Recent ceremonies held at Florida's St. Marks Lighthouse gave the United States Coast Guard a chance to show off to the public the progress they are making on the historic St. Marks Lighthouse, which they eventually plan to turn over to Florida's Department of Natural Resources.

The United States Coast Guard is appropriating $150,000 towards the stabilization of the lighthouse. However an additional $100,000 needs to be raised to completely restore the station before it can be opened to the public.

The National Wildlife Refuge has already provided a new subterranean power line to the complex. They also plan to resurface the road to the complex, redesign and build a parking lot and install a gated entrance. However that's just the tip of the iceberg.

Repairs that are needed, but currently no funds are available for include: repair missing windows and rotting window frames from tower; repair masonry cracks in the tower and the ledge under the lantern; replace the rope railing with original style and add an inner rail for safety; realign tilted lantern room support; install bulletproof glass; replace the five missing prisms in the lens; rewire interior of keepers house; install fire and safety alarms; replace water pump; replace rotten shutters replace fallen steps; re-floor porches; and build public restrooms.

The St. Marks Lighthouse, on the National Register of Historic Places, has a colorful history. 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. John's River. Repairs to a large hole in the side on the lighthouse were completed at the end of the war and a keeper's dwelling was attached in 1871.

Today this sturdy sentinel is surrounded by 96,000 acres of water and land that make up the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge. Alligators, Canadian Geese and American Bald Eagles make this beautiful area home.

The Florida Lighthouse Association (FLA) has now adopted the St. Marks Lighthouse as the focus for its annual fund-raising campaign. A state grant for $250,000 is available if only $50,000 in matching funds can be raised by FLA. The group is now appealing for donations for this project. If you would like to help, send your check to Florida Lighthouse Association, 4931 South Peninsula Drive, Ponce Inlet, FL 32127. Be sure to state that you want this donation allocated to St. Marks Lighthouse.