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“Reopening the Boca Chita lighthouse marks an exciting moment for Biscayne National Park,” said Superintendent Sarah Hopson. “As one of the park’s cherished landmarks, its restoration lets visitors once again climb to the top and enjoy panoramic views of the turquoise waters and Miami skyline. We appreciate everyone involved in preserving this structure and look forward to welcoming the public.”
The park recently completed a series of projects to document, repair and preserve the lighthouse and historic district on Boca Chita Key. Constructed as part of a private retreat by industrialist Mark Honeywell between 1937 and 1945, the island’s buildings and landscape reflect the rapid growth and expansion of the Miami area during that time. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1997, much of the island remains preserved as it was in the 1940s, allowing visitors to experience an isolated paradise from that era.
The restoration work was part of a larger effort to address longstanding deferred maintenance and significant storm damage from Hurricane Irma in 2017 and Hurricane Ian in 2022. Since 2017, the park has completed more than four dozen projects on the island. Work on the lighthouse included the replacement of corroded ironwork including safety railings, repairs to masonry, installation of new windows and doors and lead abatement. Projects throughout the island have improved visitor access and amenities while preserving the historic character of the site.
“Boca Chita Key is not only a popular visitor site but an important educational tool for the park, and the recent projects there highlight the importance of historic preservation work in our parks,” said Josh Marano, park archeologist and cultural resource manager.
As a designated historic site, the Boca Chita Key Historic District requires consistent maintenance and care to ensure its preservation. All repairs to historic structures and maintenance of the historic landscape comply with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties. This work highlights the success of strategic documentation, planning and follow-through to execution to ensure these resources are protected for future generations.
Local park staff were responsible for some repairs and upgrades. Other repairs relied on specialists from across the National Park Service, including the Heritage Documentation Program, the Historic Preservation Training Center and the Southeast Regional Office, as well as the private sector.
For more information on Boca Chita Key, please visit the Boca Chita Key page.
For information regarding tours of the island, please visit the Biscayne National Park Institute.
nps.gov
About Biscayne National Park. Within sight of downtown Miami, Biscayne National Park protects a rare combination of subtropical islands, mangrove shoreline, biodiverse coral reefs, and 10,000 years of human history. The park is 95% water and encompasses the northernmost Florida Keys. Most of the park is only accessible by boat. Home to a vast array of species, visitors to Biscayne might encounter sea turtles, dolphins, sharks, stingrays and the West Indian manatee. To learn more please visit https://www.nps.gov/bisc/index.htm. For regular updates from the park follow us on https://www.facebook.com/BiscayneNPS and https://www.instagram.com/biscaynenps/ .
Last updated: June 25, 2026