Hillsboro Inlet Light was built on the north side of Hillsboro Inlet to mark the northern end of the Florida Reef and guide both coastal shipping and later heavy boat traffic. Long sought after nearby hazards were identified in 1855, the lighthouse was authorized in 1901, funded in 1903, and first lit in 1907. Its 132-foot iron skeleton tower and celebrated second-order Fresnel lens made it one of the world’s most powerful beams. Keepers aided shipwrecks, endured storms and wartime duty, and became part of a small working community. Automated in 1974, the light was preserved and restored after local efforts saved its historic lens in the 1990s.