Florida Historical Markers Programs - Marker Detail

Description: Noted lighthouse builder, Winslow Lewis, began work on the Saint Marks structure in 1829. Eroding shores forced relocation a short distance inland, in 1842 to its present location. The adjoining keeper's house is not original having been rebuilt on several occasions. During the Civil War the lighthouse played a role in military affairs primarily because of its strategic position on the coast. Coastal raids launched from the blockading squadron comprised much of the hostile action against the Confederacy in Florida. One such raid in June of 1862 resulted in the destruction of a fortification located near the lighthouse. In response to the danger of raids of this nature, Confederate Army pickets were positioned in or near the lighthouse on a regular basis. To deter the use of the lighthouse as a lookout tower, a naval party landed and burned the steps and interior woodwork on July 15, 1863. In March of 1865 Federal troops landed near the lighthouse for a major raid into the interior only to be repulsed at the battle of Natural Bridge. Restored to service after the war it resumed the role of a navigational aid for Gulf Coast commerce.