| Q. |
How tall is the lighthouse? |
| A. |
The top of the lighthouse is 165 feet above sea level. |
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| Q. |
Can I climb the lighthouse? |
| A. |
Yes. Weather permitting, you can walk out on the observation deck and look into the lens room. For their safety, children must be 44 inches tall to climb the tower.
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| Q. |
How many steps are there? |
| A. |
There are 219 steps to the observation deck. |
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| Q. |
Can you see through the stairs? |
| A. |
Yes. However, there are railings conveniently located on both sides. There are also eight landings, one with a bench, where visitors can rest and let other people pass. |
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| Q. |
Does the lighthouse have an elevator? |
| A. |
No, the lighthouse is an historic structure, completed in 1874. |
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| Q. |
Is the site accessible for physically challenged persons? |
| A. |
Yes. An alternative short entrance path is available from the handicapped parking to the grounds. Staff will open the gate upon request. A ramp provides access to the ground floor of the Keepers' House, containing exhibits and a movie about the light station's history. However, the light station is an historic site and certain areas are accessible only by stairs. Upon request staff will open the emergency exit door to access the basement, a six-step stairway alternative to the spiral staircase inside the dwelling. Stairs lead up to the second floor of the Keepers' House. In case of temporary exhibits, complementary materials are available for consultation by those who cannot climb the stairs. The office and storage room at the base of the tower are accessed by five steps equipped with handrails. The base of the lighthouse is reached by an additional twelve granite steps with handrails. A large print self-guided walking tour is available at the welcome counter in the Visitors' Center. Many exhibitions contain auditory elements.
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| Q. |
When was the lighthouse built? |
| A. |
1871-1874. It took three years to build due to a shortage of manpower and funds. |
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| Q. |
Has this lighthouse been moved? Why is it so far from the coast? |
| A. |
No, the lighthouse is in its original location. However, the shoreline has changed. The first lighthouse was approximately 500 yards northeast of the current lighthouse. It fell into the ocean in 1880.
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| Q. |
Is the lighthouse still a working lighthouse? |
| A. |
Yes. The lighthouse is an official, privately-owned, active aid to navigation. The St. Augustine Lighthouse & Museum, a not-for-profit organization, owns and maintains the light station. |
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| Q. |
What were the rooms in the base of the tower used for? |
| A. |
The building attached to the base of the tower is the oil house. To the left of the entrance was the Keeper's office. Lighthouse keepers were required to keep detailed records. To the right of the entrance is the fuel storage room. Originally lard oil was used because whale oil was already expensive and scarce in 1874. Later, a brick storage building was built on the grounds when kerosene replaced lard as the fuel. |
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| Q. |
Who worked at the lighthouse? |
| A. |
The St. Augustine lighthouse had up to three lightkeepers at a time - a head keeper and two assistants. In 1955, the lighthouse was automated and the last keeper left. Lamplighters, men who tended the light but did not live on site, replaced the keepers. Today, the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Museum maintains the light. |
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| Q. |
Where did the keepers live? |
| A. |
The keepers and their families lived in the 1876 two-story brick building which was a duplex. The keepers house is now a museum. |
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| Q. |
What is in the mueseum? |
| A. |
The museum contains exhibits about living and working at the light station, the Junior Service League's restoration of the site, the WWII U.S. Coast Guard Ponce Training Station, and regional maritime archaeology - including artifacts from the 1764 British supply ship Industry.
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| Q. |
Is this the original house? |
| A. |
Yes. The keepers and their families lived in this house. In 1970 it was gutted by fire. The Junior Service League of St. Augustine restored the structure and opened it as a museum. The house and the tower are on the National Register of Historic Places. |
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| Q. |
What is the small white building? |
| A. |
A WWII U.S. Coast Guard barracks. Today it serves as LAMP, Lighthouse Archaeological Maritime Program, and conservation offices.
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| Q. |
Why shouldn't I touch artifacts like the cannon or the keeper's chair? |
| A. |
Salts and oils from our hands speed the deterioration of these artifacts. The site and the artifacts are a living link to the history of the area, please help us to preserve them for future generations. |
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| Q. |
Can I detect metal on the site? |
| A. |
No. The site is a state and county protected archaeological site. Much of what we know about the keepers' lives comes from artifacts located during a 1996 archaeological project. These objects can be seen on display in the keepers' house. |
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