Egmont Key Light, at the entrance to Tampa Bay, began with a lighthouse built in 1848 as the only light on Florida’s Gulf coast between Key West and St. Marks. Hurricanes and erosion quickly damaged that first tower, so the station was rebuilt farther inland and returned to service in 1858, creating the oldest structure in the Tampa Bay area still serving its original purpose. During the Civil War its lens was removed by Confederates and restored afterward. The lighthouse’s story is bound to Egmont Key’s long strategic use, from Seminole captivity and Civil War operations to Fort Dade, later military service, automation in 1990, and ongoing erosion threats.