Cape San Juan Light
Encyclopedia
Cape San Juan Light is a historic lighthouse
located on the northeastern part of the highest point of Cape San Juan in Fajardo, Puerto Rico
. The lighthouse was constructed in 1880 and was officially lit on May 2, 1882. The original illuminating apparatus, not changed until after 1898, had an 18 miles (29 km) range and displayed a fixed white light which every three minutes flashed red.
The lighthouse owned by the Puerto Rico Conservation Trust is part of the Las Cabezas de San Juan natural reserve. The 316 acres (1.3 km²) reserve includes a bioluminescence
bay, rare flora and fauna, various trails and boardwalks, and scientific research center. Despite its small size, the reserve shelters seven different ecological systems, including beaches, lagoons, dry forest, coral reefs and mangroves.
In 1898, the lighthouse played a major role in the Battle of Fajardo during the Puerto Rican Campaign
of the Spanish-American War
. The lighthouse was listed in the National Register of Historic Places
by the United States government on October 22, 1981.
In 2001, under the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act
, it became the first lighthouse to be transferred to a non-governmental organization in Puerto Rico.
Lighthouse
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses or, in older times, from a fire, and used as an aid to navigation for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways....
located on the northeastern part of the highest point of Cape San Juan in Fajardo, Puerto Rico
Fajardo, Puerto Rico
Fajardo is a small city in Puerto Rico located in the east region of the island, bordering the Atlantic Ocean, north of Ceiba and east of Luquillo.Fajardo is spread over 7 wards and Downtown Fajardo , which serves as the administrative center of the city...
. The lighthouse was constructed in 1880 and was officially lit on May 2, 1882. The original illuminating apparatus, not changed until after 1898, had an 18 miles (29 km) range and displayed a fixed white light which every three minutes flashed red.
The lighthouse owned by the Puerto Rico Conservation Trust is part of the Las Cabezas de San Juan natural reserve. The 316 acres (1.3 km²) reserve includes a bioluminescence
Bioluminescence
Bioluminescence is the production and emission of light by a living organism. Its name is a hybrid word, originating from the Greek bios for "living" and the Latin lumen "light". Bioluminescence is a naturally occurring form of chemiluminescence where energy is released by a chemical reaction in...
bay, rare flora and fauna, various trails and boardwalks, and scientific research center. Despite its small size, the reserve shelters seven different ecological systems, including beaches, lagoons, dry forest, coral reefs and mangroves.
In 1898, the lighthouse played a major role in the Battle of Fajardo during the Puerto Rican Campaign
Puerto Rican Campaign
The Puerto Rican Campaign was an American military sea and land operation on the island of Puerto Rico during the Spanish–American War. The offensive began on May 12, 1898, when the United States Navy attacked the archipelago’s capital, San Juan. Though the damage inflicted on the city was minimal,...
of the Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
. The lighthouse was listed in the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
by the United States government on October 22, 1981.
In 2001, under the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act
National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act
The National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act of 2000 is American legislation creating a process for the transfer of federally-owned lighthouses into private hands...
, it became the first lighthouse to be transferred to a non-governmental organization in Puerto Rico.