America is a young country and some of our most precious and fragile historical monuments stand as teaching tools for future generations to study, admire, and proudly show the world. Lighthouses are stately structures of architectural significance. The St. Simons Lighthouse and its classic keeper's cottage is one of the best examples of American lighthouse architecture in the South. It is also one of the most photographed lighthouses with its tapering bright white brick tower against a brilliant blue sky.

Located in the Village area of St. Simons Island the lighthouse sits as a picturesque guardian of countless visitors and residents of the village. The lighthouse is the most visited and most recognizable lighthouse in Georgia. The original lighthouse was built by James Gould in 1808, 25 feet from the current tower. The original lighthouse site, located by a state archaeologist in 1972, is marked and visited by many who have come to know the lighthouse through the book, Lighthouse, Eugenia Price, Bantam House, 1971, an historically based novel of James Gould, builder of the first light on St. Simons Island and life on the island.

The lighthouse site was part of the colonial Fort St. Simons, part of General James Oglethorpe's defense against the Spaniards. The original structure was a white, tapered octagonal structure 75 feet tall. It was constructed of tabby and brick, and was topped by a ten foot iron lantern lit by oil lamps that were suspended by chains. The original tower specifications from Washington (Treasury Department 1807) called for brick construction. Local resources made quality brick difficult to manufacture and tabby was used for all but the top twelve and one half feet. The builder of the lighthouse, James Gould, was appointed by President James Madison to be the first keeper of the light and served in that position until he retired in 1837.

The Civil War took its toll on the lighthouse as it did on the island's plantation life on the island. The Union blockage, and later invasion by Union troops, forced the Confederates to abandon the coastal islands. Before they left, Confederate soldiers destroyed the lighthouse so it could not be used by Northern ships as a navigational aid.

The present lighthouse was designed by Charles B. Cluskey, Architect. After much illness among the construction crew, one of his bondsmen came to finish the lighthouse in order to protect his investment, but he too became ill. The tower was finally completed by a second bondsman and the lamps were lit in 1872. A third order Fresnel lens was mounted at 104 feet above sea level. The new tower, painted white, is 106 feet tall and provides a grand view of the island. The climb to the top includes 129 steps. The lighthouse still functions automatically, showing a light that is visible for 21 miles out to sea on a clear night.

The lighthouse continues under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Coast Guard with the assistance of the Coast Guard Auxiliary, who checks the light and lens routinely. In 1984, the Coastal Georgia Historical Society signed a lease with the Coast Guard to allow visitors to climb to the top as part of their tour. The Coastal Georgia Historical Society is responsible for the maintenance of the lighthouse while the Coast Guard maintains the light. The view from the top of the St. Simons Lighthouse is breath taking and is a perfect place to get a panoramic view of the island and adjacent coastal waters.

St. Simons Island Lighthouse

Five lighthouses still stand along the approximate 100 miles of Georgia coast. These lighthouses are rich in the history that forms the foundation of America. Shortly after General James Olgethorpe established the colony of Georgia, he commissioned one of the first public structures in colonial America, a lighthouse. The first documented Georgia "skyscraper" was built of wood on a sandy beach to assist with the navigation of ships bringing settlers and supplies to colonial America.

Lighthouses are endangered species of sorts. Of the approximate 800 lighthouses still standing, less than 500 are still functional. Of the five lighthouses in Georgia two are operational, three are open to the public, and all are having, about to have, or have just had renovation work done. Historical societies, the U.S. Park Service, the State of Georgia, and a private home owners' association are trying to preserve these historical towers for future generations. Continued citizens' and government involvement in the preservation of the lighthouses is necessary to save them from becoming extinct.