Morris Island Lighthouse – Charleston, South Carolina

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South Carolina  |  SC Picture Project  |  Charleston County Photos  |  Morris Island Lighthouse

The Morris Island Lighthouse, located just off the northern coast of Folly Beach, proudly guards the Charleston Harbor. When it was built in 1876, the lighthouse stood almost a mile inland – it now stands in the Atlantic Ocean, leaning casually to one side.

Many people love the lighthouse and have worked hard over the years to protect it. Save the Light, a local grassroots organization, raised money to buy the lighthouse from its former owner in 1999. The Morris Island Lighthouse is now owned by the state of South Carolina, but Save the Light continues to lead the way for its restoration and preservation.

Restoration efforts thus far have been threefold. First, the US Army Corps of Engineers built a steel cofferdam (enclosure) around the lighthouse’s base. Second, large stones were placed in a circle surrounding the cofferdam to prevent further erosion. Finally, in 2010, new pilings were installed to stabilize the foundation.

SCIWAY visitor Laura Beane explains part of the lighthouse’s lure: “I have visited and photographed many lighthouses, but no other light has captivated me more than this one. She stands majestically at the entrance of the Charleston harbor. After visiting this lighthouse I can see and feel why this is such a beloved landmark to South Carolina and those who visit.”

Morris Island itself is accessible only by boat, but the lighthouse is visible from many of Charleston’s coastal communities. Today a tiny and fragile island under constant threat of development, Morris Island was once home to at least 15 buildings, including three Italianate cottages, a small schoolhouse, and numerous barns and other outbuildings. The small village was connected to the back of the island by a long, wooden walkway. Many lighthouse keepers and their families lived there over the years. (See Jim Booth’s painting, Carolina Legacy, at the bottom of this page for an idea of how the island once looked.)

The first lighthouse on the island stood just 42-feet tall and was erected in 1762. Its 1838 replacement stood 60 feet taller and featured a revolving light. During the Civil War, the Confederate army destroyed the structure to prevent Union troops from using it as a lookout tower. The US government replaced it immediately after the war. This new Morris Island Lighthouse operated continually from 1876 until 1962, when it was decommissioned and replaced by a modern lighthouse on Sullivan’s Island.

If you would like to learn more about the lighthouse and its history, please visit Save the Light. You can also become a member, make a donation, buy merchandise, or purchase renowned artist Jim Booth’s painting, Carolina Legacy (shown above). Proceeds from all 400 prints in the Save the Light edition go directly towards the lighthouse’s protection and preservation. Here at SCIWAY, we are big fans of the lighthouse, so naturally we have a copy of this painting in our office! (Carolina Legacy used here by permission from Save the Light.)

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