By Julia Roberts
The Amelia Island Lighthouse began life on Cumberland Island in Georgia. Almost two centuries later, on Thursday, Aug. 7, it was the center of a ceremony to reopen it after a major renovation by the city of Fernandina Beach.
The lighthouse was built in 1820 on Cumberland, across the channel from Amelia Island. However, as the channel shifted southward, the light became ineffective as a navigational aid. In 1834, a group of mariners and merchants petitioned Congress to have the lighthouse moved to Amelia Island. In 1838, the 67-foot tower was dismantled, brick by brick, and reassembled on the bluff overlooking Egans Creek, 60 feet above sea level and a quarter mile from the ocean, putting it on the highest elevation and most inland lighthouse in the state.
But the 21st century found the structure suffering from age and moisture, fueling the need for major restoration. Rick Kimble is a project manager for Specialized Services Group, the company that performed the work. He spoke at the reopening.
“We had no idea the amount of moisture that was trapped inside these walls,” Kimble said. “We went into action, got a bunch of dehumidifiers, I had a heater going, we had the inside of this lighthouse cooking, trying to get it dried out.”
The company worked on the exterior of the building as well, shoring it up for the future.
“We cut out a ton of cracks on the plaster outside, in-filled the cracks,” Kimble said. “The cracks were letting moisture into the building, where it was trapped. We dried it from the inside out, and were still able to accomplish our feat. We put mineral silicone coating on the outside of the building, which means it will stay bright white for at least 20 to 25 years.”
Deputy City Manager Jeremiah Glisson called the restoration “a challenging project.”
“This isn’t just a normal building,” Glisson said. “It’s the oldest building on Amelia Island. It does create some complications. It’s not built to the standards we have today, but it’s still standing.”
Glisson and Fernandina Beach City Manager Sarah Campbell both spoke of the funding that made the renovation possible.
“Thanks to Lorilei Jacobs, our grant writer, thank you for your expertise in securing these funds on the city’s behalf,” Campbell said. “The Florida Lighthouse Association contributed a grant for $125,000 and then a state appropriation was $500,000 for the Special Category Resources grant. We wouldn’t be standing here looking at this improved structure without the funding. Congressman Aaron Bean had a heavy lift, and some others who made that possible.”
Congressman Bean, a Fernandina Beach native, said that while he did not know how to “change the light bulb,” he did know who to call.
“This beacon, that shines over 16 miles out, for a boat in distress or a boat that’s looking for hope, this ray gives them that hope and lets them know exactly where they are,” Bean said. “I am all in to preserve this lighthouse. It’s a source of community pride.”
While it is open, the light in the lighthouse is currently not operational. The motor that spins the lens on the lights is out of order. A new motor is slated to be installed this month, so the lighthouse will once again shine out over the ocean from Amelia Island.
“When we were here in March (when renovations began), I mentioned that the structure is 187 years old and the work that we were doing was going to set the stage for the next 187 years,” Campbell said. “That puts us into the year 2212. That’s the future that we want for this site, this facility and the community of Fernandina Beach.”
jroberts@nassaunewsline.net
