by Neil E. HurleyFrom the publisher:
Florida's premier Lighthouse historian sets the record straight in this fascinating account of wartime activities at each of the state's 21 Civil War lighthouses. Both sides fought for possession of the towers and their valuable lenses and lamp oil. Through meticulous research, Neil Hurley has uncovered little-known facts about each lighthouse, including the great care taken by Confederate authorities to protect the lighthouses, lenses and oil.
Neil Hurley's interest in Florida lighthouses started in the mid 1980s while he was serving as a Staff Officer for the Seventh Coast Guard s District Aids to Navigation Branch. One of his jobs there included answering the public's questions about lighthouses in Florida. At that time, there wasn't much information available. Much of the information that did exist was inaccurate.
Taking the matter to heart, Neil decided to make Florida lighthouse history his off-duty hobby. What followed were many hours of research in the National Archives, at local libraries and through correspondence with other historians.
Neil is the author of numerous articles and books on the subject. For more than ten years, his Florida Lighthouse Page on the internet has informed people about the history and status of Florida lights. He has been the historian for the Florida Lighthouse Association since it was founded.
