08/26/2021
From the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum: Limited Tower Access during Lighthouse restoration
The St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum has been awarded an appropriation by the State of Florida to restore and preserve the interior of its tower.
Restoration will start August 2021, with the majority of the work completed in 2022.
The internal restoration project is sponsored in part by the Department of State, Division of Historical Resources, and the State of Florida and will cover painting the inside of the tower and restoring original metalwork. Donations from friends of the Museum, St. Augustine community, Florida Lighthouse Association, and others will fund painting the outside of the
tower as well as other restoration needs.
While preventative maintenance is ongoing, major tower restoration is needed every five to six years on average. The original restoration of the tower and Keepers’ House began in 1980 when 16 volunteers from the Junior Service League of St. Augustine turned back bulldozers from destroying the burned-out Keepers’ House. Many of those women are still involved with the Museum today as members of its Board of Trustees.
Recent hurricanes Matthew and Irma have sped up the timeline for restoration, forcing water and salt into the masonry and onto the cast iron. As of August 24, 2021, the tower will be partially unavailable as restoration of the stairs begins. Future tower closures will be announced as they are scheduled.
In addition to the tower itself, the museum offers exhibits in several other buildings. “At Home with the Harns” highlights the life of a lighthouse keeper’s family during Florida’s
Gilded Age. “Wrecked!” presents artifacts from a Revolutionary War shipwreck excavated here in St. Augustine by the Museum’s maritime archaeologists. In the “Shrimpin’ Ain’t Easy” exhibit, visitors learn stories from the enterprising families that made St. Augustine the sh*****ng capital of the world in the mid-20th century. Find out how the St. Augustine community prepared for World War II in the “Guardians of the First Coast” exhibit. Learn
how German submarines prowled our coast as part of Operation Drumbeat and how local men and women answered the call to defend freedom abroad.
Other on-site activities include Heritage Boatworks, which preserves and keeps alive the wooden boatbuilding tradition that began in St. Augustine over 400 years ago, a maritime
conservation lab, and maritime hammock trails.
Staff and volunteers will provide added guest engagement opportunities when the tower is closed or partially closed.
The St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum has dedicated volunteers, staff, friends, and community members who have helped to preserve the historic buildings and further the mission of the Museum.
“We take pride in our tower and count on private support to preserve the historical site. We appreciate the extreme generosity of the state of Florida as well as private donors who help keep the light shining for future generations to come,” said
Kathy Shetler, the Board of Trustees Chairperson.
You can provide support by donating at
store.staugustinelighthouse.org/MakeDonation.aspx?skuid=1001059 or contacting
Tanya Rhodes at [email protected] or 904-829-0745 ext. 219.
About the St. Augustine & Maritime Museum:
A unique landmark of St. Augustine for over 147 years, the St. Augustine Light Station is host to centuries of the Nation’s Oldest Port® history and educational programs. Through interactive exhibits, guided tours, and maritime research, the 501(c)(3), nonprofit St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum is on a mission to discover, preserve, present, and keep alive the stories of the Nation’s Oldest Port® as symbolized by our working lighthouse. Today, the Museum keeps the light shining as a private aid-to-navigation. We are the parent organization to the Lighthouse Archaeological Maritime Program (LAMP), and together our two non-profits are an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution.
www.staugustinelighthouse.org
