Since Louisiana has long operated as a vital port state, with its network of deep-draft, coastal and inland ports, there are numerous lighthouses located along channels and banks.
Lighthouses are primarily used as navigational aids to guide ships safely through coastal waters, warning of hazards like reefs or rocks and helping vessels enter and exit harbors.
While modern technology like GPS has lessened the need for lighthouses, the towers still serve as a vital backup and visual reference.
Are there lighthouses in Louisiana? Here’s where to find them
Louisiana has approximately 32 lighthouse sites, however, some of these lighthouses have been destroyed and are no longer standing. Approximately eight lighthouses in Louisiana are still standing, remaining relatively sturdy and intact, with the structures serving as historic landmarks, museums or navigational markers.
Sabine Pass Lighthouse
Sabine Pass Lighthouse, also referred to as Sabine Pass Light, is located at Sweet Lake in Cameron, Louisiana. This structure is a historic lighthouse that is part of the Gulf Coast light station on the Louisiana side of the Sabine River, separating South Louisiana from Texas. The lighthouse has stood for the past 170 year, although, it was deactivated in 1952, says Heart of Louisiana.
Tchefuncte River Lighthouse
Tchefuncte River Lighthouse is a historic landmark found along the Tchefuncte River in Madisonville, Louisiana. The lighthouse was established in 1838 and first lit in 1868. The structure has undergone a few restorations, particularly after it was badly damaged during the Civil War and after a number of severe storms. Today, there are still preservation efforts underway to protect the historic structure, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.
New Canal Lighthouse
New Canal Lighthouse is found in New Orleans at the north end of the New Basin Canal on Lake Pontchartrain. The lighthouse was established in 1839 and now operates as the New Canal Lighthouse Museum and Education Center. Here, visitors can learn about the water quality and habitats of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin, PC’s Multiple Lines of Defense Strategy, critical coastal issues and the history of the lighthouse, says Explore Louisiana.
Southwest Reef Lighthouse
Southwest Reef Lighthouse is a historic lighthouse located at the end of Southwest Reef on Atchafalaya Bay in Berwick, Louisiana. Built in 1858 and lit for the first time in 1859, the lighthouse served to guide vessels around the reef and into the main channel of the Atchafalaya River. The structure was decommissioned in 1987 and the light was relocated to Everett S. Barry Lighthouse Park, according to Cajun Coast.
The first rays of dawn silhouette the Biloxi lighthouse against a pastel backdrop of blue and orange in this 2015 file photo.
Port Pontchartrain Lighthouse
Port Pontchartrain Lighthouse, also referred to as Milneburg Lighthouse, is a small lighthouse located on the University of New Orleans campus. The 56-foot-tall lighthouse was built in 1839 and first lit in 1855. The lighthouse was discontinued in 1929 and turned over to the New Orleans Levee Board. From 1939 until 1983, the area surrounding the lighthouse was used as an amusement park and, now, the lighthouse is owned by the University of New Orleans, says the U.S. Coast Guard.
Pass a L’Outre
Pass a L’Outre is a lighthouse located in the Birdfoot Delta of the Mississippi River in Louisiana. The lighthouse was built in 1852, but was later discontinued in 1930 when the river channel silted up and vessels were no longer able to use the pass. The area where the lighthouse still sits is now owned by the State of Louisiana and is part of the Pass A L’Outre Wildlife Management Area, however, the structure continues to sink farther into the mud, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.
Southwest Pass Lighthouse
Southwest Pass Lighthouse is a historic landmark located in Venice, Louisiana at the Southwest Pass entrance of the Mississippi River. The first lighthouse at this site was built in 1832, however, another tower was erected in 1839 after the first lighthouse fell into the river. The structure that currently stands at the site was built in 1962, but the skeletal tower was replaced in 2007, says the U.S. Coast Guard.
South Pass Lighthouse
South Pass Lighthouse, also known as Port Eads Lighthouse South Point Light or Gordon’s Island Light, is located on Gordon’s Island at South Pass in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana. The structure was originally built in 1831, but the structure that currently stands was built in 1881. Stationed at the entrance to South Pass, where water from the Mississippi River mixes with that of the gulf, the lighthouse allowed large vessels to safely access the river, says Lighthouse Friends.
Presley Bo Tyler is a reporter for the Louisiana Deep South Connect Team for Gannett/USA Today. Find her on X @PresleyTyler02 and email at PTyler@Gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Does Louisiana have lighthouses? Where are they located? Find out here
