The first lighthouse in Belize at Half Moon Caye. Also a bit of the history of this lighthouse and other lighthouses in Belize

May 7, 2021

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The first lighthouse in Belize at Half Moon Caye. Also a bit of the history of this lighthouse and other lighthouses in Belize

It was erected at Half Moon Caye in 1820. The picture is drawn by Thomas Pickstock, a Magistrate and somewhat dishonest merchant. There is a street in Belize City named after him.

Here is a partial list of lighthouses in Belize. Lighthouses affixed with dwelling quarters for lighthouse keeper(s) - Hunting Caye, Sand Bore Caye, South West Caye Glovers Reef, Bugles Caye, Maugre Caye, English Caye, to name a few.

Fixed structures without dwelling quarters - Snake Caye, North Glovers Reef, Caye Borkel, Robinson Point, Colson Point, Sittee Point etc.

Also Belize City Fort, Turneffe, the Baron Bliss Lighthouse.

The old lighthouse before it fell down.

The new lighthouse can be seen behind the old one.

Four photos above courtesy Angela Sosa

The sea is gradually reclaiming what’s left of the structure (we were there in July 2020 and I got a lot of photos) but what’s interesting is that the bricks are still in pretty good shape, all things considered. Robert Cooney

Tropical Storm Matthew toppled this lighthouse in September, Hurricane Richard arrived in October. Gordon Kirkwood

They are the ballast bricks that used to come on the ships importing goods for the British. Those bricks are the same as the bricks used to build St. John's Cathedral. If only some things built today lasted this long after being blasted by weather and salt water for somewhere around 170 years... Angela Sosa

"Norwegian Johnnie" indulging in a typical Englishman-in-the-tropics pose, on the steps of the lighthouse at Half Moon Caye. 7-4-1937. Photo courtesy Henry N. Anderson.

Old Lighthouse Half Moon Caye, built in 1820. Later in 1845 a new lighthouse was built with the brick foundation of the current lighthouse; which was completed in in 1848. Further construction on the lighthouse continued in 1930 with the steel frame depicted in the picture. Photo courtesy Ricardo Negrin.