Amelia Island Lighthouse

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Amelia Island Light

(Amelia Island, Florida)

Amelia Island Lighthouse is the northern most lighthouse on the east coast of Florida. It is situated between Savannah, Georgia to the north and Jacksonville, Florida to the south. Amelia Island is 13 miles long and 2 miles wide. The lighthouse is located about two miles from the northern tip of the island.

In 1820 a lighthouse was built on Cumberland Island, Georgia, which is across the St. Mary’s River. The main channel into the St. Mary’s River shifted to the south and it became more advantageous to have a lighthouse on Amelia Island, so in 1839 the lighthouse on Cumberland Island was dismantled and the bricks were used to build the lighthouse on Amelia Island. The land was purchased from Maria Fernandina on April 15, 1838.

The tower is a 64-foot red brick conical tower built on a small hill that results in the light projecting 107 feet above sea level. The walls at the base are four feet thick. The stairs inside the lighthouse tower are made of granite. The stairs were hand hewn in New England and carried by ship to the nearby Fernandina Beach.

The original optic consisted of 14 lamps with 14-inch reflectors. The reflectors were later increased to 15-inch reflectors. In 1856 a 3^rd-order Fresnel lens was installed. A new cupola was added to the top of the lighthouse in 1881. In 1903 a new oil lamp was installed and rotation was added. The lighthouse was electrified in the 1935 and automated in 1956. The rotating light blinks once every 10 seconds and can been seen to approximately 16 miles. A red section was added to the lantern room windows to mark a dangerous sector in the southern direction.

Directions: The lighthouse is in a residential area and not open to the public. The lighthouse can be seen from Atlantic Ave next to Egan’s Creek. You can also view the light by turning north on 20th Street from Atlantic Avenue (Highway 200 or A1A) in Fernandina Beach. When 20th Street ends after two blocks turn right onto Highland Street and then make a quick left onto Lighthouse Circle from where you can see the lighthouse.

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