By the 1840's, mariners had begun complaining that the harbor light was too weak, so officials decided to elevate the tower by adding ten feet. Complaints continued and in 1852 another twelve feet were added. However, even the extra height wasn't enough for mariners to differentiate between the lighthouse beacon and those lights of the nearby city. So, in 1854 a larger lantern and a fourth-order Fresnel lens were added to the tower. By the 1860's, erosion around the base of the lighthouse was a great concern.
In 1872, the Lighthouse Board funded a new light station for construction 600 yards to the southwest of the old one. Their action resulted in this 165-foot brick tower painted with spiraling black and white bands. It is the only spiral banded FL lighthouse. This lighthouse was equipped with a first-order Fresnel lens and six flights of stairs with frequent landings. Construction was completed in 1874.
After the light was automated in 1955, the federal government sold the station grounds to St. Johns County. The Junior Service League of St. Augustine later leased the property. In 1980 they began a sweeping restoration of the entire site, which resulted in it being returned to exceptional condition. At the time of my visit here in 2001, the original first-order Fresnel lens still functioned and was active. Although the frequent landings in the stairway make the 165-foot tower a less tiring climb to the lookout, it is well worth it for the sweeping view it affords of "America's Oldest City."
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