At Mile Marker 17 in the Florida Keys there is a sign for Sugarloaf Airport, a mecca for skydiving fans providing a large grassy landing site. Traveling further up the road past the field brings you into the presence of a massive stilted tower-like structure nearly three stories high. This is the Bat Tower of Lower Sugarloaf Key.
Built in 1929 by a Mr. Perky, the Tower was constructed from plans purchased from Dr. Charles Campbell, a bat researcher from Texas who pioneered studies in the use of indigenous wildlife to control insect populations. His work with the use of bats to combat the rise of the mosquito population, and consequently combat the rise in the number of malaria cases, led to the development of the Bat Towers. A suitable and hopefully inviting habitat, they were built in mosquito infested areas in order to encourage bats to settle and breed as a natural deterrent to the insects, and they met with considerable success in many locations. The Tower in Florida is the only one still standing on public land. Two others survive on private land in Texas.
Mr. Perky’s ambition to open a resort on Sugarloaf Key was originally thwarted by the enormous mosquito population, a definite downsell for potential investors and clientele. It was his hope that Campbell’s Bat Tower would bring the relief needed to make his business venture successful. Everything went splendidly with the construction and bats from Texas and Cuba were brought in to stock the Tower. It seemed an effective solution until something happened that no one anticipated.
The bats flew away.
No new bats ever moved into the Tower and by the 1950’s the majority of the Towers Campbell had helped to erect had been burned to the ground during the rabies hysteria. The Bat Tower at Mile Marker 17 on Lower Sugarloaf Key still stands as a tourist attraction and is listed on the registry of National Historical Landmarks.
Sometimes called "Perky's Bat Tower" this structure is the last Campbell Tower that remains intact on public land.
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