Lighthouse Restoration Culminates with Re-Lighting

This has been a momentous year in the restoration of the lighthouse. 

The keeper’s quarters are now open on a scheduled basis, and visitors can tour the restored facility and learn from and enjoy the exhibits that are in place.  New exhibits are rotated so that the experience is never static.  The Friends acquired a grant from the Florida Lighthouse Association for exhibits and professional signage for the displays. Additionally, at the urging of the Friends, a concept plan for interpretation and public use was developed by Lee and Marvin Cook of Caribbean Heritage Concepts to guide future development of the lighthouse experience.

On May 17, the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation presented the Friends the award for Meritorious Achievement in Restoration /Rehabilitation for the four-year St. Marks Lighthouse Restoration project.  The award recipients also included the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, Kenneth Smith Architects, and Rippee Construction. Thanks to all who contributed and worked so hard to realize the restoration of the lighthouse.

Most significantly, thanks to numerous donations, a replica of the historic Fourth Order Fresnel Lens was constructed by Artworks Florida and installed in the restored lantern room on July 12.  The official lens re-lighting ceremony took place October 31, 2019 at the lighthouse. A huge crowd of visitors and friends came to witness this important history unfold.  

The new accessibility ramp was also completed in 2018, with landscaping allowing everyone access to the keeper’s quarters. The ramp is an extremely important access feature at the lighthouse, allowing people with disabilities to also enjoy the historic lighthouse.

There is more to do to fully restore the historic light station.  Next, as funds are available, we will replace the gutters, reconstruct the shutters on the rear windows, and reconstruct the white perimeter picket fence, which once defined the light station. Fundraising will continue in the coming years to fully restore historic segments of the light station.  We hope everyone will visit the lighthouse regularly and stay invested in helping us “Bring the Past to Light.”