Preservation, Pourings, and Pairings

On Friday, October 10, 2025, the St. Augustine Lighthouse and Museum hosts a fundraiser for the keeper's house. "Preservation, Pourings, and Pairings" offers a fun and informative evening when you can learn more about the keeper's house, tour the grounds, and sample food, wine, and beer pairings from some of St. Augustine's top restaurants. The evening starts at 7:00 p.m., and you'll have plenty of time to climb the lighthouse, tour the grounds, sample the savory delights, and sip your beverage of choice.

You'll hear stories about the keeper's house, the people who lived there, and its history. Additional activities include a silent auction, lighthouse-themed games, and fine painting while you watch. Proceeds from the event provide funds for restoring the keeper's house. 

Dress for a relaxed and polished party, and choose your shoes based on whether you want to climb the 219 steps to the top.

Admission: $75.00 per person. Tickets are available at the St. Augustine Lighthouse website.

When: Friday, October 10, 2025, from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m.

Where: St. Augustine Lighthouse and Museum, 100 Red Cox Drive, St. Augustine, Florida 32080

Information about the keeper's house: The keeper's house at the St. Augustine Lighthouse was constructed in 1876. It served as the residence for the lighthouse keeper and their assistants until 1955. In 1970, ownership was transferred to St. Johns County. Today, the building is part of the St. Augustine Lighthouse Museum and features exhibits highlighting the area’s rich maritime history. It is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

In 1970, a suspicious fire destroyed the vacant keeper’s house, which had already been declared excess property by the government. Around that time, St. Johns County was preparing to purchase the land, and there was some discussion about possibly developing condominiums there. But in 1980, just as demolition seemed likely, the Junior Service League proposed a plan to restore the site and create a maritime museum.

Over the next 15 years, the Junior Service League took on the project, raising more than $1.2 million to restore the keeper’s house, the lighthouse tower, and the original Fresnel lens, which had been damaged by a vandal’s bullet, shattering 19 of its glass prisms. In 1990, the teams completed the restoration of the keeper’s house, and in 1991, the U.S. Coast Guard replaced the destroyed lens with a modern airport-style beacon. Later that year, the League signed a lease with the Coast Guard and opened the site to the public. Now open year-round, seven days a week, the St. Augustine Lighthouse and Maritime Museum, including the keeper's house, is a popular attraction for tourists and locals.