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Middle Bay Lighthouse: A Beacon in Mobile Bay

Discover Alabama's maritime history at the Middle Bay Lighthouse, a unique 19th-century screw-pile lighthouse in the heart of Mobile Bay.

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The Middle Bay Lighthouse, a hexagonal cottage-style screw-pile lighthouse, has stood in the center of Mobile Bay since 1885. A testament to 19th-century engineering, it's a unique and historic landmark accessible only by boat.

A brief summary to Middle Bay Lighthouse

Local tips

  • The best views are from the water; consider a boat tour or fishing charter for an up-close experience.
  • Bring your camera for stunning photo opportunities, especially at sunrise and sunset.
  • Combine your visit with a trip to Mobile to explore other historical and cultural attractions.
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Getting There

  • Boat

    The Middle Bay Lighthouse is only accessible by boat. Several boat tour operators and fishing charters depart from various points along the Mobile Bay coastline, including Mobile and Fairhope. These tours typically range from $30 to $100 per person, depending on the duration and inclusions. Check departure locations and schedules in advance, as they may vary seasonally. Some tours focus specifically on the lighthouse, while others include it as part of a broader bay tour. Blakeley State Park also offers seasonal cruises to the lighthouse. Charter tours are available for a minimum of $800.

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Discover more about Middle Bay Lighthouse

Middle Bay Lighthouse, also known as Mobile Bay Lighthouse, is a historic beacon located in the center of Mobile Bay, Alabama. Constructed in 1885, it stands as one of the few remaining screw-pile lighthouses in the United States. This unique structure, resembling a hexagonal house on stilts, replaced a lightship that previously marked the bay's treacherous shoals. In the early 1880s, a 17-foot channel was dredged to allow larger vessels to reach the Port of Mobile. The lighthouse was deemed necessary to mark the channel and was placed at the bend of this channel. Its location in the middle of the bay led to its nickname. The lighthouse was prefabricated in the North and shipped to Mobile Point in 1885 due to high labor costs in the post-Civil War South. The structure is built on screw piles, which are screwed directly into the seafloor. This design was commonly used in bays and estuaries with soft, muddy bottoms. The lighthouse originally used a fourth-order Fresnel lens, which cast a white light that flashed red every 30 seconds. A bell sounded every five seconds during foggy conditions. The lighthouse was automated in 1935, eliminating the need for a lighthouse keeper. It was deactivated in 1967, but local protests saved it from demolition. The Mobile Bar Pilots Association argued that the lighthouse was more readily picked up on ships' radars than small, modern buoys. The lighthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. Since then, it has undergone several repairs and renovations, including a major restoration in 2002. Today, the lighthouse is a popular tourist attraction, offering a glimpse into Alabama's maritime past. It also houses a real-time weather station for the Dauphin Island Sea Lab. While the lighthouse is not open for interior tours, it can be viewed by boat. Boat tours and fishing charters offer close-up views of the structure.

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