26264. Snyder, James D. A LIGHT IN THE WILDERNESS The Story of the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse & the Southeast Florida Frontier. North Palm Beach . 2006. 287p. DJ. Filled with vintage photographs. In his fourth book about South Florida’s rich history, James D. Snyder explores the role of the Jupiter Lighthouse and how it transformed the southeastern coast of Florida . $35,000 was provided by Congress in 1853 for establishing a lighthouse “near Jupiter inlet, to mark the dangerous shoals lying of that point, and to guide vessels along that coast.” With the completion of the lighthouse plans, five hundred tons of building materials were assembled and shipped to the Indian River inlet using shallow draft scows. However, in 1855, just as construction on the tower had started, a group of careless surveyors in the Everglades destroyed the prized banana plants of Chief Billy Bowlegs, touching off the Third Seminole War. Despite these difficulties, and a combination of malaria and yellow fever, brick by brick, the tower slowly rose to its preordained height of 108 feet. A two-story dwelling for a head keeper and two assistants was built near the base of the hill in 1859. After $60, 859.98, almost twice the original appropriation, was spent on the construction work, the lighthouse finally commenced operation on July 10, 1860. With more than seventy rare photos, maps and letters, Mr. Snyder will describe how the lighthouse construction progressed, and how the region survived the aftermath of the Civil War and built the steamboat-railroad link that brought the first influx of pioneers to this “Garden of Eden.” (M). $27.95.