Sapelo Lighthouse
Sapelo Lighthouse (located at Sapelo Island, GA 31327, coordinates 31.39127°N 81.28568°W) in McIntosh County, GA, is one of the more interesting places you can spend a weekend in McIntosh County, GA. Standing tall and firm for over two hundred years on Sapelo Island is the Sapelo Island Light (sometimes also known as the Sapelo Lighthouse, and the Sapelo Island Lighthouse). This historic lighthouse is a major landmark that’s been with Georgia’s Sapelo Island since a time before most American households had electricity! Here’s everything you need to know about the lighthouse, its history, and where it stands today.
Originally, the tower was built in 1820 by Winslow Lewis and is the oldest lighthouse designed by him that still exists. It used 15 of the famous Lewis Lamps installed inside of it, which was a design patented by Winslow Lewis and used almost exclusively in the United States. In the middle of the 19th century, the tower was modified, extending it by about 10 feet and installing additional lenses, the latter of which were removed during the Civil War.
One of the first major overhauls on the tower occurred following the Civil War when the Lighthouse Board took notice of apparent damage to the tower caused by the Confederates. A new lantern room and lens were placed on top of the tower. As well, the keeper’s dwelling was almost entirely rebuilt. These improvements took until early 1868 to complete.
Nearly a century after it was first built, the tower survived two major storms that badly damaged it. As the sea line slowly encroached on the tower, money for a second tower to be built further inland was approved by congress. The second tower was built in 1905, however, it only remained here for about 30 years, when it was moved to Michigan. The 1820 tower became unused and it remained this way, left untouched for almost another century until 1997, when it was refinished and brought back to its 1890 design. The restored tower was given a new, modern light, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places. The tower now sees routine maintenance from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.
It has a charming and remarkable design with its distinct white and red stripes. It stands an astounding 65 feet tall, and at its base, it’s 30 feet in diameter. It’s constructed primarily from brick, and is more than a few feet thick at its base, tapering off towards the top of the tower.
For people on trips to Sapelo Island, the lighthouse is a popular destination for the sights it provides. Even just viewing the tower from the ground is often an enjoyable stop, and is a great location for photos. The sights from the top of the tower are also said to be quite amazing. Unfortunately, you can only gain access to the inside of the tower on public tours on certain days, or with locals who are licensed to tour you, so it’s better to plan in advance for this stop.
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