St. Johns River Light - Mayport, Florida
Posted by: 
gparkes
N 30° 23.613 W 081° 25.594
17R E 459021 N 3362472
St. Johns River Lighthouse has survivied the test of time, and the construction of a military base. But don't expect to actually touch the lighthouse, as a couple 100 feet is about as close as one might expect to get.
Waymark Code: WMANEA
Location: Florida, United States
Date Posted: 02/03/2011
Views: 3
St. Johns River Lighthouse has an interesting history. It was built in 1858 and replaced with a lightship in 1929.
There were three lighthouse built around this spot, this being the only one to survive. The first one, built in 1830, was constructed too close to the water and was destroyed. The second one, built in 1835, was constructed too short, and often times was obstructed by the shifting sand dunes. This one was built taller, and further back from the river to overcome its predecessors failings.
In 1929, a lightship was anchored off the coast eight miles, thereby causing the decommissioning of the un-needed lighthouse.
Today, the entrance to the lighthouse uses a window. The entrance to the lighthouse was burried in seven feet of earth. In 1940, the United States Navy, purchased the lands to construct a military base in this location. The grade of the land was raised so as to allow the construction of the runway.
Visitation of the lighthouse can only be done at arms reach... a long arms reach. As the lighthouse is now on military grounds, near an active runway, there is a pull out where visitors can photograph the lighthouse, but cannot actually go up to the lighthouse. Of all the things that the military could have done, relocating the fence a mere 100 yards would have been the simplest.
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