By CATHERINE DONNELLY
Special to the PRESS
Vehicles parked for blocks and blocks, maybe a half mile deep, lining Queen Isabella Blvd. on Hwy. 100 and the neighborhood surrounding Port Isabel’s Historic Lighthouse Square Friday night, Dec. 9, as it is estimated that well over 1,000 spectators attended the dedication of the Port Isabel Lighthouse’s new replica Third Order Fresnel Lens that was recently installed, replacing the light bulb that had shown from the structure at night.
News outlets from across Texas and even Mexico covered the event.
Texas’ last public lighthouse stands in Port Isabel, and the new lens lets it shine as it was originally intended for the first time since 1905, officials said at the ceremony preceding the lighting. Local dignitaries as well as state officials attended the event and spoke prior to the official lighting which commenced shortly after 7 p.m. that evening.
Historically speaking, when the railroads took over most of the freight transportation, making the lighthouse obsolete, it was decommissioned 117 years ago as a working beacon for ship traffic. Artworks Florida based the lens design on the lighthouse’s original 1852 plans.
In 1846, the U.S. Army built a supply base, Fort Polk, where the lighthouse currently stands. After the Army left the base, the U.S. Treasury took it over in 1850 and built the lighthouse three years later. It helped guide supply-carrying ships through the Brazos Santiago pass, between South Padre Island and Boca Chica Beach, during a time when there was little ambient light to rely on.
“We have to work with the Coast Guard and other agencies in trying to have the new lens be lit and to rotate more frequently,” said Valerie Bates, Port Isabel’s Marketing Director and the Lighthouse site keeper. She added that the City was applying to have it become a private navigation beacon and that there were plans to purchase a battery backup. The City is planning for other improvements around the site like bathroom upgrades and new fencing.
Port Isabel Mayor Martin Cantu Jr. said it was fitting and essential that the community and the state come together to refurbish the lighthouse since it is such a fixture in the community, representing the city’s and area’s economy, work ethic, nautical history and character. “It’s on everything,” he explained, noting that the shining lighthouse is literally an emblem on everything from local entities and business logos to local works of art.
At Friday night’s ceremony, Port Isabel City Manager Jared Hockema spoke on the history of the Lighthouse, saying that after it was decommissioned, it was abandoned. It then changed hands a few times between local and state and entities. The community even rallied around the lighthouse, Hockema explained, adding that locals held fund-raisers to help refurbish the structure.
Enrique Quiroga, a high school teen who attended the event with his family said he was astonished by the deep history of the lighthouse, adding that he really didn’t know or appreciate its rich history. “I guess I always just thought of it (the lighthouse) as something that’s always been there and always will be there. You grow to take it for granted but you realize that it means a lot to this area and that it needs to be looked after and taken care of.”
The City of Port Isabel partnered with The Texas Historical Commission (THC) and the Port Isabel Lighthouse State Historic Site to commemorate the first official lighting of the historic lighthouse in 117 years.
The THC funded and coordinated the reproduction of a Third Order Fresnel Lens fitted into the lantern room at the top of the lighthouse. The new installation offers visitors a glimpse into the working past of the lighthouse and the service it provided to the Gulf Coast.
“The Port Isabel Lighthouse is a major heritage attraction for visitors, offering a glimpse into the past of the community and its maritime history,” said Mark Wolfe, executive director of the THC. “Thanks to the support of the Texas legislature and our statewide leaders, visitors will now see the lighthouse much as it would have appeared more than a century ago.”
Admission fees were waived for the lighthouse and the Keeper’s Cottage on Dec. 9 and 10. The event itself was free to the public. Refreshments and goodie bags were made available after the dedication ceremony.
ABOUT THE LENS
The Fresnel Lens changed the world and saved countless lives – the new technology was a monumental step forward in lighthouse lighting technology and maritime safety. The lens could produce an unlimited number of flashing combinations and intensified the light so it could be seen at greater distances, allowing mariners a greater deal of safety in their navigations near shore.
At the Port Isabel Lighthouse State Historic Site, Dan Spinella and the team at ArtWorks Florida have replicated a functional Fresnel lens, pedestal, and lamp, based on a 19th century plan showing the design of the lens specific to the site.
There are a number of Fresnel lenses operating inside lighthouses, but they are also found inside tons of everyday items including: magnifying glasses, cameras, traffic lights, solar panels, modern VR technology, and many more applications.
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