Little Cumberland Island Light facts for kids
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| Little Cumberland Island Lighthouse | |
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Location in Georgia |
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| Location | Northern end of Little Cumberland Island, Georgia |
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| Coordinates | 30°58′34″N 81°24′47″W / 30.97611°N 81.41306°WCoordinates: 30°58′34″N 81°24′47″W / 30.97611°N 81.41306°W |
| Year first constructed | 1838 |
| Year first lit | 1838 |
| Deactivated | 1915 |
| Foundation | Brick |
| Construction | Brick |
| Tower shape | conical |
| Markings / pattern | White tower with black lantern |
| Height | 60 feet (18 m) |
| Focal height | 71 feet (22 m) |
| Original lens | 1838: 14 Lewis lamps 1857: Third-order Fresnel lens |
| Current lens | None |
| Range | 14 nautical miles (26 km; 16 mi) |
| Characteristic | Fixed white |
| ARLHS number | USA-439 |
The Little Cumberland Island Lighthouse is a privately owned lighthouse in Georgia, United States, on the north end of Little Cumberland Island adjacent to main Cumberland Island, in Camden County on the southeast coast of Georgia.
When in service the light marked the entrance to St. Andrew Sound and the Satilla River. It also marked a shoal that extends about 6 nautical miles (11 km; 6.9 mi) south-southeasterly of the light.
History
The 60-foot (18 m) Little Cumberland Island Lighthouse was designed by Winslow Lewis and built in 1838. It had fourteen Lewis lamps generating a fixed light, which distinguished it from the older tower to the south that had a revolving light. The lantern room received its third-order Fresnel lens, manufactured in France by Henri LePaute, in 1857. The new light had a range of 14 nautical miles (26 km; 16 mi) with a focal height of 71 feet (22 m) asl. In 1874, a brick wall was built around the lighthouse to protect it from the encroaching sea.
The lighthouse was in service until 1915 when it was deactivated. The keeper's house and all other light station buildings, are long since gone; However, thanks to dedicated owners, the lighthouse has been restored and remains in pristine condition. The lighthouse was renovated by the owners from 1994 to 1998 and again in 2016 by the nationally acclaimed company The Durable Restoration Company. The lighthouse house and surrounding property is privately owned and is not open to the public.
A large dune protects the lighthouse from the ocean, and as a result, the tower is now barely visible from the water.
Designation
The lighthouse is on the National Register of Historic Places, No. 89001407. It was designated on August 8, 1989.
The Little Cumberland Island lighthouse is a private property and access in not permitted without permission from the owner.
