Ship Island Light facts for kids
 |
|
| 1892 photograph of Ship Island Light (USCG) | |
 Ship Island Light
Location in Mississippi
|
|
| Location | Ship Island west of Fort Massachusetts |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 30°12′46″N 88°57′58″W / 30.2127°N 88.9661°W |
| Year first constructed | 1853 (first tower) 1886 (second tower) |
| Automated | 1950 |
| Deactivated | 1964 |
| Construction | brick (first tower) wood frame (second tower) |
| Tower shape | Frustum of a cone (first tower) pyramidal (second tower) |
| Markings / pattern | White with black lantern |
| Height | 30 feet (9.1 m) |
| Focal height | 76 feet (23 m) |
| Original lens | Fourth-order Fresnel lens |
| Characteristic | varied |
Ship Island Light was a historic lighthouse located on Ship Island in Mississippi, close to the city of Gulfport. Lighthouses are like giant flashlights that help ships find their way safely, especially at night or in bad weather.
Contents
The Story of Ship Island Light
Building the First Lighthouse (1853)
The very first lighthouse tower on Ship Island was built in 1853. It took a while to get started because of arguments over who owned the land, even though money was set aside for it back in 1848. This first tower was made of brick.
When it was first built, it used many lamps and reflectors to create its light. But just three years later, it got a big upgrade! It received a special lens called a Fresnel lens. This type of lens is very powerful and can make a light beam much brighter and stronger.
The Lighthouse During the Civil War
In January 1861, the Civil War began. Forces from the Confederate side took over Ship Island, including the lighthouse. When they left the fort in September, they took the lighthouse's special lens with them and set the inside of the tower on fire.
Union forces soon took control of the island. They fixed the lighthouse and got it working again by November 1862. They even used a lens and lantern they had captured from the Confederates. To stop enemy ships from using the light, they blocked the light from shining towards the mainland.
A New Lighthouse is Built (1886)
By the late 1800s, the first brick tower started to lean a lot. In 1886, it was decided that it was too unsafe to use. So, a brand new lighthouse was built about 300 feet away.
This new tower was made completely of wood. At first, it was an open structure, but soon after, wooden siding was added to cover it. Two wooden houses for the lighthouse keepers were also built next to it. The light's signal had been changed in 1880 from a steady white light to a steady red light.
The Lighthouse Keeper and His Challenges
During this time, a man named Dan McColl was the lighthouse keeper. He had lost a leg in a train accident, which made his job even harder. The old brick tower finally fell down in 1901.
A few years before that, in 1898, some smaller "range lights" were put up to help guide ships through a specific part of the channel near Gulfport. Climbing three different towers (the main lighthouse and the two range lights) was too much for Mr. McColl. So, he was moved to Cat Island Light, another nearby lighthouse, where he worked until he passed away in 1904. The back range light was on a short wooden tower not far from the main lighthouse.
The Lighthouse Becomes Automated
In 1950, the Ship Island Light became automated. This means machines took over the job of lighting the lamp, so a keeper no longer had to live there.
Over the years, Ship Island changed a lot. In the past, it was an important port because of its deep water. There was even a special station to check for diseases, and tourists loved to visit. But as time went on, these things became less important.
A New Owner and a Sad End
In 1934, most of the island was given to a group called the American Legion, but the Coast Guard kept the lighthouse. Then, in 1959, the Coast Guard let a man named Philip M. Duvic use the lighthouse for fun and recreation. Mr. Duvic fixed up the lighthouse and turned the inside into a small cabin.
In 1964, the light was turned off for good. The next year, it was put up for sale, and Mr. Duvic bought it for $2560. The sale said he had to move the lighthouse within 90 days, but he never did, and it stayed put.
The wooden tower stood until 1972. Sadly, it burned down by accident from sparks from a camper's fire. However, it was already abandoned because Hurricane Camille had damaged it so badly in 1969 that it couldn't be fixed. Mr. Duvic had also lost his own home in that hurricane.
In 1971, the old range light was replaced by a much taller steel tower, which is still there today.
A Replica and Another Hurricane
In 2000, a new wooden tower, looking just like the one that burned down, was built on the old foundation. This project was supported by a group called the Friends of Gulf Islands National Seashore. The building was done by a special group of Navy builders called Seabees, using wood from the forest service.
The light was turned on again and appeared on maps as a private aid to navigation, meaning it helped private boats. But in 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit. It completely destroyed the replica lighthouse, leaving nothing but its foundation. The original Fresnel lens, which had been moved to a museum in Biloxi long before, was also badly damaged by the hurricane. There are plans to repair it someday. Today, the tall steel range light is the only light left on Ship Island.
