How a mailman saved the St. Augustine Amphitheatre

On a warm Florida night, as the moon rises over the Atlantic and the St. Augustine lighthouse casts its familiar beam across the sky, music pulses from a once-forgotten stage, now one of the most revered amphitheatre venues in the world.

But before the lights, the fans and the sold-out shows, the St. Augustine Amphitheatre — now known to many simply as “The Amp” — was a crumbling relic with broken stairs, rotting wood and no real future.

It took a man with a mailbag and a mission to change that.

Act I: A vision for the amphitheatre

John Reardon didn’t set out to save a landmark. He was just trying to stay in shape.

“I used to run the stairs here when nobody else was around,” Reardon recalled, standing on the very steps he once trained on. “It was rundown, water would collect in the pit … but I thought to myself, what a gem this used to be.”

Back in the early 2000s, Reardon was a young mailman newly settled in St. Augustine. While delivering letters downtown, he developed a fascination with the disrepair and forgotten potential of the local amphitheater.

It didn’t take long for that fascination to turn into a mission.

Act II: The rebuild

Still in his 30s, Reardon made an unexpected decision: He ran for county commissioner.

“I got elected,” he said with a chuckle. “This was one of the things I wanted to focus on.”

One of his first stops in office? Back to the broken-down amphitheater steps he once ran daily. He crossed paths with Les Thomas, a respected local architect.

“It was really just a mailman and a local architect,” Reardon said. “We started dreaming together.”

Thomas dove deep into research, studying amphitheaters around the world. Inspired by global designs and local charm, they reimagined the space from the ground up.

Gone were the moss-covered benches and rusty rails. In their place: a sweeping white canopy, modernized seating, acoustic enhancements and the signature overhead fan that’s become an icon in itself.

Their dream had found its foundation.

Act III: Center Stage

Today, the St. Augustine Amphitheatre is no longer a hidden treasure; it’s a crown jewel.

“We are rated No. 2 in the United States right now behind Red Rocks in Denver, Colorado. And No. 3 in the world,” said Diyana Markovits, a spokesperson for the venue.

From chart-topping headliners to grassroots folk festivals, The Amp draws music lovers from across the globe. Thousands gather here each year, feet tapping on steps that were once too broken to climb.

In the middle of it all, John Reardon sometimes finds himself standing quietly in the back, gazing toward the stage.

“It’s done,” he said, smiling. “It’s here. … It’s here for everybody to enjoy.”

Now retired from politics, he no longer has to carry the weight of vision — only the joy of watching it come to life.

A legacy in lights

As concertgoers dance beneath the stars, most will never know about the mailman who saw past the ruins. But the amphitheater’s every note and every echo tell a story of vision, grit and community.

And on the nights when the lighthouse glows and music fills the air, it’s clear: This stage isn’t just built on concrete and steel. It’s a reminder of how far a little vision can go.

This story was produced by News4Jax, a Jacksonville Today news partner.