South Carolina Lighthouses

Boasting one of the oldest lighthouses in North America and the most working lighthouses today, South Carolina has a long seafaring history. In 1767, the Morris Island Lighthouse was built at the entrance to Charleston Harbor, and before 1860, there were lighthouses in Georgetown, Cape Romain, Bull's Bay, and Hunting Island. During the Civil War, all lighthouses on the eastern coast were darkened. Many were destroyed. After the war, towers that had been damaged were repaired, and additional lights were erected on Daufuskie and Hilton Head Islands. In 1962, the new Charleston Light on Sullivan's Island replaced the Morris Island Lighthouse, which was suffering from erosion by the ever-encroaching sea. The new light contained an elevator and two rotating beacons capable of producing 28 million candlepower, a light that can be seen 26 miles out to sea. At that time, it was considered one of the most powerful lights in the Western Hemisphere.

South Carolina lighthouses have aided in marine navigation and saved lives for almost 250 years. With this in mind, Margie Willis Clary, South Carolina author and lighthouse enthusiast, has joined forces with Kim McDermott, Charleston author and educator, to present this history of the Palmetto State's lighthouses. The authors hope that Images of America: South Carolina Lighthouses will provide insight into how each light played a part in making our state's shores safer for seafarers from home and abroad.