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Outdoors: Refuge Friends Walk Planned for May 4
May 3rd, 2009

Outdoors: Red Knots Return to Florida
May 2nd, 2009

Outdoors: Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge Open House Saturday
March 5th, 2009

Outdoors: FWC Plans Two Library Presentations
February 25th, 2009

Outdoors: FWC Announces January Programs
January 10th, 2009

Outdoors: Nature Walks in the Wild
November 28th, 2008

Outdoors: October Tides
October 2nd, 2008

Outdoors: Birding Event This Weekend
October 1st, 2008

Outdoors: "Kids With Cameras" Daycamp Planned
July 7th, 2008

Outdoors: Seahorse Key and Lighthouse Open Saturday
July 1st, 2008

Outdoors: Kids` Fishing and Tortoises Highlighted Saturday
April 14th, 2008

Outdoors: Celebrate Florida Archaeology Month
March 10th, 2008

Outdoors: Cedar Key Star Party
February 4th, 2008

Outdoors: Celebrate Greenways
October 25th, 2007

Outdoors: Swallowtail Kites Topic of FAVOR Speaker
March 12th, 2007

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Lighthouse Open House Announced

Lighthouse Open House Announced

ANNOUNCEMENT

Celebrate Florida Heritage at the Cedar Keys Light Station on Seahorse Key - Saturday, July 15


The historic lighthouse on Seahorse Key opens its doors to the public Saturday July 15, from 8:30 A.M. - 4:00 P.M. You're invited to join the Refuge Manager and Ranger for a day of Florida heritage.

The lighthouse and Seahorse Key are normally closed to the public in order to protect the bird rookery and allow study by the university students. This will be the last summer opening of the lighthouse; the fall Openhouse will remain every year, on the third weekend of October.


Visitors will enjoy touring the lighthouse, viewing the refuge island and the Gulf from the lighthouse tower. A boat is needed to reach this offshore island; visitors may use their own boat or contact commercial boat rentals and group tours that leave from Cedar Key City Marina.


The lighthouse was originally built in 1854 to assist with navigation into the busy port of Cedar Key. Later, it was used as a detention center for captives during the Second Seminole War, then as a prison during the Civil War. The light was decommissioned in 1915. Seahorse Key and the lighthouse, became part of the Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuge in the 1930`s. Beginning in 1952, the lighthouse was leased to the University of Florida as a marine laboratory for use in research and education, and still serves that purpose today.


Bring your camera and step onto one of Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuge premier holdings. Shots from the tower in the morning are spectacular: railroad vine covers the beach and wading birds seem to pose for the camera. You don't want to miss this opportunity.

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