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Georgetown Lighthouse

SC PICTURE PROJECT 30 Comments

SC Picture Project / Georgetown County / Georgetown Lighthouse

The Georgetown Lighthouse – also called the North Island Light – is the elder of the two federally-operated lighthouses that remain in South Carolina. Guarding the entrance to Winyah Bay in Georgetown County, the lighthouse was built in 1811 and restored in 1867 after suffering damage during the Civil War.

North Island Lighthouse

Bryan Maleckar of Georgetown, 2017 © Do Not Use Without Written Consent

The light’s history dates to 1789 when Revolutionary War patriot Paul Trapier donated land on North Island for the construction of a light. Rice and indigo were Georgetown‘s major cash crops, and planters and merchants depended on the city’s port to trade their wares. Ships traveling between North and South islands, which flank the entrance to Winyah Bay, needed a light to ensure safe piloting. The newly-formed federal Lighthouse Service appropriated funds towards the construction of the light in 1795 and again in 1798. In 1801 a 72-foot-tall cypress light tower was constructed on Trapier’s parcel, though it was destroyed by a storm in 1806.

Historic North Island Light

Lighthouse Friends, Date Unknown © Do Not Use Without Written Consent

The light tower was rebuilt in brick in 1811 with the use of slave labor and remained in use for several decades. The solid masonry structure even served as an encampment for soldiers during the War of 1812 and as a refuge during the hurricane of 1822 that wiped out most dwellings in the area.

North Island Lighthouse

Carol Aydt of Georgetown, 2018 © Do Not Use Without Written Consent

During the Civil War, Confederate troops used the light tower as a lookout, only to have it captured by Union troops in May of 1862. The tower suffered damage during its Federal occupation; it underwent extensive repairs in 1867, at which time its height was increased to 87 feet. Though the 1886 Charleston earthquake reached as far as Georgetown, the new light suffered minimal damage from the disaster and has been in continuous use since it was built, though it became automated in 1986. Today the light is operated by the United States Coast Guard.

Old Georgetwon Lighthouse

Phil Wilkinson of Georgetown, 2013 © Do Not Use Without Written Consent

Two resort villages for planters once graced North Island. The original one – called La Grange – was established in the eighteenth century. In 1777, it was the site where the Marquis de Lafayette first landed in America after a 54-day voyage from France. The second village, named Lafayette in his honor, was up and running by 1820. It consisted of a church, more than 100 vacation homes, and several plantations. Wealthy white families gathered here to socialize and escape inland humidity.

North Island Resort

Georgetown Digital Library, Kaminski-Prevost Collection, 1910-1920 © Do Not Use Without Written Consent

Hurricanes in both 1820 and 1822 damaged the buildings on the island, and during the 1822 storm, at least 125 people drowned – the vast majority of them slaves. The community rebuilt by 1825, this time adding a school. However, hurricanes continued to ravage North Island, and these natural disasters, combined with the Civil War, led to the demise of the village. In its place, a pier and pavilion were built in 1910, and visitors came to North Island for day trips and evening dances. The pier and pavilion eventually burned, signifying the end of North Island as a beachside destination.

North Island Resort

Georgetown Digital Library, Kaminski-Prevost Collection, 1910 © Do Not Use Without Written Consent

In 2001, the lighthouse property became part of the Tom Yawkey Wildlife Center Heritage Preserve. Tom Yawkey, former owner and president of the Boston Red Sox baseball team, willed 31 square miles of land – which included both North and South islands – to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources upon his death in 1976 with the exception of the lighthouse acreage, which later was added. The preserve includes a diversity of natural communities, including marsh, wetlands, longleaf pine forests, and the open ocean. Wild game and non-game species alike are protected here, including more than 200 species of birds.

North Island Whale

Georgetown Digital Library, Kaminski-Prevost Collection, 1921 © Do Not Use Without Written Consent

Georgetown’s Fresnel Lens


The following article was generously contributed to the SC Picture Project by Becky Billingsley of Myrtle Beach.

Its beauty belies the purpose of the lighthouse lens, which was critical for survival and for the local economy. In these days of sonar and radar and Doppler, it’s hard to believe that for more than a century such a fragile creation guided seafarers safely into port.

Fresnel Lens

Charles Slate of The Sun News, 2014 © Do Not Use Without Written Consent

The Georgetown Lighthouse, located 14 miles from the port city on North Island, is the oldest operating lighthouse in South Carolina, and one of the oldest in the United States. During the Civil War, the circa 1811 brick conical structure was heavily damaged. Its reconstruction in 1867 included extending the lighthouse to 87 feet and installing a 5th order (1st order is the largest of 11 orders) Fresnel (pronounced fray-nell) lens.

Sautter, Lemonnier and Cie in Paris manufactured the lens, which was invented by French physicist Augustin-Jean Fresnel in 1822. “It’s a series of clear glass prisms above and below the light source, which captures as much as 80 percent of the light source and beams it out to sea,” says Robert “Mac” McAlister, a historian and author who was instrumental in getting the lens returned to Georgetown. “The more prisms there are, the more light.” The light was fixed (versus rotating), and its concentrated beams could be seen up to 15 miles away.

Whale oil, then kerosene kept the light burning inside the lens until it was electrified. Lighthouse keepers who lived on the sparsely inhabited island kept its bristled edges clean and unbroken until 1968, when the U.S. Coast Guard took over the lighthouse’s operation. In 1986 it was automated, and in 1999, after 132 years of service, the Georgetown Lighthouse Fresnel lens was removed and retired from use.

The lens was displayed at a USCG facility in Miami, Florida, but after the SC Maritime Museum was established in 2011, its members began the process of seeking the lens’ return to Georgetown. On July 31, 2014, a reception was held to welcome the lens into the museum’s collection on a 10-year loan from the Coast Guard. It’s handsomely displayed inside a replica of the top of the Georgetown lighthouse, where its welcoming warm light still beckons visitors.

Reflections on the North Island Lighthouse


Dan Christie, a resident of Akron, Ohio and the artist below the painting above, recounts his 2008 tour of the Old Georgetown Light: “On one occasion the storm surge raised the water level to the bottom window of the lighthouse, which is easy to imagine. We loved the tour, and saw dolphins, pelicans, seashells, and even a bald eagle. I love South Carolina – thank you!”

Georgetown Lighthouse SC

Dan Christie of Akron, OH, 2008 © Do Not Use Without Written Consent

R. Myers Truluck, Jr. of Lake City shares, “There was an entire village on North Island along North Inlet called Lafayette Village that had a church, school, and lots of summer homes for the planters. When I was a child we would take our boat to North Island to spend the day on the deserted beach, and I used to find antebellum clay pipes and porcelain sherds. Over by the light house at one time there were two large keepers’ houses, one of which was floated over from South Island, as well as this dance pavilion. They burned, and the Coast Guard built an unattractive station there in the 1960s. When I was a kid, the Department of Corrections was using the building to house youth offenders. The guards would sometimes come down to the beach and ask you to take your keys out of your boat, and if there was no key, they’d ask you to take the spark-plugs out of your outboard so the kids wouldn’t try to escape.”

Plan Your Trip: Georgetown Lighthouse

Where is Georgetown Lighthouse located?
Address: Winyah Bay, North Island, SC 29440
GPS Coordinates: 33.222650,-79.185087
What else should I see?
Winyah Bay 7.6 miles
Battery White 13.5 miles
Hobcaw Barony 15 miles
Sampit River 15.8 miles
Show me more like this!
  • Georgetown Historic Sites
  • See other South Carolina Lighthouses
  • See other South Carolina National Register
    Georgetown Lighthouse Map

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. David says

      June 28, 2020 at 10:29 AM

      Do you offer “stamping” of lighthouse passports?

      Reply
    2. Hope McFaddin says

      February 10, 2020 at 3:58 PM

      Bob Blot, I’m with the SC Maritime Museum. You can contact us at info@sc-mm.org. Our curator may have information he can share with you regarding Georgetown Lighthouse keeper Kajetan E. Kremser.

      Reply
      • SC Picture Project says

        February 13, 2020 at 10:50 AM

        Hope, that is so generous and we really appreciate your reaching out to Bob! It’s an honor to have you help!

        Reply
    3. Bob Blot says

      February 3, 2020 at 9:14 PM

      Does anyone know if Georgetown Lighthouse keeper Kajetan E. Kremser (1914-1919) had any connection with the Charleston lighthouse? In the 1910 US Census, his occupation was listed as a lighthouse keeper and he and his family were living in Santee, South Carolina.

      Reply
    4. Joann C. Fairbourn says

      December 30, 2019 at 2:28 PM

      Do you know if there are any published journals or records by the lighthouse keepers? Capt Robert Marsh was my GGGGgrandfather. He died on 30 April 1829 on North Island. He was the lighthouse keeper at the time. I was hoping maybe there were some journals he kept somewhere.

      Reply
    5. Susan says

      November 11, 2019 at 2:16 PM

      Can you view lighthouse from land? Or is it only visible by boat?

      Reply
      • Frances G. Johnson says

        December 11, 2019 at 9:17 AM

        Yes you can! It is easy and beautiful. You do however need to be in shape, lol!

        Reply
    6. David H. Brown says

      June 14, 2019 at 3:18 PM

      It is a fascinating story. It is a historical fictional account based on that actual event. Williamsburg, Charleston, and Georgetown counties are all involved. It will be available on Amazon, eBooks, and at Barnes and Noble. If you would like to help me set up a book signing I would greatly appreciate it!

      Reply
    7. David H. Brown says

      June 14, 2019 at 9:24 AM

      In early January 1870 my great grandfather, Sidney McGill Brown, was challenged to a duel by a young man and was demanded to name a time and place to meet. Sidney named the lighthouse on North Island as the place and Saturday, January 22 noon as the time. I have written a book about this entitled “Only Death” which should be available in July 2019.

      Reply
      • SC Picture Project says

        June 14, 2019 at 12:53 PM

        Wow, David – now THAT is interesting! We can’t wait to see the book. Thank you for sharing this.

        Reply
    8. Margaret Brown says

      May 27, 2019 at 5:21 PM

      My great-grandfather was Daniel J. Knight. He was the lighthouse keeper from 1886-1887 when he drowned trying to save a fisherman who was drowning.

      Reply
      • Lee Brockington says

        July 17, 2019 at 6:49 PM

        I would love to know more about the lighthouse keeper in your family. I am a historian at Hobcaw and we are beginning to lead tours in collaboration with Yawkey Wildlife Center. Are there already publications that include info on him or may l talk to you by phone sometime?

        Reply
    9. Kelly says

      February 12, 2019 at 8:00 AM

      We are visiting Myrtle Beach this summer for a few days. I LOVE lighthouses. Is there a tour of one in the area?

      Reply
      • SC Picture Project says

        February 13, 2019 at 2:58 PM

        While not in Myrtle Beach, there is an offering in nearby Georgetown. There is a fantastic tour company known as Cap’n Rod’s who will take you by boat to North Island so you can explore the beach there, look for shells, as well as see the North Island Lighthouse up close. It is a beautiful area and not to be missed if you have the time! Here is a link to his tour: http://www.lowcountrytours.com/

        Reply
    10. Terrry Koston says

      September 29, 2018 at 8:13 PM

      Stationed here in the mid 60s. Magical place with a million great memories. Yes, Tom Yawkey was a first class person and he along with the those who worked on “South Island” treated the Coast Guard exceptionally well. The “Skinner Pilots” were great masters of the Inlet & Bay. Sorry to see the light in its present condition.

      Reply
      • SC Picture Project says

        September 30, 2018 at 11:49 AM

        Terry, thank you so much for writing in! We would love to hear any and all stories you can think of about being stationed here. If you think of anything else you can share with our readers, please let us know because your experience is so valuable. Thank you again!

        Reply
    11. Dan Hart says

      December 31, 2017 at 8:41 AM

      Is metal detecting allowed on North Island?

      Reply
      • SCIWAY says

        December 31, 2017 at 11:30 PM

        We doubt it, but you can reach out directly to the Tom Yawkey Wildlife Center, which owns the property. The phone number is 843-546-6814 – hope this helps!

        Reply
    12. Franklin Sams says

      April 23, 2017 at 3:45 PM

      Can I send this to a friend who is from Georgetown, but now lives on Hilton Head? He’s an architect.

      Reply
      • SCIWAY says

        April 24, 2017 at 9:51 AM

        Sure!

        Reply
    13. Jessica loos says

      March 24, 2017 at 3:28 PM

      Are there still tours? My family and I are traveling down there in two weeks. We’d love to come see the beautiful lighthouse.

      Reply
      • SCIWAY says

        March 25, 2017 at 7:50 AM

        It is! http://discoversouthcarolina.com/products/25741

        Reply
    14. Dawn Curtis says

      September 17, 2015 at 7:48 PM

      Is this lighthouse open to the public ?

      Reply
      • SCIWAY says

        September 18, 2015 at 8:56 AM

        No, it is closed to the public.

        Reply
    15. Linda Thomas-Cook says

      May 15, 2015 at 12:53 AM

      Going tomorrow for the first time. Can't wait!

      Reply
    16. Robin Welch says

      September 30, 2014 at 4:34 PM

      I love it when artists add paintings to the South Carolina's Picture Project …

      Reply
    17. MarkandJudy Davidson Webster says

      September 28, 2014 at 12:18 PM

      I was stationed there in 1972, the lenses were still in place and I met Tom Yawkey. The painting makes it look abandoned.

      Reply
    18. Wendy Leyes says

      September 14, 2013 at 3:09 PM

      In 1926, my mother and her family were living on the island, and the only other family there was the lighthouse keeper and his family. It is my understanding that my grandfather took care of a radio station/relay that he maintained for the U.S. Navy. I would dearly love to go there once.

      Reply
      • Lee Brockington says

        July 17, 2019 at 6:59 PM

        I would love to talk with you about your memories. I am a historian at Hobcaw Barony and lead tours in collaboration with Yawkey Wildlife Center. Your family story is an important one.

        Reply
    19. ariel says

      March 25, 2011 at 10:08 AM

      I love lighthouses – what a beautiful sight!

      Reply

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