Endurance triumphs over every calamity, as stated by Virgil.
St. Marks, Florida’s second oldest lighthouse, has weathered numerous storms and challenges. The initial lighthouse, failing inspection, required reconstruction in 1831 and succumbed to erosion.
The third lighthouse, relocated in 1842, served as a Confederate stronghold during the Civil War. Despite damage during the conflict, repairs ensued, including the installation of a Fresnel lens in 1866.
Female keepers, like Anne Dudley and Sarah Fine, faced their own trials, with Dudley never compensated for storm losses and Fine taking on the role after her husband’s death in 1905.