This 116-foot tall black iron lighthouse, built in 1872 by the federal government, is one of the few remaining lighthouses from the 19th century on the Gulf Coast and one of only two iron lighthouses in Texas. It was officially retired in 1933 after 61 years of service. The lamps and Fresnel lenses have been reassembled and are a key artifact in the “On the Water” exhibit displayed at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C.