Sanibel Island’s Historic Lighthouse Lit For The First Time Since Hurricane Ian

Sanibel Mayor Holly Smith called the relit lighthouse a “beacon of hope” and a symbol of the tiny island’s resilience.

Five months after Hurricane Ian battered Florida’s southwest coast, a beloved beacon shines again.

Sanibel Island officials and residents gathered Tuesday morning to see the Sanibel Island Lighthouse lit for the first time since it was nearly toppled by the category 4 storm.

Despite rumors that the lighthouse was "washed away" by Hurricane Ian’s 150 mph winds and 8-to-15-foot storm surge, the 139-year-old structure remained standing. It did lose one of its legs, however, and the nearby keepers' house was leveled. The News-Press reports that a temporary leg is being used to keep the aging structure aloft until a permanent fix can be made.

The "Sanibel Island Light," otherwise known as the "Sanibel Lighthouse" is located on the eastern end of the 12-mile long island. One of the Gulf Coast's first lighthouses, the iron structure became fully automated in 1949. The Coast Guard gifted the 98-foot lighthouse to the City of Sanibel in 2004 and it was restored in 2013.

Speaking with WBBH-TV, Sanibel Mayor Holly Smith called the relit lighthouse a “beacon of hope” and a symbol of the tiny island’s resilience.

“It’s our next chapter, It is our chapter of hope,” Smith said

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