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Charleston Light (Sullivan's Island, South Carolina)
Although one of least beautiful lighthouses
in South Carolina, the new Charleston light is a lighthouse keepers dream come
true. Constructed in 1962, the
Charleston light has all the modern amenities including an elevator and air
conditioning. In 1848 the first lighthouse on Sullivan’s
Island was constructed. It was a
red square structure that contained a 6th-order Fresnel lens with a
fixed white light. This lighthouse lasted until 1872 when it was rebuilt. In 1988 another light tower was added
approximately 690 feet from the first and the pair of lights became known as the
Sullivan’s Island Range Lights. They were use to align the ships in the
Charleston Harbor Channel. The lights were renamed the South Channel Range
Lights in 1899. These lights no longer exist on the island. In 1962 the existing light was built to
replace the Morris Island Light. The changing channel made Sullivan’s Island
the best location for the new light. Being built in 1962, the structure reflects
the technology of the time. The tower is 163 feet tall and is built in
triangular shape to help protect it from hurricane winds. An internal elevator
ascends almost to the top with a stairway leading from the elevator to the
lantern room. The lighthouse building contains offices and is therefore
air-conditioned.
The initial lighting apparatus was also
state-of-the-art. In fact, with
28-million candlepower it was probably one of the most powerful lighthouses in
the world. Not only was this unnecessary, but the heat created from the lights
were dangerous, so in 1967 they were change to a lower intensity that only
emitted 1,170,000 candlepower – still a very powerful light. The light can be
seen for up to 26 miles. The lights
were automated in 1982 and remain on both day and night. Directions: Take US 17 to SC703 and
follow that through Mt. Pleasant to Sullivan’s Island.
The lighthouse can be easily seen from the road but is on U.S. Coast
Guard property and which is closed to the public.
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All pictures are the original work of Rick Totton and are protected under copyright laws. Do not reproduce any images from this website without permission of the author. Copyright (c) 2000 Rick Totton.
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