South Carolina Lighthouses

The South Carolina coast is home to 11 lighthouses. Only two of them still function as lighthouses run by the US Coast Guard and many are not open to the public. They remain beautiful nonetheless, tall and graceful.

Focal height and coordinates are taken from the 1907 United States Coast Guard Light List, while location and dates of activation, automation, and deactivation are taken from the United States Coast Guard Historical information site for lighthouses.

Name Image Location Year first lit Year deactivated Focal Height
Bloody Point Range Front Light N/A Daufuskie Island 1883 1922
(Preserved) 		Unknown
Bloody Point Range Rear Light N/A Daufuskie Island 1883 (First)
1899 (Last) 		1922
(Removed) 		081 81?ft (25?m)
(Original rear range)
Bulls Bay Light N/A Charleston County 1852 (First)
1900 (Last) 		1913
(Destroyed) 		044 44?ft (13?m)
(First lighthouse)
Cape Romain Light (Old) Cape Romain 1827 1858 088 88?ft (27?m)
Cape Romain Light (New) Cape Romain 1858 1947 161 161?ft (49?m)
Castle Pinckney Light Charleston County 1855 (First)
1890 (Last) 		1917
(Destroyed by 1938) 		050 50?ft (15?m)
Charleston Light Sullivan's Island 1962 Active 163 163?ft (50?m)
Combahee Bank Light N/A Saint Helena Sound 1868 1876
(Removed in 1925) 		Unknown
Fort Ripley Shoal Light Charleston 1878 1932
(Dismantled) 		Unknown
Fort Sumter Range Front Light Charleston 1855 (First)
1893 (Last) 		1950s Unknown
Fort Sumter Range Rear Light Charleston 1855 (First)
1893 (Last) 		1915 140 140?ft (43?m)
Georgetown Light Winyah Bay 1801 (First)
1867 (Current) 		Active 085 85?ft (26?m)
Governor's Light N/A Little River 1985
(Private) 		Active 060 60?ft (18?m)
Haig Point Front Range Light Daufuskie Island 1873 Disputed
(Removed) 		017 17?ft (5.2?m)
Haig Point Rear Range Light Daufuskie Island 1873 Active
(Inactive:?-1987) 		070 70?ft (21?m)
Harbour Town Light Hilton Head Island 1970 Active 090 90?ft (27?m)
Hilton Head Range Front Light N/A Hilton Head Island 1881 1932
(Destroyed) 		035 35?ft (11?m)
Hilton Head Range Rear Light Hilton Head Island 1880 1932 092 92?ft (28?m)
Hunting Island Light Beaufort
(Hunting Island State Park) 		1859 (First)
1875 (Current) 		Active
(Inactive: 1933-1995 		132 132?ft (40?m)
Morris Island Range Front Light N/A Morris Island 1871 Unknown
(Removed) 		Unknown
Morris Island Range Rear Light N/A Morris Island 1871 Unknown
(Removed) 		Unknown
Morris Island Light Morris Island 1767 (First)
1876 (Current) 		1962 Unknown
Parris Island Range Front Light N/A Parris Island 1881 1923 Unknown
Parris Island Range Rear Light N/A Parris Island 1881 1923 120 120?ft (37?m)
Sullivan's Island Range Front Light Sullivan's Island 1848 (First)
1872 (Last) 		Unknown
(Removed) 		Unknown
Sullivan's Island Range Rear Light N/A Sullivan's Island 1848 (First)
1872 (Last) 		Unknown
(Removed) 		120 120?ft (37?m)


Lighthouses of the Carolinas

Eighteen lighthouses still stand in the Carolinas, from Currituck Lighthouse near the Virginia border down to Haig Point Lighthouse near the border with Georgia. Author Zepke tells how they were built and how they have weathered hurricanes, erosion, and neglect. Some are open to visitors; others can be seen from the coast or on a passing boat. In this second edition, all the travel guide information is updated, along with new sections on light keepers, the U.S. Lighthouse Board, and a timeline.