In a region not known for honoring its past, the 108-year old Hillsboro Inlet Lighthouse in Pompano Beach is a beacon of hope.

Now after weeks of renovation, the structure is reopening for public tours on Saturday, Aug. 8, coinciding with National Lighthouse Preservation Day when the conical buildings are honored for the role they play on America's coastlines.

“I love the lighthouse,” says Art Makenian, president of the nonprofit, 700-member Hillsboro Lighthouse Preservation Society, which oversees the structure that draws tourists from around the world.

Its nickname, the Big Diamond, is owed to the structure’s distinctive shape of glass outside its lantern room.

Makenian describes the lighthouse as doing its job, “aiding navigation for people driving boats at night, guiding them through the inlet.

“Certainly it is an important landmark,” he says.

Last month's repairs included replacing the lighthouse's gallery rails at a cost of approximately $20,000.

Makenian’s involvement with the lighthouse started with a request.

“The Coast Guard was having a major renovation done to the lighthouse in 1998 and asked me, a Coast Guard auxiliary member with an engineering background, to overlook the work being done.” Other tasks followed.

“I modified the lighting system and got it working normally in the year 2000,” says Makenian. “Since then, it has been working and comes on every night.

“It has the strongest light beam shining 28 nautical miles, which is halfway between here and the Grand Bahamas.”

Since 2008 Makenian and his cadre of loyal volunteers have been responsible for the maintenance, repairs and operation of the lighthouse, which is one of only three in South Florida (Palm Beach County and Miami-Dade County both have only one lighthouse).

In 1907, the lighthouse “was built at the Russell Weill Foundry in Detroit, Mich., then barged down through lakes and the Mississippi River to the Hillsboro Inlet. The U.S. Coast Guard took it over in 1939,” Makenian said. Annual upkeep of the structure is between $18,000 and $20,000. In an earlier project, the diamond shaped glass panes were replaced at a cost of $87,000, with $37,000 of that paid for with a state grant for historical preservation.

The society's first major fundraiser is set for Saturday, Aug. 22 at the Hillsboro Club. There will be dinner, slide show and speeches about the lighthouse. Tickets are $35.

In 2014, 9,757 people visited the structure, according to Makenian who proudly cites the information.

“People came from New Zealand, Japan, mainland China and most of the countries in Europe. We get the word out primarily through social media and our website.”

Those planning a visit to the lighthouse should be mindful of the following: Only children age 8 and older are allowed. It has 175 steps and 130 vertical feet to the top. The stairs are narrow and the building interior is hot. No sandals, flip-flops or shoes with heels are permitted. Flat shoes with closed toes and rubber soles are recommended. Don't bring pets.

The cost is $25 per person. Tours are free for members. The annual dues for individuals is $25. For families, it is $50 and $100 for businesses and organizations. Park across from the lighthouse at Sands Harbor Resort at 125 North Riverside Drive in Pompano Beach. Look for the sign that reads “Hillsboro Lighthouse Tour” and board the boat that leaves at regular intervals from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m.