Old Lighthouse in Background, Showing Position

The Second Lighthouse

The current lighthouse in St. Augustine, Florida replaced the old tower. Construction on the current tower began in 1871. Designed by Paul Pelz, who also designed the Library of Congress, the lighthouse was built out of Alabama brick, Georgia granite and Philadelphia iron with an attached oil house. It took three years to complete the new lighthouse. On October 15, 1874, the lightkeeper lit the new first order Fresnel lens for the first time.

The light was originally made up of four concentric wicks with lard oil (pig fat) being used for fuel. The nightmark for the light was a three-minute fixed flash. In 1885, the fuel changed to kerosene. A new brick building was constructed on the grounds to house this more dangerous fluid. Kerosene continued to be the fuel until the lighthouse received electricity in 1936. With electricity, the speed of the lens rotation also increased making the nightmark a 30 second fixed flash.

In 1955, the lighthouse became automated and the last lightkeeper retired. Lamplighters were then employed to take care of the lens. Lamplighters did not live at the light station. They came usually twice a day to check on the light, clean the lens, and make sure everything was working correctly. In 1989, the last lamplighter in St. Augustine, Mr. Henry "Hank" Mears, retired. The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary now maintains the light once a week.

The lighthouse remains an active aid to navigation under the US Coast Guard.