the world.
“Our lens is we believe one of a kind. It actually doesn’t exist in terms of its lineation type. It’s different from the two main categories of lenses which are the group lens and bivalve lens.”
And if you are brave enough to climb the stairs, this lighthouse has a view like no other.
“You have the whole view of Carabelle, the Gulf Coast and far beyond. And you can see Dog Island, St. George Island. It’s just a beautiful setting,” Eva Gombas, the gift shop attendant said.
The museum is asking for volunteers. People to help keep the property clean for visitors…or to help with some of the annual events.
“We are starting a garden for the country market so we could sell farm to table.”
The Crooked River Lighthouse is open Wednesday through Sunday.
You can find out more information about how to volunteer with the Carrabelle Lighthouse Association as well as upcoming events by clicking here.
