Perched atop iron pilings at the southern end of Gasparilla Island, Florida is the beautifully restored Port Boca Grande Lighthouse.  This piece of history was almost lost, as by 1970 the sea had whittled hundreds of feet off the end of the island and was lapping at the lighthouse's foundation.  Fortunately, pressure from the islands population prompted the government to take measures which proved successful in regaining much of the eroded island and in saving the lighthouse for future generations.

The origins of the lighthouse go back to the 1880's when phosphate was discovered along the nearby Peace River.  This caused tremendous growth to Port Boca Grande.  In 1888 Congress appropriated $35,000 for the construction of a lighthouse.  The lighthouse would be supported by pilings and would consist of a one-story dwelling with a square tower protruding through the center of the roof.  Atop the tower would be a circular lantern room protecting a Fresnel lens.  The lighthouse was activated in December 1890.  The keeper lived in the house and roughly seventy feet away, a nearly identical dwelling, minus the tower, was built for the assistant keeper,  They lived here until 1951.

In 1966 the lighthouse was abandoned by the Coast Guard as a modern light atop a tower was established further inland.  By 1979 the phosphate industry moved north to Tampa and Port Boca Grande diminished in significance.  The lighthouse buildings quickly deteriorated.

in 1972, the lighthouse and surrounding 13 acres were transferred from the federal government to Lee County, for the establishment of a park on the property.  In 1980 the lighthouse was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.  This helped with fundraising and the building was fully restored in 1985-86 and re-commissioned as an active aid to navigation.

The old lighthouse is thought to have two ghosts.  The young daughter of one of the keepers died in the dwelling.  Guides say she can be heard playing in one of the rooms on the upper floors.  The second ghost is the headless spirit of a Spanish princess.  Legend says that a Spanish pirate buried his treasure in the sand nearby.  He fell in love with a Spanish princess he had kidnapped - but she wasn't interested.  Thus, he drew his sword and cut off her head.  The legend continues that he carried his beloved's head with him for the rest of his days.  So her headless spirit now roams the beach looking for her head.

The Port Boca Grande Lighthouse is open to the public.  The building now functions as a museum and the adjacent assistant keeper's house is now used as a house for the park ranger.