Amelia Island Lighthouse by the Numbers: 188 Years, 64 Feet and $10 Tours Twice a Month

FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla. - The Amelia Island Lighthouse is 188 years old, stands 64 feet tall and offers guided public tours twice a month for $10 per adult. Built in 1838, the lighthouse remains an active navigation aid, and the City of Fernandina Beach calls it "Florida's oldest operating lighthouse." The city says the beacon still guides vessels into the channel toward Fernandina Harbor.

The lighthouse stands at 215 O'Hagan Lane, where visitors can view the grounds on Saturdays or register for guided tours on designated Wednesdays. The city received the property from the U.S. Coast Guard in 2001 and began a restoration project in April 2025. Here are 12 numbers that explain the lighthouse's history, operation, restoration and visiting rules.

1838: The year Florida's oldest lighthouse was built

The Amelia Island Lighthouse was built in 1838, making it 188 years old in 2026. The City of Fernandina Beach describes it as "the state's oldest lighthouse" and "the only one from the Territorial Period that has survived without major rebuilding." The city notes that Florida was not yet a state when the lantern first shone.

According to Wikipedia, builders used materials from a lighthouse originally constructed in 1820 on the southern tip of Cumberland Island, Georgia. Workers dismantled that structure and rebuilt it on Amelia Island in 1838, meaning the original tower stood for 18 years before its relocation. The Amelia Island beacon first shone in 1839, making 2026 the 187th anniversary of its first lighting.

64 feet: The height of the lighthouse tower

According to Wikipedia, citing Coast Guard historical records, the brick tower originally stood 50 feet tall on a hill. In 1881, workers added a lantern that increased its height to 64 feet, a difference of 14 feet. That measurement describes the tower itself rather than the elevation of the light above sea level.

The 64-foot figure is the one in Coast Guard records cited by Wikipedia. The city's restoration project covers the tower's exterior facade. It also covers the interior brick and granite staircase, which visitors may not climb on tours.

107 feet: The light's elevation above sea level

The lighthouse's focal plane stands 107 feet above sea level, according to Wikipedia's account of Coast Guard records. This measurement differs from the tower's 64-foot height because the structure stands on elevated ground. The light guides vessels toward the channel leading into Fernandina Harbor.

The beacon marks St. Marys Entrance, which serves the St. Marys River, Cumberland Sound and Fernandina Harbor. Its white light flashes every 10 seconds, with red showing over a sector covering shoal water near Nassau Sound. According to Wikipedia, the U.S. Coast Guard Light List identifies the beacon as number 565.

1903: The Fresnel lens still operating today

The lighthouse uses a third-order Barbier Benard Fresnel lens installed in 1903, according to Wikipedia's historical information. The lens remains in service 123 years after its installation. It continues to serve the lighthouse's navigational purpose despite changes in how the beacon operates.

The lighthouse originally used a different lighting arrangement when it began operating in 1839. According to Wikipedia, its first equipment included 14 lamps, each paired with a 14-inch reflector. By 1848, the reflectors had increased to 15 inches.

1970: The year the lighthouse became automated

The Amelia Island Lighthouse was automated in 1970, according to Wikipedia. That was 56 years ago as of 2026. Before automation, the light was tended by civilian keepers.

Amos Latham served as the lighthouse's first keeper, according to Wikipedia's historical account. Later keepers included Thomas P. O'Hagan and his son, Thomas J. O'Hagan. The younger O'Hagan was the next-to-last civilian keeper, and the lighthouse's address today is on O'Hagan Lane.

2001: The year Fernandina Beach received the lighthouse

The City of Fernandina Beach received the lighthouse from the U.S. Coast Guard in 2001. That transfer places the property under city ownership for 25 years as of 2026. The Coast Guard, assisted by volunteers from the Coast Guard Auxiliary, remains responsible for the operating beacon.

The arrangement separates the city's responsibility for the historic property from the Coast Guard's responsibility for the light. Visitors seeking information about grounds access, tours and restoration can consult the city's lighthouse information. The city maintains its administrative offices at 204 Ash St. and lists (904) 277-7300 as its general telephone number.

April 2025: Restoration work begins

Fernandina Beach held a groundbreaking for the lighthouse restoration project in April 2025. The work includes repairs to the exterior facade and the interior brick and granite staircase. Specialized Property Services is performing the restoration work, while Walker Consultants provides third-party project management.

The city is carrying out the restoration in phases, with progress dependent on grant funding. Two grants had been received, and the city had applied for a third, according to the city's restoration page, reviewed Oct. 28, 2026. Visitors should call (904) 310-3350 before arranging a tour because the city's published information does not establish whether guided tours continue during restoration.

$10: The adult admission price for guided tours

Fernandina Beach charges $10 per adult for guided public lighthouse tours. Children ages 12 and younger pay $5 each, making the total $30 for a family of two adults and two children. Visitors must register before the tour and pay their admission fee when registering.

The city schedules guided tours for the first and third Wednesdays of each month, excluding observed city holidays. The tour bus departs promptly at 10 a.m. from the Atlantic Recreation Center at 2500 Atlantic Ave., rather than from the lighthouse itself. Participants may not climb the stairs inside the lighthouse.

24: The maximum scheduled public tour dates in a year

The first-and-third-Wednesday schedule provides up to 24 public lighthouse tour dates annually. The actual number can be lower when an observed city holiday falls on a scheduled tour day. Each tour requires at least 10 participants and can accommodate no more than 22.

At the maximum capacity of 22 adults paying $10 each, admission would total $220 for one tour. That figure is Jax Times math based on the city's published admission prices and capacity, not a report of actual tour revenue. To confirm a date and register, visitors can call (904) 310-3350 or visit the Atlantic Recreation Center.

$200: The starting price for private group tours

The city also offers private lighthouse tours for groups of 10 to 25 people. A weekday private tour costs $200, while a weekend private tour costs $250. These are group tour prices rather than per-person admission charges.

The city's published fees also cover filming and a lighthouse DVD. Filming costs $200 for two hours, with each additional hour priced at $100, while the DVD costs $15. Visitors arranging private tours or filming should confirm the applicable arrangements with the city.

215 O'Hagan Lane: The lighthouse's address and Saturday viewing hours

The Amelia Island Lighthouse stands at 215 O'Hagan Lane in Fernandina Beach, with access from North Wolff Street. The city opens the grounds for viewing on Saturdays from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m., providing a three-hour viewing window. Saturday access covers the grounds only and does not include climbing the tower.

The regular Wednesday guided tours operate separately from Saturday grounds access. The Atlantic Recreation Center, located at 2500 Atlantic Ave., serves as the departure point for those tours. Because restoration work is underway, visitors should confirm current tour arrangements by calling (904) 310-3350 before making plans.

300 acres: Egans Creek Greenway at the tour departure point

The Egans Creek Greenway protects more than 300 acres along Egans Creek in Fernandina Beach. The area opened for public use in summer 2000 and contains grass-covered roads that serve as walking and biking trails. It provides another outdoor destination for people visiting Amelia Island.

The greenway has entrances at 2500 Atlantic Ave., Jasmine Street, Citrona Drive and Sadler Road. Restrooms are available at the Nature Pavilion behind the Atlantic Recreation Center, which also serves as the departure location for lighthouse tours. According to the city, Nassau County has approximately 40 miles of bicycle trails on Amelia Island.

## How we did this Jax Times compiled this guide using information from the City of Fernandina Beach's lighthouse visitor information, lighthouse restoration project materials and Egans Creek Greenway pages, along with historical details published by Wikipedia. The information was reviewed Oct. 28, 2026, and calculations involving anniversaries, admission totals, tower height changes and tour schedules are Jax Times math based on those figures. Historical specifications concerning the tower, lamps, lens and automation are attributed to Wikipedia and its references to Coast Guard records, while current visitor fees and schedules come from the city. Readers can check fbfl.us or call (904) 310-3350 for current tour arrangements, especially while restoration work continues.