Still serving as a navigational aid in Georgia, the St. Simons Island Lighthouse was built in 1872, and casts its beam 23 miles out to sea. It is maintained by the Coastal Georgia Historical Society, and has been fully restored.
129 circular steps take you to the top of the lighthouse, which then offers a commanding view of St. Simons Island.
Original St. Simons Island Lighthouse
source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:OldStSimonsLighthouse.jpg
The current tower is not the original. The first St. Simons lighthouse was 75-foot octagonal pyramid, with an iron lantern that was 10-feet high and 8-feet in diameter. It was illuminated by oil lamps suspended on iron chains. In 1857, a third-order Fresnel lens was installed to improve illumination and range. In 1862, confederate soldiers stationed on St. Simons were forced to evacuate the island and destroyed the lighthouse to keep it from being used by the Union forces.
The current tower and keepers' quarters were built in 1872, and the tower is 104 foot tall. The kerosene lamp was replaced with electricity in 1934, making the oil house no longer necessary.
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