Winslow Lewis began work on the Saint Marks Lighthouse in 1829. Eroding shores forced it to be moved a short distance inland in 1842 to its present location. The adjoining keeper’s house is not original, having been rebuilt several times. During the Civil War, the lighthouse figured in military affairs because of its strategic position on the coast. Coastal raids launched from the blockading squadron made up much of the hostile action against the Confederacy in Florida, and one such raid in June 1862 destroyed a fortification near the lighthouse. In response, Confederate Army pickets were regularly stationed in or near the lighthouse. To prevent its use as a lookout tower, a naval party burned the steps and interior woodwork on July 15, 1863. In March 1865, Federal troops landed near the lighthouse for a major raid into the interior but were repulsed at the Battle of Natural Bridge. After the war, the lighthouse was restored to service and resumed its role as a navigational aid for Gulf Coast commerce.