Sombrero Key Lighthouse is a tall skeletal iron tower standing directly on the reef several miles south of Marathon. Its red framework once supported a keeper’s dwelling and a first-order Fresnel lens high above one of the busiest passages through the Florida Keys.
The Lighthouse Board replaced an inadequate lightship at Sombrero Key with a permanent tower designed by George Meade. Completed and first lighted in 1858, the station carried a first-order Fresnel lens and housed keepers above the sea. Hurricanes repeatedly damaged ladders, platforms, and boats, making service hazardous. The lighthouse was electrified in 1938 and automated in 1960, ending the era of resident keepers. The Fresnel lens was removed in 1982 and is now displayed at Key West Lighthouse. The historic light was deactivated in 2015 when a nearby modern aid took over.
Distant views are possible from Sombrero Beach and near the eastern end of Seven Mile Bridge. The best views come by boat or plane, and local snorkeling operators visit the surrounding marine sanctuary. The lighthouse is closed and cannot be climbed.
Sombrero Key Lighthouse is privately owned and no longer serves as the official aid to navigation. A separate automated light marks the reef. The historic tower remains closed, with access limited to viewing from the surrounding water.
