Lighthouse History
Built: 1881
Type: Wooden Tower
Height: 45 feet
Status: Destroyed
Deactivated: 1912
Location: SW tip of Parris
Island
Lens:
Keepers:
Notes: The rear range light
was about two miles northwest of the front light. A keeper's house was
located on a causeway midway between the two lights.
In 1878, the U.S. Congress
authorized range lights on Parris Island. These were to be used with the
Hilton Head Range Lights to guide ships coming into Port Royal Sound.
The Front Range Light was
a 45 feet (14 m) tall, wooden tower with square cross section and four
legs. The watch room beneath the lantern was enclosed. To compensate for
any shifts in the channel, the front light could be moved.
The front light suffered
from erosion and storm damage. Its foundation was replaced in 1892. In
1900 and 1902 the U.S. Lighthouse Board's Annual Report indicated that
it would have to be moved back. It is possible that the front light was
moved back prior to deactivation.
A wooden walkway was built
to connect the lights. The keeper's house was built about midway between
the front and rear light. |