St. Marks Light facts for kids
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| The St. Marks Light at an unknown date. | |
 St. Marks Light
Location in Florida
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| Location | mouth of St. Marks River, on Apalachee Bay, St. Marks, Florida |
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| Coordinates | 30°04′19″N 84°10′48″W / 30.07194°N 84.18000°W |
| Year first lit | first tower, 1831; second tower, 1842 |
| Automated | 1960 |
| Foundation | stone |
| Construction | brick |
| Tower shape | conical tower |
| Height | originally 65 feet (20 m), extended to 73 feet (22 m) in 1867, light is 82 feet (25 m) above sea level |
| Original lens | fourth order Fresnel lens, replaced by 9.8-inch (250 mm) lens |
| Characteristic | white light occulting every 4 s. |
| Admiralty number | J3300.1 |
| ARLHS number | USA-801 |
| USCG number | 4-0010 |
The St. Marks Light is a historic lighthouse located in Florida. It is the second-oldest light station in the state. You can find it on the east side of the St. Marks River's mouth, right on Apalachee Bay. Lighthouses like this one help ships find their way safely.
Contents
Why Was the St. Marks Lighthouse Built?
In the 1820s, the town of St. Marks, Florida was a very important port of entry. This means it was a main place where goods entered and left the area. Farmers from Middle Florida and parts of South Georgia brought their crops here. They used wagons to haul their products to the port. This road connected Tallahassee, which was the capital at the time, to St. Marks. Later, this road became Florida's first railroad.
Once the farm products arrived at St. Marks, they were loaded onto boats. These boats would then sail to places like New Orleans or St. Augustine. However, sailing in Apalachee Bay and the St. Marks River was tricky. The water was often shallow. Boats would frequently get stuck in the mud or run aground. This made it hard to move goods efficiently.
Getting Approval for the Lighthouse
In 1828, William Pope Duval, who was Florida's governor, wrote a letter. He told Joseph M. White, a representative for Florida, how much a lighthouse was needed at St. Marks. White then wrote to Levi Woodbury, a Senator from New Hampshire. Senator Woodbury was in charge of the Senate Committee on Commerce. He agreed that a lighthouse was important for St. Marks.
Just eleven days later, the committee said St. Marks was an official port. They recommended building a lighthouse there. On May 23, 1828, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a law. This law allowed the lighthouse to be built and set aside $6,000 for it.
Building the Lighthouse
After a survey of the area, a spot was chosen for the lighthouse. However, it was soon clear that $6,000 was not enough money. The amount was increased to $14,000. By mid-1829, a company from Boston called Winslow Lewis signed a contract. They would build the tower for $11,765.
But there was a problem! The Collector of Customs for St. Marks, Mr. Jesse H. Williams, did not accept the finished lighthouse. He said it was built with hollow walls. Williams believed the tower needed solid walls to be strong enough. So, he refused to accept the work.
Calvin Knowlton was then hired to rebuild the tower. He made sure it was built correctly. In 1831, Williams was happy with the lighthouse and accepted it. That same year, the lighthouse's whale-oil lamps were lit for the first time. Samuel Crosby, who had been appointed the first Keeper of the St. Marks Lighthouse, was in charge.
Dangers the Lighthouse Faced
The St. Marks Lighthouse has faced many challenges over the years.
Protecting the Lighthouse During War
Samuel Crosby was still the lighthouse keeper in 1835. This was when the Second Seminole War began. He heard about attacks on other lighthouses. Crosby worried about his family's safety. He asked officials for soldiers to protect the lighthouse and his family. His request was denied. He then asked for a small boat to escape in an emergency, but this was also refused. Luckily, the Seminole people did not attack the St. Marks Lighthouse. Crosby continued his duties for four more years.
How Natural Disasters Affected the Lighthouse
In 1842, the lighthouse was in danger from erosion. This is when water slowly wears away the land. Winslow Lewis was called back to move the tower to a safer place. His team took apart the top of the lighthouse and the lighting equipment. Then, they tore down the original brick tower. A new spot was chosen further away from the water. A new tower was built, and the original light was put back in place.
The new tower survived strong hurricanes in the 1840s and 1850s. This included a very bad hurricane in September 1843. That storm destroyed most of Port Leon and damaged St. Marks.
The Lighthouse During the Civil War
By the 1860s, the Civil War brought a new threat. In 1865, Confederate soldiers were near the lighthouse. They were there to defend against a Union attack. The lighthouse's light had been removed earlier. This was to prevent it from helping Union ships that were blocking the bay.
In March of that year, 16 Union ships appeared. They began to fire cannons near the lighthouse. The Confederates tried to blow up the lighthouse as they retreated. They wanted to stop the Union forces from using it as a lookout. They did not destroy the tower, but they damaged it a lot. After the war, the tower had to be completely rebuilt. During this rebuilding, the tower was made taller. Its light is now 82 feet (25 m) above sea level. The original lighting equipment was also put back.
Modern Improvements and Use
The St. Marks Lighthouse became automated in 1960. This means it no longer needed a keeper to operate it. Today, it still helps ships navigate Apalachee Bay. In 2000, the Coast Guard spent $150,000 to make the lighthouse stronger. In July 2005, Hurricane Dennis broke a window in the lantern room. This caused water to flood inside the tower. The lighthouse is located within the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge.
- The information in this article mostly comes from http://www.fws.gov/saintmarks/lighthouse.html. This source is from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, so it is public information. Article found on February 20, 2006.
- – found on February 19, 2006
