The Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse is the oldest structure in Palm Beach County and the defining image of the town. Built from red brick in 1860, the 105-foot tower stands at the meeting point of the Loxahatchee River and the Indian River Lagoon, just where they pour into the Atlantic. You can climb the 105-step spiral staircase for views stretching north and south along the coast — on a clear day you can see the curve of the earth.
The museum at the base covers the area's history from the Seminole Wars through the life of early lighthouse keepers, whose journals record encounters with Florida's early wilderness settlers. The surrounding grounds include a boardwalk along the inlet and a replica Seminole chickee hut. The lighthouse still operates as a working aid to navigation.