St. Johns River Lighthouse

St. Johns River Lighthouse, 2026

NEW PICTURE PLEASE

The St. Johns River Lighthouse, first lit in 1859, has stood near the mouth of the St. Johns River, guiding generations of maritime history in Mayport Village. Today, the Lighthouse is no longer accessible to the public, but the Mayport Lighthouse Association is working toward a bold future: relocating, restoring, and reopening this landmark for the community.

Why the Lighthouse Needs Saving

Although the St. Johns River Lighthouse still stands, its current location presents major barriers to preservation and public access. The Lighthouse is located on Naval Station Mayport, near active military operations, and is not open to the public. The structure has also faced years of exposure, flooding at the base, and deterioration.

In 2025, we began a professional feasibility study to determine whether the St. Johns River Lighthouse could be safely relocated from Naval Station Mayport to a publicly accessible site in Mayport Village.

The study brought together preservation, architectural, engineering, and site-planning expertise to better understand the Lighthouse’s current condition, the proposed new location, and the technical requirements of relocation. The results confirmed an important next step in the effort to save the Lighthouse: relocation is feasible, pending the necessary approvals, permitting, and continued support.

Our Vision for the Future

Our long-term vision is to relocate the St. Johns River Lighthouse to a City-owned waterfront site in Mayport Village, where it can be restored, interpreted, and made accessible to the public.

In its proposed new home, the Lighthouse could become a destination for history, education, preservation, and community gathering. It would reconnect the Lighthouse to the River, to Mayport Village, and to new visitors for years to come.

Can you move a lighthouse safely?

Yes! There are several successful examples of historic lighthouse relocations:

• In 1999, ICC Commonwealth, our consulting firm for the feasibility study, relocated the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, the tallest in the U.S., 2,900 feet inland to protect it from shoreline erosion.

• Two lighthouses in Florida’s Panhandle region have been successfully relocated. Cape San Blas was moved 15 miles inland in 2014 to protect it from severe beach erosion, and Cape St. George was reconstructed in 2008 using the original bricks after it collapsed during a storm.

• Southeast Lighthouse on Block Island, Rhode Island, and Gay Head Lighthouse in Massachusetts were successfully moved in 1993 and 2015, respectively, to save them from eroding cliffs.

As an Affiliate Partner of the United States Lighthouse Society, the Mayport Lighthouse Association benefits from expert guidance in historic preservation, including structural relocations.

The St. Johns River Lighthouse currently sits on Naval Station Mayport, where the only access is through the lowest window. The door is buried under 8-10 ft. of fill dirt that was added in the 1940s when the airfield was constructed. The condition of the portion of the tower underground is currently unknown and the lighthouse's location near an active runway and commercial vehicle inspection station places the structure at further risk. It also hasn’t had major restoration work since the early 1980s.

Public access is not possible at the current site due to military security and safety restrictions. Relocating it to the Mayport Village waterfront would preserve the lighthouse, make it accessible to the public, and contribute to the economic and cultural revitalization of the village. This move supports the vision of the Mayport Waterfront Partnership to strengthen the area’s identity as a working waterfront and historic maritime community.

Through the Years

The St. Johns River Lighthouse has stood for more than 150 years, witnessing generations of change in Mayport Village and along the River. First lit in 1859, the Lighthouse looked very different from the structure we see today, and the community around it has transformed many times over.

From its years guiding vessels near the mouth of the St. Johns River, to its decommissioning in 1929, to its current location on Naval Station Mayport, the Lighthouse has remained a rare and important link to Mayport Village’s maritime past.

Today, the Mayport Lighthouse Association is working to ensure its next chapter includes relocation, restoration, and public access, so future generations can experience this historic Lighthouse up close.

2025

Mayport Lighthouse Association

Circa 1900

Courtesy of State of Florida Archives

2000

Courtesy of Nadine Peacock

Circa 1900

Courtesy of

Timeline

1858

1830 and 1835

Construction Began on The Current Lighthouse

The tower was constructed farther from the shoreline to overcome the problems faced by its predecessors. This third lighthouse is the St. Johns River Lighthouse that still stands today.

Photo Credit: Credit

The First St. Johns River Lighthouses

The first lighthouse at the mouth of the St. Johns River was built in 1830 but was soon threatened by erosion. A second tower was constructed farther upriver in 1835, though shifting dunes and erosion eventually made it ineffective.

Image: Second St. Johns River Lighthouse, United States Lighthouse Society

1861

August 1, 1859

The Light Goes Dark During the Civil War

The Lighthouse was extinguished during the Civil War to prevent Union ships from using it to navigate the entrance to the St. Johns River. Keeper John Daniels remained at the station during this turbulent period.

Photo Credit: Credit

The Lighthouse Is First Lit

The St. Johns River Lighthouse officially began guiding ships approaching the mouth of the river.

Photo Credit: Credit

1920's

July 4, 1867

Innovation Comes to Mayport

During the 1920s, the Lighthouse was electrified and equipped with a semiautomatic radiobeacon, the first of its kind in the United States.

Image: View from the Lighthouse, 1922, Florida Archives

The Lighthouse Returns to Service

Following the Civil War, the tower was fitted with a new third-order Fresnel lens and lantern room.

Photo Credit: Credit

1940's

May 5, 1930

Naval Station Mayport

The U.S. Navy acquired land that made up what was originally East Mayport, including the light station. The ground around the lighthouse was raised by approximately eight feet, burying its original entrance.

Image: NSM 1941, Florida Times-Union

The Lighthouse Is Decommissioned

After 70 years of service, the St. Johns River Lighthouse was decommissioned. It was replaced by the St. Johns Lightship LV-84, which had been stationed seven miles offshore in January 1929.

Photo Credit: Credit

March 1982

June 3, 1976

First Restoration

Shepard Associates completed restoration work on the historic tower. Decades later, the lighthouse remains standing, but further preservation work is needed to protect its future.

Image: NEED TO FIND SOURCE AGAIN

Recognized as a National Historic Place

The St. Johns River Lighthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places, recognizing its importance to Florida’s maritime and architectural history.

Image: National Register Plaque

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Get in touch

Mayport Lighthouse Association, Inc.
PO Box 7148
Jacksonville, Florida 32238 info@mayportlighthouseassociation.org

501(c)(3) non-profit organization
REGISTRATION NUMBER CH67070
A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES WEBSITE [FDACSS.GOV] OR BY CALLING TOLL-FREE [800-435-7352]. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE.

Dan Hogan, President
president@mayportlighthouseassociation.org
904-420-8839

Elizabeth Boggs, Vice President
membership@mayportlighthouseassociation.org

Beverly Oakes, Treasurer
treasurer@mayportlighthouseassociation.org

Valerie Bennett, Secretary
info@mayportlighthouseassociation.org