Culebrita Lighthouse

Construction of the Culebrita Lighthouse began on September 25, 1882, and it was completed on February 25, 1886. The Spanish Crown built the lighthouse to help secure its claim over the main island of Culebra. It is the most eastern light outside mainland Puerto Rico. It guides navigation through the Virgin Passage and the Vieques Sound connecting in the Puerto Rico Light System with the Cape San Juan Light.

It was one of the oldest operating lighthouses in the Caribbean until 1975 when the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard finally closed the facility. The United States Coast Guard has replaced the lighthouse with a solar powered light beacon.

The Culebrita Lighthouse was registered on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on October 22, 1981. However, no work has been done to maintain the facility. In 1989, Hurricane Hugo caused extensive damage, and the tower was destroyed by Hurricane Marilyn in 1995. The Culebra Foundation, starting in 1994, has tried to attract local and federal attention to save the lighthouse, but they have had little success. The lighthouse is in danger of collapsing.