SHRIMP Small Crustacean, Big Journey Biting into a crispy shrimp dipped in some tangy cocktail sauce is one of the most popular experiences to enjoy in our city! Shrimp have been a staple of St. Augustine seafood prior to World War II thanks to the ingenuity of one local resident. Sollecito “Mike” Salvador brought the fledgling shrimping industry to St. Augustine in the early 1900s. With the help of his family, Mike built shrimping [...]
Earlier this month, Rick Cain, the Director of Museum Services of the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum, announced his retirement after over 21 years of service. Rick joined the Museum in 2001 as the Visitor Services Coordinator and Safety Officer. Prior to working at the Museum, Rick worked as a Registered Nurse, training and skills that served him well as the Museum’s Safety Officer. In 2016, Rick was promoted to Director of Museum Services [...]
SPYGLASS MAGAZINE VOLUME 23 ISSUE 1 WHAT'S INSIDE SPYGLASS: THE SHRIMP JOURNEY HISTORIC PRESERVATION LIGHT STATION DISCOVERIES 1782 SHIPWRECK ARTIFACTS CREATING A LEGACY We are more than a lighthouse. We are a nonprofit that puts your dollars to work through historic preservation, education, conservation, archaeology, and shared history of local community and beyond. Thank you to our donors, volunteers, members, visitors, sponsors, ongoing supporters. We continue our mission because of you! You keep the [...]
Three Brown Bess Muskets Found on a Revolutionary War-era Shipwreck! At the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum, our maritime archaeologists excavated around 600 artifacts from a 1782 British Loyalist Ship – including three Brown Bess muskets. These muskets were found loaded, cocked and ready to be fired! The flint and leather pad were found in place on the gun, as well as the paper wadding. These artifacts were found on a Revolutionary War-era [...]
"Oldest Grill" Found on a Revolutionary War-era Shipwreck! At the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum, our maritime archaeologists excavated around 600 artifacts from a 1782 British Loyalist Ship – including a Grid Iron (a grill cooking grate.) These artifacts were found on a Revolutionary War-era shipwreck we called, “The Storm Wreck”. This site consists of up to sixteen ships that wrecked on a sand bar trying to enter the St Augustine harbor in [...]
As a loving tribute to mothers everywhere, our May's Legacy Program spotlight focuses on the legacy of Rosie Sebastiano. Her children have chosen to celebrate her life with a commemorative brick here at the St Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum. Since the Museum was Rosie’s “happy place,” her children know that they can visit and remember her here. We appreciate that they shared their unique story with us: Now we can meet in your favorite [...]
On th at day, our 1st order Fresnel lens was put back into service after being repaired. In 1986, a vandal shot the lens at the top of the Lighthouse tower damaging 19 of the prisms. Beginning in 1980, the Junior Service League led a massive community effort to restore the St. Augustine Light Station. The restoration of the Keepers’ House was completed in 1990 after a disastrous fire in 1970. The League opened the Lighthouse [...]
Each month we feature a Member Spotlight in our member newsletter giving our members a chance to share why the Museum is important to them and why they value their membership. This month we recognize Kelli McGreevy and Rick Poehlman. Members since 2021, Rick and Kelli were married on the front lawn of the Museum in December 2020! Kelli has been visiting the Lighthouse since she was a child while her dad was stationed at [...]
This December, the St. Augustine Record republished a series of Letters to Santa printed in the St. Augustine Evening Record from December 1921. Peter Willott, a reporter for the Record, worked with the staff at the St. Augustine Historical Society's Research Library to gather these letters. One of the letters came from little Eloise Malloy, the only daughter of Clarence and Agnes Malloy. Clarence served as the First Assistant Keeper of the St. Augustine Light [...]
There are few accounts of Christmas at the Light Stations across the country. One of these accounts is from Bette McCormick Olli who grew up at Grand Traverse Lighthouse. Her story gives a eyewitness record of how Keepers and their families balanced family life with duty to keeping the light shining. We hope that you enjoy her account and remember that, even today, we have men and women serving across the world sometimes with or [...]
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