The Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse Preservation Association [FL]
The Ponce de Leon Inlet Light Station, built in 1887, is the second tallest masonry lighthouse in the United States and the tallest lighthouse of any kind in Florida. The lighthouse keepers' dwellings and other historic light station buildings now house the lighthouse museum, which features exhibits on lighthouse life, Daytona Beach and Florida history, lighthouse and Fresnel lens restoration, shipwrecks, and the lighthouse keepers and their families. The Ayres Davies Lens Exhibit Building houses one of the largest collections of restored Fresnel lenses in the world, including the rotating first order Fresnel lens from the Cape Canaveral lighthouse and the restored original Ponce Inlet lighthouse first order Fresnel lens. The boat yard houses a local historic charter boat, the Gay Wind.
The association offers a 20minute introductory film, guided tours, selfguided tours, museum exhibits, educational programming, and a picnic site. Local schools can make use of traveling trunks, in-classroom outreach presentations and activities, and/or a traveling exhibit. Reservations are required for group tours, and Volusia County Public School and home school group tours are free of charge. The introductory film can be rented by local teachers for pre-visit preparation. The website offers a virtual tour, a historical summary designed for students, pre and postvisit activities, and additional teacher resources.