Old St. Augustine FL Lighthouse by Harbour Lights

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>Catalog Index >2002 >Old St. Augustine Florida

2002 by State:
California
Battery Point 278
Florida
Old St. Augustine 275
St. Augustine ORN 715
Georgia
Tybee ORN 715
Hawaii
Kilauea OE 437
Indiana
Old Mich. City ORN 715
Maine
Boon Island 273
Cape Elizabeth ORN 715
Hendricks Head 274
Maryland
Drum Point OE 440
Turkey Point 279
Massachusetts
Clark's Point 284
Highland OE 439
Minot's Ledge SE 646
Monomoy Point 269
Michigan
Rock of Ages 271
Missouri
Mark Twain 654
New Jersey
Absecon 277
Tuckers Island 276
New York
Coney Island ORN 540
Crossover Island 714
Ft Tompkins Spring 652
Ft Tompkins Summer 655
Ft Tompkins Fall 656
Ft Tompkins Winter 657
Race Rock 272
Statue Liberty OE 438
North Carolina
Bald Head OE 442
Cape Hatteras OE 401R
Cape Lookout OE 441
Hatteras Beacon 537
Roanoke River 538
Rhode Island
Bullock Point 280
South Carolina
Cape Romain 283
Virginia
Wolf Trap 282

Fresnel Lenses
Three & One Half 650
Third Order Beehive 651
Fourth Order 658

USCG Ships
Utility Boat 112
Life Boat 44' 113 Rev
Rigid Hull 114

Old St. Augustine Florida
Harbour Lights #275

Old St. Augustine, the sentinel of the Ancient City, was first completed in 1824. The lantern of this magnificent beacon held ten patent lamps with fourteen-inch reflectors. On April 3,1824 the lamps were lit. The old Spanish watchtower along with its historic fort ,became the first official lighthouse in Florida. For years the Lighthouse Keepers continued their duties with no incident, until, in late 1859, a tragedy occurred. As Keeper Joseph J. Andreu was pulling himself up about 60 feet high along the tower on a scaffold to begin the arduous task of whitewashing the Lighthouse, the ropes on the scaffold suddenly gave way.

The sixty-year-old Andreu plummeted to his death. At this tragic turn of events, the government appointed Andreu’s wife to the new Keepers position. She served as the first woman Keeper of the Light Station at St. Augustine.

With the Civil War in 1861, came the federally ordered dismantling of the St. Augustine Light. After the war ended and considerable effort was put forth in repairing the ramshackle tower, the Lighthouse board published, “Notice is hereby given that on and after June 1,1867 the light at St. Augustine, Honda will be re-exhibited. The light is on the north end of Anastasia Island, south side of the entrance to St. Augustine. The focal plane is 57 feet from sea level, and should be seen a distance of3 nautical miles. The lenses are of the fourth order, white, fixed, varied by flashes, with intervals of 20 seconds and illuminating an arc of 360 degrees. The tower is white surmounted by a lantern painted black.

The Keepers dwelling is in front of the tower, seaward, is two stories high and painted white. But Old St. Augustine faced a new enemy, erosion. By 1871, it was decreed that a new lighthouse would be constructed. The new tower would be built about 600 yards away from the old beacon, on firmer soil. As soon as the new lighthouse at St. Augustine was completed in 1874, it became a popular tourist destination. Reports of the nations newest and one of
the tallest lighthouses began filtering back to people all over the country. The lighthouse was frequently mentioned in print.

By 1880 erosion had taken it’s toll on the Old St. Augustine Lighthouse and it toppled into the sea. The new lighthouse still stands, but we have chosen to pay tribute to the historic, old landmark, which is gone, but not forgotten.

HL#	Name	MSRP	Introduced	Retired	Edition
275	Old St. Augustine FL		Jan 02		5,500