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All the United States Alaska Eldred Rock Lighthouse

Eldred Rock Lighthouse

The oldest original lighthouse in Alaska that was born out of a tragic shipwreck.

Alaska

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Pandoras Guard
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Eldred Rock Lighthouse from an Alaska State Ferry.   Pandoras Guard / Atlas Obscura User
Eldred Rock Lighthouse from an Alaska State Ferry.   Pandoras Guard / Atlas Obscura User
Boathouse. The rail tracks next to it were for ferrying supplies and boats to and from the shore line   Pandoras Guard / Atlas Obscura User
Supports for diesel fuel tanks. Tanks are long gone.   Pandoras Guard / Atlas Obscura User
Another view of the boathouse and adjacent helicopter landing area (used for emergencies or maintenance purposes)   Pandoras Guard / Atlas Obscura User
Eldred Rock Lighthouse   Pandoras Guard / Atlas Obscura User
The original signs on the lighthouse.   Pandoras Guard / Atlas Obscura User
Eldred Rock   Pandoras Guard / Atlas Obscura User
Maintenance shed   Pandoras Guard / Atlas Obscura User
Main Lighthouse. wooden structure next to it is for drinking water storage when the keepers were still here.   Pandoras Guard / Atlas Obscura User
rail line going down to the water.   Pandoras Guard / Atlas Obscura User
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About

Eldred Rock Lighthouse, located in the middle of the remote Lynn Canal in the Alaskan Panhandle has a very storied, and in some cases, tragic history.

This lighthouse along with nine others were commissioned after a series of deadly shipwrecks in the vicinity. The most notorious of these was the wreck of the Clara Nevada steamship, which ran aground on Eldred Rock in February of 1898. The vessel burst into flames and sank, claiming as many as 75 lives. It's also believed that hundreds of pounds of gold were lost in the disaster. The gold has never been recovered.

The lights cut on in the lighthouse around 1906 and its been in operation since. It's the only lighthouse from the original ten that still remains standing. Sporting an octagonal frame, the lighthouse was constructed using concrete and large timbers. Eldred Rock Lighthouse was much larger than the other lighthouses, which may account for its longevity.

Manned until 1973, there were several other tragedies at the rock. In 1910, two assistant keepers were on there way back to the island but were lost to the canal. The Eldred Rock Lighthouse and surrounding structures are all listed on the National Registry of Historic Places.

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Lighthouses

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There are no tours of the lighthouse, and there is no dock or facilities on the island. Most people will only get to see the lighthouse from the deck of a passing cruise ship, ferry, or personal boat. The original Fresnel lens for the lighthouse is on display at the Sheldon Museum in Haines, AK.

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Pandoras Guard

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October 10, 2019

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  • https://www.lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=828
  • https://www.sheldonmuseum.org/vignettes/eldred-rock-lighthouse
Eldred Rock Lighthouse
Alaska
United States
58.970911, -135.220586

Nearby Places

Hammer Museum

Haines, Alaska

miles away

Skagway Centennial Statue

Skagway, Alaska

miles away

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Skagway, Alaska

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Alaska

Alaska

United States

Places 102
Stories 45

Nearby Places

Hammer Museum

Haines, Alaska

miles away

Skagway Centennial Statue

Skagway, Alaska

miles away

Kirmse’s Billboard

Skagway, Alaska

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Alaska

Alaska

United States

Places 102
Stories 45

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