St. Marks Lighthouse Will Celebrate Florida Lighthouse Day 

Governor Jeb Bush has proclaimed Saturday, September 16th as Florida Lighthouse Day, and the St. Marks Wildlife Refuge is celebrating with a Lighthouse Open House.  The event will begin at 1:00 p.m. and continue until 4:00 p.m.  Guests will be able to visit the inside of the Keeper's House, where different exhibits and displays will be set up.  This year also marks the 175th anniversary of the St. Marks Lighthouse!

The inside of the 1842 tower will be open for 5 minute tours.  Guides will take small groups as high as the first window.  The top of the tower is closed due to safety concerns.

Several exhibitors will be set up in the first two rooms of the Keeper's House, including the St. Marks Refuge Association, the St. George Lighthouse, Crooked River Lighthouse, the Wakulla County Historical Society, the Florida Lighthouse Association, and the Coast Guard Auxiliary.  A static display of photographs and images highlighting the history of the St. Marks Lighthouse will also be available for visitors in Room 3.

Re-enactors will be on hand on the porch and grounds of the lighthouse to visit and talk with attendees about some of the people and families who lived and worked at the lighthouse through the years.  Costumed guides will present lighthouse stories and children's activities.

In Room 4 of the Keeper's House will be a special traveling exhibit on the "Apalachicola River:  an American Treasure."  Guests will enjoy a film documentary, music, and photographs of the Apalachicola area.  The artists will also be on hand for questions and conversation.

Ranger Andy Edel at top of tower		Inside the Keeper's House
View from top of tower		Looking down the spiral staircase

On a side note, an article in "The Eagles Eye" quarterly newsletter of the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge stated that "the St. Marks lighthouse was transferred from the Coast Guard to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as part of the Maritime Transportation Act of 2006.  It was passed by the U.S. Congress on June 27 and signed by President Bush on July 11.  The bill stipulated the Coast Guard would clean up any existing contamination prior to the transfer.  However, environmental studies detected lead contamination in the soil around the lighthouse, mainly concentrated around the base of the tower.  This may be due to the 175 years of whitewashing the tower with lead based paint.  Currently the Coast Guard does not have funds for the cleanup and further studies may be required."   ("The Eagles Eye" is edited by Lori Nicholson and Andy Edel.)

Click here for a more detailed article on the St. Marks Lighthouse with more exterior and interior photos of the Keeper's House and top of the tower. 

This article originally published on September 9, 2006.

Written by :

mkwestmark

 

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