Seen in today's (Jacksonville, FL) paper (paraphrased): The Amelia Island Lighthouse was recently listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The designation will help ensure the lighthouse will be preserved & protected from deterioration. Still an active light, the beacon is maintained by the Coast Guard & its volunteers in the CG Auxiliary. The Coast Guard gave the lighthouse to the city of Fernandina Beach in 2001 and late last year, the city received a $350,000 state grant to clean, repair, & restore the structure. The project is expected to finish by June 2004 and the light will be opened for limited visitation, possibly two tours per month. The abbreviated visitation results from the lighthouse's location in a residential area. Originally built in 1820 on Cumberland Island, GA, the tower was dismantled, moved, & rebuilt in 1838/39 on it's current location. Unlike many lighthouses, Amelia's has a granite spiral stairway and it's original Fresnel lens.

Sounds good Stan. Limited visitation is better than none. And twice a month is a whole lot better than twice a year. Sounds like down the road it will be possible to work this one into vacation plans.

http://www.amelia-island-online.com/info/lightgo.cfm

Here is a picture of Amelia Island Lighthouse and the Stairs in question. I was took these pictures on 4/25 the day before the regional. As you can see the tower is in need of some serious TLC.



The stairs are in very bad shape and it is unsafe to climb the tower at the current time!

Thanks for sharing your pictures of the light. They help put a great perspective on the status of the light for those of us who have not seen it in person yet.

That photo that Kristin has posted -- and the one shown in her link is NOT Amelia Island Lighthouse.

It is a faux lighthouse home on Amelia Island. I remember seeing and taking a picture of this rental when there several years ago.

The REAL Amelia Island Lighthouse looks very much in need of the help that the $350,000 grant will provide -- at least as far as painting will go.

John, my picture dosen't show it but almost all the cement bettween the steps has deteriorated. The only thing holding the steps together is an iron bar that runs down the center of the colum. Here is another picture that show some serious damage to the iron work under the "catwalk". It has brokenn cleanly in two.

Stan - How much of the work has been done to date with the $350,000 grant? As others have said, limited visitation is better than no visitation. I would like to get inside of it when restoration/renovation is complete next year. Please, keep us all posted.

"Keeping The Flame Alive in New England"
Ron