Study Confirms Potential for Relocating Historic St. Johns River Lighthouse

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Bringing history to the forefront.

A recent study has confirmed the feasibility of transferring the St. Johns River Lighthouse from its current position at Naval Station Mayport to a site where it can be easily accessed by visitors.

According to the Mayport Lighthouse Association, this historic structure was erected in the 1850s and ceased operations in 1929.

The proposal involves moving the lighthouse just up the street, away from the base, allowing people to once again explore its heights. However, achieving this will require significant time and financial investment.

“I enjoy it because I live in the neighborhood, I know it’s here,” said Marie Lyon Carney, who lives near the lighthouse. “It’s like my own private lighthouse.”

Lyon Carney can look off her front steps and see the old St. Johns River Lighthouse.

Although she’s looked at it every day for the four years she’s lived in Mayport Village, she’s never been to the top.

“I’ve never been invited by the Navy to do that, darn it,” said Lyon Carney. 

That’s because there’s a fence separating her neighborhood from the lighthouse, which sits on Naval Station Mayport’s property. 

However, she may be able to take on the steps at some point in the not-too-distant future.

“Make sure that it’s restored, set up, so it’ll be there for our children, grandchildren, forever really,” said Dan Hogan with the Mayport Lighthouse Association. 

Hogan says the Mayport Lighthouse Association’s first proposal was to move the fence for the Mayport base so the public could get to the old lighthouse.

“They [The Navy] said, ‘No. It’s too much of a sensitive location, we just can’t let the public in here,’” Hogan said.

The plan on the table now is to move it about a quarter of a mile away on the other side of A1A, where a house already stands that Hogan says could function as a museum at the base of the lighthouse.

“The plan is to take the top off, saw the tower off at the current ground level, leaving the 8-10 feet underground still there,” said Hogan. “They have a diamond-studded chainsaw they can cut it off with, lift it up hydraulically and put it on the crawlers.”

Hogan says a study determined it’d be about $6 million between the move and restoration, but the lighthouse would charge admission to pay for its own maintenance afterward.

It’s a lot of time and planning, but for Hogan, it’s a personal mission to shine a light on history.

“I remember seeing that lighthouse out the window of the school bus. I believe that’s the first lighthouse I ever saw,” Hogan said.

Hogan said he hopes this is done within the next five years, but believes it could be done in two if they can get the money together quickly.

He said the next step is using the feasibility study to seek grant funding – the association is open to federal, state, local or private dollars to get the job done.

A Mayport spokesperson shared the following statement on the possibility of the lighthouse being moved off the base:

“Naval Station Mayport has been in close communication with the Village of Mayport and Mayport Lighthouse Association regarding the St. Johns River Lighthouse. 

“The Navy is supportive of the move if a legitimate organization would fund the move and meet all subsequent requirements. Additionally, we would not object to the height of the lighthouse with COJ zoning if it was moved to the village of Mayport shoreline.”