Aransas Pass Light Station (Lydia Ann Lighthouse)

Nov. 13, 2019
PRINT | E-MAIL

Aransas Pass Light Station (Lydia Ann Lighthouse), Aransas Pass, near Corpus Christi, Texas

ARANSAS (PORT ARANSAS) PASS LIGHT

Location: EASTERLY EDGE OF HARBOR ISLAND
Station Established: 1855
Year First Lit: 1857
Operational: Yes, as a private aid
Automated: N/A
Deactivated: 1952
Tower Shape/Markings/Pattern: Brown, octagonal, pyramidal tower made of brick; lantern, black; two dwellings near (as of 1903).
Height: 65'
Original Lens: FOURTH ORDER
Characteristic: Fixed white
Fog Horn: None

Historical Information:

  • Construction of the station began in 1855.
  • Originally a Fixed fourth order, 55 feet above the base and 60 feet above sea level.  Brown brick tower, octagonal.
  • Lens removed and station secured in 1861.
  • On the orders of Confederate General John Bankhead Magruder Confederate forces attempted to blow up the lighthouse in December, 1862.  They were apparently not completely successful as there are other attempts the following year.  Sometime during 1863 they succeeded in shooting "the circular iron stairway through the lantern, severely damaging the brickwork" after detonating two kegs of black powder.
  • A Federal survey party sent to the site in 1866 noted that the "old lantern has diagonal frames and was much injured by the attempt made by rebels to blow up the tower with gun powder. Much of the brick work of the tower is shattered by the explosions and the cast iron steps almost wholly destroyed."
  • Tower was rebuilt in 1867 and was first relit on 15 June 1867.
  • On 4 June 1952 the Coast Guard ordered the disestablishment of the light station.
  • A new lighted aid was established at and the radio-beacon moved to the nearby Coast Guard Station Port Aransas.  The new light was an 85 foot steel skeleton tower.
  • Original station site now a private aid to navigation named Lydia Ann Channel Light.

LYDIA ANN LIGHT (FORMERLY ARANSAS PASS)

Location: HARBOR ISLAND/NW OF ARANSAS PASS
Station Established: 1855
Year Current Tower(s) First Lit: 1857
Operational: Private aid to navigation
Automated? NO
Deactivated: 1952
Foundation Materials: TIMBER PILING
Construction Materials: RED BRICK
Tower Shape: OCTAGONAL
Markings/Pattern: NATURAL W/BLACK LANTERN
Relationship to Other Structure: SEPARATE
Original Lens: FOURTH ORDER, FRESNEL 1857
Land Asset Lighthouse