We are staying in Pensacola to enable us to catch up with my stepson, Chris, who is attending Navy school.

Being busy, Chris has not had any opportunity to check out the town and so we headed out to visit the Pensacola Lighthouse.

In 1858, this lighthouse was built on the North side of the Pensacola bay entrance. The tower stands 150 feet (46 m) tall and also sits on a 40-foot (12 m) bluff on the Pensacola Naval Air Station, placing the light some 190 feet (58 m) above sea level.

At the start of the Civil War, Pensacola was controlled by Confederate forces who removed the lens from the lighthouse and requisitioned most of the lighthouse supplies for the war effort. An artillery duel between Confederate and Union forces damaged the lighthouse tower in 1861.

Once Pensacola was back in Union hands, a new lens was placed in the tower and once again it was able to function to keep mariners safe. The upper two-thirds of the tower were painted black to enhance the brightness of the light at night.

Electricity was introduced to the lighthouse in 1939, eliminating the need to rewind the light rotation clockworks every 4.5 hours. The light was automated in 1965.

From Left: Chris & Mike Krywanio. There are 177 steps to the top and it is so worth the climb for the magnificent views. Today, the light flashes white every minute and can be seen 27 miles out to sea!