The Cape Florida Lighthouse was built in December 1825 to alert ships sailing near the dangerous reefs of the Florida Keys. Its history was marked by perseverance through hardship, as the lighthouse and its keepers endured harsh weather, an 1836 Seminole attack, and Confederate sabotage during the Civil War. Lighthouse keepers lived difficult and solitary lives, climbing to the top to fill lamps, adjust wicks, clean windows, and man the watch room. In 1853, a Second Order Fresnel Lens was added to spread light farther and improve visibility. Deactivated in 1878, the lighthouse then endured years of neglect before the State of Florida purchased the site in 1966.