The lighthouses system of Puerto Rico consists of lighthouses that were built mostly during the last twenty years of the nineteenth century. These served as guides to important marine routes. In 1869 the

Spanish government gl, Goberno de España eu, Espainiako Gobernua , image = , caption = Logo of the Government of Spain , headerstyle = background-color: #efefef , label1 = Role , data1 = Executive power , label2 = Established , da ...

approved the first plan for

Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...

in order to serve the ships that sail through its waters. The lighthouses are located in prominent and isolated areas with good visibility towards the sea. The classification system of the lighthouses of Puerto Rico was based on the characteristics of the lens, and the structure. The lights of the first and second order have a wider light to warn ships of the proximity to land, followed by the minor lights, whose scope was limited to smaller harbors and bays and to connect the primary lights in the system. In 1898, the United States acquired the lighthouses of Puerto Rico as a result of the

Spanish–American War , partof = the Philippine Revolution, the decolonization of the Americas, and the Cuban War of Independence , image = Collage infobox for Spanish-American War.jpg , image_size = 300px , caption = (clock ...

. In 1900, the

United States Lighthouse Board The United States Lighthouse Board was the second agency of the U.S. federal government, under the Department of Treasury, responsible for the construction and maintenance of all lighthouses and navigation aids in the United States, between 1852 ...

acquired responsibility for the aids to navigation. The lights are maintained by the Coast Guard since 1939. In 1981, the lighthouses of Puerto Rico were listed in the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

. In 2000, they were included by the Puerto Rican government in the National Register of Historic Properties of Puerto Rico. The Coast Guard has been transferring responsibility of the lighthouses to local government and conservation organizations. Some of the lighthouses have been fully restored and are open to the public. In 2001, under the

National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act The National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act of 2000 (NHLPA; Public Law 106-355; 16 U.S.C. 470w-7) is American legislation creating a process for the transfer of federally owned lighthouses into private hands. It was created as an extension o ...

Cape San Juan Light Cape San Juan Light (''Faro de Las Cabezas de San Juan'') 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 Ma ...

became the first lighthouse to be transferred to a non-governmental organization in Puerto Rico. Cabo Rojo lighthouse

List of lighthouses in Puerto Rico

The following is a list of lighthouses in Puerto Rico:

References

External links

Inventory of Historic Light Stations: Puerto Rico Lighthouses
United States National Park Service Maritime Heritage Program * Presidential Proclamation annexing lighthouses, 30 June 1903. * {{DEFAULTSORT:List Of Lighthouses In Puerto Rico *

Lighthouses A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of physical structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses and to serve as a beacon for navigational aid, for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways. Lighthouses mark ...

List of lighthouses in Puerto Rico

See also

References

External links