Eldred Rock Lighthouse – Alaska - Atlas Obscura
Places near me Random place

Eldred Rock Lighthouse

Alaska

The oldest original lighthouse in Alaska that was born out of a tragic shipwreck.  

View all photos
Eldred Rock Lighthouse from an Alaska State Ferry. Pandoras Guard (Atlas Obscura User)
Eldred Rock Lighthouse from an Alaska State Ferry. Pandoras Guard (Atlas Obscura User)
Boathouse. The rail tracks next to it were for ferrying supplies and boats to and from the shore line Pandoras Guard (Atlas Obscura User)
rail line going down to the water. Pandoras Guard (Atlas Obscura User)
Supports for diesel fuel tanks. Tanks are long gone. Pandoras Guard (Atlas Obscura User)
Another view of the boathouse and adjacent helicopter landing area (used for emergencies or maintenance purposes) Pandoras Guard (Atlas Obscura User)
Main Lighthouse. wooden structure next to it is for drinking water storage when the keepers were still here. Pandoras Guard (Atlas Obscura User)
Eldred Rock Lighthouse Pandoras Guard (Atlas Obscura User)
The original signs on the lighthouse. Pandoras Guard (Atlas Obscura User)
62
173
Top Places in Alaska
Miller Comb Museum
Homer, Alaska
Tiny Church
Soldotna, Alaska
Totem Bight State Historical Park
Ketchikan, Alaska
 See All
This entry is a stub
Help improve Atlas Obscura by expanding Eldred Rock Lighthouse with additional information or photos.

Eldred Rock Lighthouse, located in the middle of the remote Lynn Canal in the Alaskan Panhandle has a very storied, and in some cases, tragic history.

This lighthouse along with nine others were commissioned after a series of deadly shipwrecks in the vicinity. The most notorious of these was the wreck of the Clara Nevada steamship, which ran aground on Eldred Rock in February of 1898. The vessel burst into flames and sank, claiming as many as 75 lives. It’s also believed that hundreds of pounds of gold were lost in the disaster. The gold has never been recovered.

The lights cut on in the lighthouse around 1906 and its been in operation since. It’s the only lighthouse from the original ten that still remains standing. Sporting an octagonal frame, the lighthouse was constructed using concrete and large timbers. Eldred Rock Lighthouse was much larger than the other lighthouses, which may account for its longevity.

Manned until 1973, there were several other tragedies at the rock. In 1910, two assistant keepers were on there way back to the island but were lost to the canal. The Eldred Rock Lighthouse and surrounding structures are all listed on the National Registry of Historic Places.

Know Before You Go

There are no tours of the lighthouse, and there is no dock or facilities on the island. Most people will only get to see the lighthouse from the deck of a passing cruise ship, ferry, or personal boat. The original Fresnel lens for the lighthouse is on display at the Sheldon Museum in Haines, AK.

lighthouses
Nearby
Hammer Museum
19.88 miles
Skagway Centennial Statue
33.50 miles
White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad
33.51 miles
Want to see fewer ads? Become a Member.
Near This Place
Haines, Alaska

Hammer Museum

A museum devoted entirely to hammers has more than 1,400 items on display dating back to the Romans.
Skagway Centennial statue with the train in the background.
Skagway, Alaska

Skagway Centennial Statue

A monument commemorating the role of Alaska's native Tlingit guides in the Klondike Gold Rush.
The White Pass Railroad and Yukon Railroad
Skagway, Alaska

White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad

A historic freight system that found the true gold rush is in tourism.
The Madam's chamber.
Skagway, Alaska

Red Onion Saloon

Originally a brothel during the Klondike Gold Rush, this bar once used dolls to denote when ladies were working.
Related Places
Thunder Bay, Ontario

Porphyry Point Lighthouse

Live your lighthouse keeper dreams at this unique lodging on a Canadian island.
Phippsburg, Maine

Seguin Island Light Station

George Washington commissioned this centuries-old lighthouse off the coast of Maine.
Monhegan, Maine

Monhegan Museum of Art & History

This remote museum highlights the island’s impressive creative legacy.
Auckland, New Zealand

'The Lighthouse: Tū Whenua-a-Kura'

A neon-illuminated statue of James Cook at the edge of a historical Auckland wharf makes for an unexpected discovery.
Appears in 1 List
List

18 of the World's Loneliest Lighthouses

On remote islands and isolate peninsulas, these beacons stand apart.
Jonathan Carey April 26, 2024
In partnership with KAYAK

Plan Your Trip

From Around the Web