In 1810, the original St. Simons Island lighthouse began assisting mariners by marking the entrance to the St. Simons Sound. This tower was octagonal in shape, white in color, and constructed of tabby, was first used as a harbor light. The Lighthouse Board upgraded the seventy-five foot tower to the status of a coastal light when a third-order Fresnel lens was installed into the lantern room in 1857, increasing the effectiveness of the light. The tower and all of its supporting outbuildings were later destroyed by Confederate troops fleeing the advancement of the Union army in 1862.
After the war ended, the Lighthouse Board began the process of erecting a new light station in 1870. Work on the station was hampered due to outbreaks of sickness. Finally, after two years of construction, the new tower was completed and ready for service in September 1872. In 1880, an argument between the keeper and his assistant, a fight broke out on the lawn of the light station and the assistant shot and killed the keeper. As early as 1907, keepers at the lighthouse often heard the noises of someone walking down the spiral cast iron stairs, and after closer inspection, no one was ever found. Later, in 1972, the lighthouse was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Today, the lighthouse continues to operate as an active aid to navigation. Fitted with the third-order Fresnel lens, the light emits a white flash once a minute and can be seen up to twenty miles at
To visit the St. Simons Island Lighthouse, from Brunswick, take Hwy. 17 to the Torras Causeway. Take the causeway to Saint Simons Island. Make a right on King's Way and continue on King's Way until you see the airport on your left. At the next light, make a right on Mallory Street and travel one block to Beach View. Make a left and travel 1/4 mile until you reach 12th Street. Make a right and the lighthouse will be on your right.
sea in clear weather. The keeper’s quarters now serve as a museum operated by the Coastal Georgia Historical Society, and visitors may climb the 129 stairs for a great view of the Atlantic, the Island, and the St. Simons Sound. The lighthouse is open Monday – Saturday from 10am to 5pm and on Sundays from 1:30pm to 5pm. The admission cost is $4 for adults. For more information call (912) 638-4666.
This old Coast Guard Station is located at the public beach access near the lighthouse.
