Boca Grande

Boca Grande sits on the grand barrier island Gasparilla. In the early 1800's large amounts of phosphate deposits were found along the Pearl River. They were then mined, placed on barges, and shipped down river to Port Boca Grande, located along Charlotte Harbor. The phosphate was then loaded and shipped to other locations for processing. This greatly increased the shipping traffic in and out of the Charlotte Harbor. In effort to protect the shipping trade, in 1890 Congress approved for a lighthouse to be built on the southern tip of Gasparilla Island to mark the entrance to Charlotte Harbor.