Historic_American_Buildings_Survey.pdf

This document is a Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) architectural drawing set for the Tortugas Harbor Light located at Fort Jefferson in the Florida Keys.

The Tortugas Harbor Lighthouse was constructed of boiler-plate iron in February-April 1876 as an aid to navigation for local harbor traffic. The structure comprises four tiers of precise iron construction, with a hexagonal main tower, cylindrical Watch Room and Lantern Room positioned above, topped with a range of 43 miles. The lighthouse stands approximately 157 feet above ground level, with boiler-plate iron measuring 3/8 inches thick and reinforced by a framework of channels and T-irons. Key architectural features include the circular Lantern Room at the top containing the fourth-order lens manufactured by Augustin Michel Henry-LePaute of Paris for the 1825 lighthouse; the Watch Room with its double-door access; arched windows; and a spiral staircase accessing three interior tiers. The structure was automated in 1912, eliminating the need for on-site light keepers. The lighthouse was transferred to the National Park Service in 1992 and currently remains under NPS stewardship at Fort Jefferson National Monument. Documentation was undertaken by the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) in 2016, with drawings prepared by Ryan Pierce and Daniel De Sousa under the direction of Catherine C. Lavoie and Paul Dolinsky, with field recording and measured drawings executed by Paul Davidson and Daniel De Sousa.

The architectural drawing set includes detailed floor plans for the first, second, and third floors; multiple elevation views (East, West, North, and South); a terreplein plan; a section view; a location map within Fort Jefferson; and comprehensive structural details at scales ranging from 1/32" to 1/4".