Welcome to the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse

Light List Position: 28-27-37.256N, 080-32-36.422W

As the year’s twilight rapidly approaches, I pause with a metaphorical sextant in hand, check the chronometer and align the stars. It is time to fix our position. I recall an old sailor’s lesson about a sea captain who once radioed the captain of a light in the distance to yield the right of way only to discover he had been calling a lighthouse. Although, Cape Canaveral’s Lighthouse is fixed in position, its “keepers” seem forever on the go.

Indeed, 2019 was a “banner year” for the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse Foundation (CCLF). Most significantly, we completed the first phase of our grounds restoration project, successfully reconstructing the first of three keeper cottages. Soon we will be unlocking the cottage doors to celebrate the grand opening of our long awaited Cape Canaveral Lighthouse Museum and Gift Shop. Our history education program also achieved a participation milestone, surpassing more than 800 fourth-graders from Brevard County Schools since the first field trip took place. Thanks to the collaborative effort of CCLF’s leadership, committees, advisors and sponsors, we have also made headway on improving accessibility to the lighthouse grounds. And our lighthouse tours continue to increase in frequency and attendance. Canaveral Tours has added more lighthouse packages to their tour offerings, and soon the lighthouse will begin welcoming Kennedy Space Center’s visitors supporting their new “Cape Canaveral’s Rise to Space” tour on Tuesday afternoons.

Thanks to the tireless enthusiasm of our amazing volunteers and docents, CCLF hosted a variety of events this year including our “Night Under the Stars” fundraising dinner at the lighthouse; a membership appreciation event at Coast Guard Station Port Canaveral; a fundraising reception at the American Muscle Car Museum in Melbourne; and celebrated Descendant’s Day with a luncheon at the lighthouse which included a preview of the Keeper’s Cottage. Oh, and did I mention we just hosted over 1,000 runners, walkers and supporters to our Second Annual Cape Canaveral Lighthouse Foundation Half Marathon and 10K “Run to the Lighthouse.”

And so, to all our sponsors, keepers, volunteers, docents, committees, advisors and leadership who helped make this one fantastic year, I thank you and look forward to seeing you next year at the lighthouse.

Wishing you and yours, a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Jim

The latest edition of the Canaveral Beacon is available now. It includes pictures and an article about 2nd Annual Cape Canaveral Lighthouse Half-Marathon & 10K “Run to the Lighthouse” held on Veteran’s Day weekend.

In the Community Outreach section, read about the Lewis Carrol Elementary School’s fourth-grade class field trip to Cape Canaveral Lighthouse and the 45th Space Wing. You can also read about the Foundation’s first convoy tour of the Lighthouse.

This month’s Volunteer Spotlight features Nancy and Ric Garwood. Meet them and read about their lighthouse experience in the December newsletter.

On December 19, we will celebrate the grand opening of the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse Museum. Check the Upcoming Events section for details.

Don’t forget to check out the exciting new tour opportunities on the Lighthouse Tours page and at Canaveral Lighthouse Tours. You will see first hand the Keepers’ Cottage Museum and Gift Shop.

You and your family can be part of the lighthouse restoration. Order your engraved brick and join in the history of the lighthouse. You can use the form in the newsletter to order your brick using traditional mail, or go to the Keepers’ Walkway page and order your brick online.

Check out some of the upcoming events for the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse Foundation and the Florida Lighthouse Association. For information on upcoming Florida Lighthouse Association events, visit Florida Lighthouse Association.

You can view the newsletter at:

Canaveral Beacon – December 2019

Canaveral Lighthouse Tours is now conducting weekly excursions in small groups to tour the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse and historic spaceflight launch complexes. Tours are offered on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and the 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month.

You can read a little about Shelley and Gerry Parker, owners of Cape Canaveral Tours in this month’s newsletter. The tours are an excellent opportunity to see the progress being made in the Keepers’ Cottage construction.

Plan and book your lighthouse tour today at Canaveral Lighthouse Tours, or call 321-307-2900 to make your reservations.

Are you or your organization interested in being a Cape Canaveral Lighthouse Foundation sponsor? You can find more information on our Lighthouse Foundation Sponsorship page. It includes a sponsorship letter from Foundation President Jim Underwood, and the Annual Sponsorship Form with more details on sponsorship levels.

On October 10th, 2017 the Brevard County Commissioners approved the Tourism Development Council recommendation to fund $500,000.00 for construction of the first Keeper’s Cottage for the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse. Restoration of the Keeper’s Cottages has been a fundamental goal of the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse Foundation since its establishment in 2002.

A Few Words about the Florida Lighthouse Association (FLA)
Bob Merrilees
Former President, Cape Canaveral Lighthouse Foundation

The Florida Lighthouse Association is a nonprofit group of citizen activists dedicated to the preservation of the 30 remaining historic lighthouses that line our state’s 1,350-mile coastline. Once central to the economic growth and settlement of our nation, many of Florida’s lighthouses face uncertain futures. We encourage members of the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse Foundation to support FLA by joining and attending meetings. For details check out the website at www.floridalighthouses.org . FLA grants have helped us toward our goals of restoring our Canaveral Lighthouse community as it once was. Recently FLA awarded us a grant of $6,000 for the rental of a trailer to be placed at the lighthouse to house our gift shop and display our Brick Project. We ask you to show your appreciation by joining FLA today!