Bricklaying Ceremony To Kick Off St. George Lighthouse Rebuild
By Sue Clark on Sep 5, 2007 in Restoration 
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Ten thousand handwashed bricks later, the St. George Lighthouse Association has reason to celebrate. On September 15, 2007, a bricklaying ceremony will kick off the rebuilding of the Apalachicola, Florida lighthouse that collapsed into the sea in October, 2oo5. Damaged by erosion and tropical storms, including Hurricane Dennis, the lighthouse collapsed into a pile of rubble. Volunteers with the association vowed to replace the lighthouse and cleaned and palletized for storage every one of the bricks making up the 75 foot tower. With recent legislative action, the final funds have been procured and the rebuilding will begin.
In a celebration scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. EDT in the County Park on St. George Island, members of the St. George Lighthouse Association will be joined by government officials, descendants of former Keepers, reconstruction contractors, and lighthouse enthusiasts from around the state for a Historic Brick-Laying Ceremony. Governor Charlie Crist and Representative Will Kendrick, both of whom were instrumental in obtaining the funds that will make reconstruction possible, have been invited to attend. Also expected are Florida Lighthouse Association officers, led by President Stan Farnham from Naples, Florida.
Cape St. George has been battered by storms since the first lighthouse was built near Apalachicola Bay, in 1833. The new Cape St. George lighthouse, built of cannibalized parts from the lighthouse it was replacing, was lit in 1848, but only lasted three years until it too fell victim to a strong gale along with three other towers. An area 250 feet inland from the original was selected, and another tower was built. This survived until around 1995 with only routine maintenance, but a series of storms battered it more, until Hurricane George pushed it off its foundation. Although leaning, it still stood for more than ten years until it finally collapsed.
Much more history of the collapse, photos and the efforts to rebuild are to be found at the St. George Lighthouse Association website.
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