Who We Are

The Mayport Lighthouse Association (MLA) is a volunteer-driven 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to saving and restoring the historic St. Johns River Lighthouse, first lit on January 1, 1859.

The association is also committed to safeguarding the cultural, historical, and maritime heritage of Mayport Village, including the St. Johns Lightship (1929 - 1954) and the 1954 art-deco style St. Johns Lighthouse, which remains an active aid to navigation operated by the U.S. Coast Guard.

Through education, community outreach, and preservation initiatives, MLA works to ensure that the stories of Mayport’s past remain part of its future.

St. Johns Lightship

LV-084

St. Johns Lighthouse

Then & Now

First lit on January 1, 1859, the St. Johns River Lighthouse stands on Naval Station Mayport, inaccessible to the public and partially buried under 8-10 feet of fill dirt. Relocating the tower to the Mayport Village waterfront would enable restoration, open it to visitors, and boost cultural, educational, and economic activity in the community.

"I can think of no other edifice constructed by man as altruistic as a lighthouse.

They were built only to serve."

-George Bernard Shaw