Sapelo Island Lighthouse

To visit the Sapelo Island Lighthouse, take I-95 to exit 42. Take 99 east until it intersects Hwy 17. Make a left on 17/99 and continue north until 99 and 17 split. Continue on 99 and then make a right on Landing Road. At the end of the road, make a right and the visitor center is located on the right. Reservations are required to attend the trip over to the island. The state offers tours for $10, but other tours are available at an additional cost. For more information, call (912) 437-3224.

In the late 1700’s, Georgia’s coast was on its way to becoming a major shipping area of the newly independent nation. Plantation owners relied heavily on ocean going vessels to transport their goods to other parts of the country. As shipping traffic increased in the area, the dangers to these vessels became more apparent. A number of barrier islands, shifting salt marshes, tidal mud flats and hidden shoals guarded the approaches to the sounds and ports.

In 1808, the United States government obtained possession of five acres of land on the southern tip of Sapelo Island for the purpose of building a light station to guide ships into the port of Darien. By 1819, Winslow Lewis began construction on the light station. A year later, the lighthouse was completed and ready for service at a cost of $14,500. The brick tower stood 80 feet in height and was illuminated by whale oil lamps and reflectors. Later in 1854, the lighthouse was fitted with a fourth-order Fresnel lens and remained in service until 1862 when it was abandoned by the retreating confederate army.

After the civil war, repairs to the lighthouse were made and the light was put back in service. The light remained in active duty until October of 1898 when a hurricane and tidal wave damaged the foundation of the tower. The damage to the tower was great enough that officials decided to build a new tower. In 1905, the new tower was operational and placed into service. This new tower was much different than the first. The tower was a steel pyramidal-skeleton tower that stood 100 feet in height, and was placed just north of the original tower. The lighthouse was lit by an incandescent oil-vapor system, which used kerosene as fuel, in 1913. Then, in 1933, the lighthouse was decommissioned due to the decline of

shipping in the area. The tower was later dismantled in 1934 and shipped to South Fox Island for use on Lake Michigan.

In 1969, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the state of Georgia purchased the southern portion of Sapelo Island. The area was then established as the Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve. Finally, in 1998, the old brick lighthouse was completely restored and a new, modern optic was installed in the lantern room. Today, the lighthouse is marking the entrance to the Doboy Sound once again.