Ships carried parts of the lighthouse. Workers put it together in Mississippi. The Biloxi Lighthouse was first lit in 1848. It stood through wars and superstorms. More than 175 years later, Biloxi’s light still shines bright.
Most lighthouses are made from brick. The Biloxi Lighthouse is different. Workers built it with metal plates. It is a cast iron lighthouse. The tower stands 64 feet (19 m) tall. Its light goes over the Gulf of Mexico.
Biloxi’s helped ships stay safe. It guided them through the Mississippi Sound. Ships sailed through to New Orleans. Steamboats carried goods into Biloxi’s harbor. That helped the city grow. Over time, the Biloxi Lighthouse kept doing its job.
Hurricanes often hit the Gulf Coast. They cause great damage. Hurricane Katrina was in 2005. The water reached 21 feet (6 m) high. The Biloxi Lighthouse still stood. After, an American flag hung from the tower.
Mississippi once had 11 lighthouses. After Katrina, only the Biloxi Lighthouse was left. It is a of the Gulf Coast. It’s also sign of .
Keepers worked at the Biloxi Lighthouse from 1848 through 1939. They made sure its light stayed on. Maria Younghans became the keeper in 1867. She had that job for 51 years. After that, her daughter Miranda became keeper. Women were keepers for 74 years.
Erin Boris is a lighthouse expert. “Biloxi Lighthouse had female keepers for more years than any other lighthouse in the United States!” she said. Boris believes students should learn that. “It shows how women workers enabled safe travels and ,” she explained.
The Biloxi Lighthouse still works. It blinks on for 3 seconds. Then it goes off for 3 seconds. The lighthouse does that night after night. This helps shine a light on Mississippi’s past — and will do so in the future.
Updated August 4, 2023, 5:01 P.M. (ET)
By Russell Kahn (Russ)
