St. Augustine Light facts for kids
 |
|
| The St. Augustine Light tower was built in 1874 | |
| Location | Anastasia Island, Florida |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 29°53′08″N 81°17′19″W / 29.88543°N 81.28852°W |
| Year first lit | first tower, ca. 1737; second tower, 1874 |
| Automated | 1955 |
| Foundation | first tower, coquina; second tower, brick on coquina |
| Construction | first tower, coquina; second tower, brick |
| Tower shape | first tower, square tower; second tower, conical tower |
| Height | first tower, 52 feet (16 m); second tower, 165 feet (50 m) |
| Original lens | 1824: Winslow Lewis lamps with replectors; 1855: fourth order Fresnel lens; 1874: first-order Fresnel lens |
| Range | 1874: fixed lamp, 17 nautical miles; 31 kilometres (19 mi) flashing lamp, 21 nautical miles; 39 kilometres (24 mi) |
| Characteristic | prior to 1936, 3 minute fixed flash; in 1936 changed to 30-second flash |
The St. Augustine Light Station is a privately run lighthouse in St. Augustine, Florida. It helps ships find their way safely. The lighthouse you see today stands at the north end of Anastasia Island. It was built between 1871 and 1874. This tower is actually the second lighthouse in St. Augustine. The first one was officially lit in May 1824. It was Florida's very first lighthouse. However, even before that, both the Spanish and British governments used watchtowers and beacons here, starting in 1565.
The current lighthouse tower, its original special lens (called a Fresnel Lens), and the land around it are owned by the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum, Inc.. This is a non-profit museum. It is open to visitors almost every day of the year. The money from tickets helps keep the lighthouse and five other old buildings safe. It also helps pay for programs about maritime archaeology (studying old things from the sea), building traditional wooden boats, and learning about the ocean. The museum's goal is to "discover, preserve, present and keep alive the stories of the nation's oldest port as symbolized by our working St. Augustine Lighthouse."
Contents
History of the Lighthouse
St. Augustine was home to Florida's first official lighthouse. The new American government built it in 1824. Old maps and records show this lighthouse was built where an even older watchtower stood. The Spanish had built that first tower as early as the late 1500s. A map from 1589 shows a wooden watchtower near the Spanish structure. It was called a "beacon" back then.
By 1737, the Spanish built a stronger tower. They used a type of rock called coquina from a nearby quarry. We are not sure if the Spanish used this coquina tower as a lighthouse. But it seems likely, as many ships were trading by then. People often called the building a "lighthouse" in old papers. This includes ship logs and maps from the British time, which started in 1763.
In 1783, the Spanish took control of St. Augustine again. They made the lighthouse even better. An engineer named Joseph Frederick Wallet DesBarres drew a map in 1780. It showed a coquina "Light House" on Anastasia Island. Another expert, Jacques-Nicolas Bellin, called the coquina tower a "Batise" in his book. Experts still discuss how accurate these old maps are. DesBarres's work has some mistakes. But Bellin is known for being very good. His work helps us understand St. Augustine's land and important places in 1764.
The old tower was close to the sea. The coastline was changing, and the land was washing away. The old tower fell into the ocean in 1880. But a new lighthouse was already shining by then. Today, the old tower's remains are underwater. They are an archaeological site.
Lighthouse Lamps and Keepers
The first lamps in the old tower burned lard oil. Later, in 1855, a special lens called a Fresnel lens was added. This lens made the light much brighter and helped it shine farther. It also made the lighthouse easier to take care of.
When the American Civil War began, a local harbor master named Paul Arnau and the lightkeeper, Maria Mestre de los Dolores Andreu, hid the lens. Maria Andreu was the first Hispanic-American woman to work for the Coast Guard. They hid the lens to stop Union ships from using the port. It also helped blockade runners stay hidden. The lens was found later after Arnau was captured and forced to tell where it was.
By 1870, the beach was washing away. This threatened the first lighthouse. So, building a new lighthouse tower began in 1871. A wall of coquina and brush was built to protect the old tower for a while. Building supplies were brought from ships on a trolley track. The new tower was finished in 1874. It started working with a new, powerful Fresnel lens. William Russell lit it for the first time in October. He was the first keeper in the new tower. He was also the only keeper who worked in both the old and new lighthouses.
For 20 years, William A. Harn was the head keeper. He was a war hero from the Union army. He lived there with his wife, Kate Skillen Harn, and their six daughters. The family was known for serving lemonade on the porches of the keepers' house. This house was built as a two-family home during Harn's time.
On August 31, 1886, a big earthquake happened in Charleston. The keeper's log said the tower "swayed violently." But no damage was recorded. In 1885, the lamp was changed from burning lard oil to kerosene.
During World War II, Coast Guard members trained in St. Augustine. They used the lighthouse as a lookout post. They watched for enemy ships and submarines along the coast.
In 1907, the lighthouse station got indoor plumbing. In 1925, the keepers' house got electricity. The light itself became electric in 1936. It was made automatic in 1955. When the light became automatic, fewer keepers were needed. By the 1960s, lighthouse families no longer lived there. The keepers' house was rented out. In 1970, St. Johns County bought it. Sadly, that same year, an unknown person set the house on fire.
Restoring the Lighthouse
In 1980, a small group of 15 women from the Junior Service League of St. Augustine (JSL) took action. They signed a 99-year lease for the keeper's house and the land around it. They started a huge project to restore it. Soon after, the JSL also signed a 30-year lease with the Coast Guard. This allowed them to restore the lighthouse tower itself. Because of their hard work, the lighthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1981.
The old lens worked until it was damaged in 1986. Someone shot it with a rifle, breaking 19 of its glass pieces. The FBI investigated this crime. As the lens got weaker, the Coast Guard thought about taking it out. They wanted to replace it with a modern airport light. But the JSL fought for the old lens. Their plan was stopped. The 9-foot (2.7 m)-tall lens was fixed. Retired Coast Guardsmen Joe Cocking and Nick Johnston helped. This was the first time such a restoration happened in the country. Cocking and Johnston still work with the museum to care for the lens. Volunteers from Northrop Grumman and Florida Power & Light clean and check the lens every week.
Today, the St. Augustine Light Station includes:
- The 165-foot (50 m) tall 1874 tower.
- The 1876 Keepers' House.
- Two summer kitchens added in 1886.
- A 1941 U.S. Coast Guard barracks (a building for soldiers).
- A 1936 garage that fixed jeeps during World War II.
The site is also a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration weather station.
St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum
In 1994, the Lighthouse Museum of St. Augustine opened full-time. A group of local people created a board to run the museum in 1998. These volunteers are in charge of keeping the site safe for future generations. In 2002, the ownership of the tower and the historic Fresnel lens was given to the St. Augustine Lighthouse and Museum, Inc. This was the first time a U.S. lighthouse was given to a non-profit group. The museum keeps the light shining as a private aid for ships. In 2016, the museum changed its name to the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum.
The St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum works to save local ocean history. It also keeps alive the story of America's oldest port. And it helps young people learn about marine science (the study of the ocean). The museum also helps save other lighthouses in Florida and across the country. They work with government groups and volunteer groups. The Lighthouse has about 50 employees. Over 200,000 people visit each year. This includes 54,000 school-aged children.
Exploring Maritime Archaeology (LAMP)
The museum has an active archaeological program. It is called the Lighthouse Archaeological Maritime Program, or LAMP. LAMP studies old sites under the sea around St. Augustine. Archaeologists on staff have found many historic shipwrecks. They have also explored other underwater sites. These include old breakwaters, remains of plantation wharves, and the original St. Augustine lighthouse. The museum also studies other parts of ocean history. This includes boat building and the history of the local shrimping industry. They also have a growing collection of World War II items. These items focus on the U.S. Coast Guard in St. Augustine. The Keeper's house has exhibits about these parts of St. Augustine's history. The Lighthouse also has a program where volunteers build traditional wooden boats.
The St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum has funded maritime archaeology since 1997. This is part of its goal to discover and share the ocean history of America's oldest port. In 1999, the Lighthouse officially started its research program, creating LAMP. LAMP is one of the few research groups in the country that has full-time professional marine archaeologists. It is not part of a university or government.
The first director of LAMP was William "Billy Ray" Morris. He led the research and education programs until 2005. In 2006, underwater archaeologist Chuck Meide became the new director. Today, LAMP has four archaeologists on staff. They also work with a team of conservators (people who preserve old items). Many volunteers and student interns help them.
The oldest shipwreck found in St. Augustine waters is the Industry. It was a British supply ship. It sank on May 6, 1764. It was trying to reach port with supplies for British soldiers in Florida. Things found from the wreck were well-preserved. These included eight iron cannon, a small iron swivel gun, and crates of iron shot. There were also iron anchors, millstones, and boxes of tools. These tools included axes, shovels, knives, and saws. These items showed what British soldiers needed in Florida. LAMP archaeologists found and saved many of these items. They have been shown in the maritime museum in the Lighthouse keeper's house.
In 2009, LAMP archaeologists found the second oldest shipwreck in northeast Florida. It is an unknown colonial sailing ship called the "Storm Wreck." This wreck was completely buried when found. It has been dug up each summer from 2010 to 2012. It seems to have scattered parts of cargo, ship's equipment, military items, and personal belongings. LAMP archaeologists, along with volunteers and student divers, have found many well-preserved items. These include iron and copper pots, pewter spoons and plates, and an iron tea kettle. There were also pieces of pottery and glass, belt buckles, a brass candlestick, and bricks. They found a Queen Anne pistol, three Brown Bess muskets (two were loaded), and thousands of lead shot. Military buttons were also found. One was from a Royal Provincial unit. Another was from the 71st Regiment of Foot, Fraser's Highlanders. They also found a barrel of nails, tools, and navigation equipment. This included a part from an octant. Ship parts and rigging were also found. These included the ship's lead deck pump, a bronze ship's bell, a 4-pounder cannon, and a 9-pounder carronade. This carronade is believed to be the second oldest in the world.
After three years of digging and studying the items, experts believe this ship was involved in the December 18, 1782, evacuation of Charleston. This happened at the end of the American Revolution. The ship was carrying loyal British people and troops to St. Augustine. St. Augustine was a loyal British colony at that time. This was the last British fleet to leave Charleston. When it arrived between December 24 and 31, 1782, as many as sixteen ships were lost on the sandbar. In 2015-2016, LAMP found three more historic shipwrecks. They are currently digging up one of these. It seems to be from the late 1700s and is called the "Anniversary Wreck."
LAMP has also dug up two important shipwrecks from the 1800s. One was a wooden steamship. The other was a schooner (a type of sailing ship). We do not know the names of these ships. But studying them has helped us understand how St. Augustine's economy and technology changed. The schooner carried barrels of cement. This cement was probably for the city's building boom in the late 1800s. This boom was linked to a businessman named Henry Flagler. LAMP has also looked at many other old sites in St. Augustine. These include British plantation landings, old boatyard foundations, and colonial wharves. Current work includes the First Coast Maritime Archaeology Project. This project focuses on research and outreach in the waters around St. Augustine.
Ghost Stories
Some people who look for ghosts say the lighthouse and buildings around it have a history of strange activity. The lighthouse has been shown on TV shows like Ghost Hunters and My Ghost Story.
A researcher named Joe Nickell looked into these stories. He wrote that there is no real proof the lighthouse is haunted. He said that sounds from the tower, like spooky noises, can be explained. They might be seagulls or the wind.
The St. Augustine Lighthouse was also featured on the TV show Most Terrifying Places in America. It was in an episode called "Restless Dead" in 2018.
