A fun place to explore is the St Marks Lighthouse at the St Marks Wildlife Refuge. It is located on the Appalachee Bay/St. Marks River in St Marks (Wakula County) Florida. This beautiful area is home to many animals and birds including alligators, Canadian geese and eagles.
Before you get to the lighthouse there is a picnic area on this very pretty little inlet beside the road. It has live oak trees with their large limbs outstretched with Spanish moss waving in the wind beckoning you to stop. We stopped on the way back with our sandwiches and chips. We set the food out and then it happened! We were attacked by millions of “no-see-ums” that were all teeth. Needless to say we ate in our cars after we got through scratching.
If you like history, you can find 465 years that includes the stay of the first two appointed governors of west Florida, cannon fire, pirates, sunken ships, Indian wars, Friars, executions, invasion forces, and a place that twice served as a temporary seat of goverment.
The tower is 73 feet tall with a focal plane of 82 feet. The tower is attached to the 1 story duplex/brick keepers quarters, constructed in 1843. The station was established in 1831. The exsisting tower was first lit in 1842 and is still operational. It became automated in 1960. The tower is white with a black lantern. Its shape is conical. It presently has a 5th-order lens. The foundation is made of stone and the tower is made of brick.
Confederate soldiers tried to blow up the tower during the civil war to keep it from serving as a navigational aid for Union forces on the St Mark’s River. Repairs to a large hole in the side of the lighthouse were completed at the end of the war and a keeper’s dwelling was attached.
There were a lot of hungry birds looking for a hand out. My daughter put crackers on her grandpa’s hat but they refused it until it was put on the ground.
The alligator wanted to joined in, but I just took his photo and told him it was against the rules.
