St. Johns River Light
Encyclopedia
The St. Johns River Light is a decommissioned lighthouse
in Jacksonville
, Florida
, U.S., which formerly marked the mouth of the St. Johns River
. It is located on the grounds of Naval Station Mayport
in the Mayport area. Constructed in 1858, it was decommissioned in 1929 and replaced with a lightship
. It is sometimes known as the "Old St. Johns River Light" to distinguish it from the modern St. Johns Light, built in 1954.
The Old St. Johns River Light was the third lighthouse to be erected at the mouth of the St. Johns. It is the oldest one still standing, and is in fact the oldest surviving building in Mayport. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places
in 1976 and underwent restoration in 1980.
. It was the third lighthouse to stand at the mouth of the St. Johns River
, and was designed specifically to overcome the previous structures' problems with visibility and erosion. The first St. Johns lighthouse was erected in 1830, after the U.S. purchase of Florida, and was funded by the U.S. Congress. However, it was built too close to the water and had to be demolished only three years later. The second lighthouse was erected in 1835, about a mile upriver. However, view of the light from sea was often blocked by shifting sand dunes, and by 1853 its foundation was so disturbed by erosion that plans were made to replace it. This structure was soon abandoned and enveloped by the river, though its ruins could still be seen in the early 20th century.
The present St. Johns River Light was erected in 1858. In order to avoid its predecessors' problems, it was made substantially taller and further from the waterline. During the American Civil War
a Confederate
sympathizer shot out the light to hamper Union
ships attempting to locate the river. It was finally replaced on July 4, 1867. In 1887 authorities planned to heighten the tower another twelve feet. A study in the 20th century determined that this plan was never carried out, though the light station canopy was remodeled, and the present copper cupola
was installed.
In 1929, the St. Johns River Light was decommissioned after over 70 years of service. It was replaced by the St. Johns Lightship
(LV-84), moored about 8 miles offshore from the river's mouth. In the 1940s the U.S. Navy acquired most of Mayport, including the area around the lighthouse, in order to establish Naval Station Mayport
. The Navy demolished an attached one-story building and raised the grade of the surrounding land by about seven feet. As such the original door is buried and the tower is only accessible via a window eight feet off the ground. In 1954 the modern St. Johns Light was built to replace the lightship; it is located about two miles southeast of the Old St. Johns River Light.
The Old St. Johns River Light was added to the National Register of Historic Places
in 1976. It is the oldest surviving building in Mayport, and was designated one most significant historic buildings in Jacksonville by the Jacksonville Historic Landmarks Commission. In 1980 it underwent restoration by Shepard Associates. It currently stands at 85 feet tall, with a red brick tower, slate stairs and balcony, and a white watch room topped by a copper cupola. A local group, the Mayport Lighthouse Association, hope to undertake a full restoration and open the structure to the public.
Lighthouse
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses or, in older times, from a fire, and used as an aid to navigation for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways....
in Jacksonville
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, U.S., which formerly marked the mouth of the St. Johns River
St. Johns River
The St. Johns River is the longest river in the U.S. state of Florida and its most significant for commercial and recreational use. At long, it winds through or borders twelve counties, three of which are the state's largest. The drop in elevation from the headwaters to the mouth is less than ;...
. It is located on the grounds of Naval Station Mayport
Naval Station Mayport
Naval Station Mayport is a major United States Navy base in Jacksonville, Florida. It contains a military airfield with one asphalt paved runway measuring 8,001 x 200 ft. ....
in the Mayport area. Constructed in 1858, it was decommissioned in 1929 and replaced with a lightship
Lightvessel
A lightvessel, or lightship, is a ship which acts as a lighthouse. They are used in waters that are too deep or otherwise unsuitable for lighthouse construction...
. It is sometimes known as the "Old St. Johns River Light" to distinguish it from the modern St. Johns Light, built in 1954.
The Old St. Johns River Light was the third lighthouse to be erected at the mouth of the St. Johns. It is the oldest one still standing, and is in fact the oldest surviving building in Mayport. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1976 and underwent restoration in 1980.
History
The St. Johns River Light was erected in 1858 at Mayport, on what is now the property of Naval Station MayportNaval Station Mayport
Naval Station Mayport is a major United States Navy base in Jacksonville, Florida. It contains a military airfield with one asphalt paved runway measuring 8,001 x 200 ft. ....
. It was the third lighthouse to stand at the mouth of the St. Johns River
St. Johns River
The St. Johns River is the longest river in the U.S. state of Florida and its most significant for commercial and recreational use. At long, it winds through or borders twelve counties, three of which are the state's largest. The drop in elevation from the headwaters to the mouth is less than ;...
, and was designed specifically to overcome the previous structures' problems with visibility and erosion. The first St. Johns lighthouse was erected in 1830, after the U.S. purchase of Florida, and was funded by the U.S. Congress. However, it was built too close to the water and had to be demolished only three years later. The second lighthouse was erected in 1835, about a mile upriver. However, view of the light from sea was often blocked by shifting sand dunes, and by 1853 its foundation was so disturbed by erosion that plans were made to replace it. This structure was soon abandoned and enveloped by the river, though its ruins could still be seen in the early 20th century.
The present St. Johns River Light was erected in 1858. In order to avoid its predecessors' problems, it was made substantially taller and further from the waterline. During the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
a Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
sympathizer shot out the light to hamper Union
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
ships attempting to locate the river. It was finally replaced on July 4, 1867. In 1887 authorities planned to heighten the tower another twelve feet. A study in the 20th century determined that this plan was never carried out, though the light station canopy was remodeled, and the present copper cupola
Cupola
In architecture, a cupola is a small, most-often dome-like, structure on top of a building. Often used to provide a lookout or to admit light and air, it usually crowns a larger roof or dome....
was installed.
In 1929, the St. Johns River Light was decommissioned after over 70 years of service. It was replaced by the St. Johns Lightship
Lightvessel
A lightvessel, or lightship, is a ship which acts as a lighthouse. They are used in waters that are too deep or otherwise unsuitable for lighthouse construction...
(LV-84), moored about 8 miles offshore from the river's mouth. In the 1940s the U.S. Navy acquired most of Mayport, including the area around the lighthouse, in order to establish Naval Station Mayport
Naval Station Mayport
Naval Station Mayport is a major United States Navy base in Jacksonville, Florida. It contains a military airfield with one asphalt paved runway measuring 8,001 x 200 ft. ....
. The Navy demolished an attached one-story building and raised the grade of the surrounding land by about seven feet. As such the original door is buried and the tower is only accessible via a window eight feet off the ground. In 1954 the modern St. Johns Light was built to replace the lightship; it is located about two miles southeast of the Old St. Johns River Light.
The Old St. Johns River Light was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1976. It is the oldest surviving building in Mayport, and was designated one most significant historic buildings in Jacksonville by the Jacksonville Historic Landmarks Commission. In 1980 it underwent restoration by Shepard Associates. It currently stands at 85 feet tall, with a red brick tower, slate stairs and balcony, and a white watch room topped by a copper cupola. A local group, the Mayport Lighthouse Association, hope to undertake a full restoration and open the structure to the public.