Tybee Island Light Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids
Tybee Island Light
Location	Tybee Island, Georgia
Coordinates	32°01′20″N 80°50′44″W / 32.02223°N 80.84566°W / 32.02223; -80.84566
Year first constructed	1736
Year first lit	1867
Automated	1972
Foundation	Stone and timber
Construction	Brick
Tower shape	Octagonal
Markings / pattern	lower 50 feet (15 m) black, upper part white; lantern, black
Height	144 feet (44 m)
Original lens	1791:Oil lamps; 1867:First order Fresnel lens
Range	16 nautical miles; 29 kilometres (18 mi)
Characteristic	Fixed white

The Tybee Island Light is a tall, guiding tower located on the northern tip of Tybee Island, Georgia. It stands proudly, watching over the Savannah River as it flows into the vast Atlantic Ocean. This lighthouse is special because it's one of only seven original towers from America's early colonial times that are still standing. Even though it's old, it was changed a lot in the mid-1800s.

The Story of Tybee Light
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The Story of Tybee Light

The lighthouse you see today is actually the fourth one built in this spot. The first two towers were never even lit up to guide ships.

Early Towers and Their Challenges

The very first tower was made of wood. It was built in 1736 by James Oglethorpe, who helped start the Georgia colony. Sadly, a big storm knocked it down in 1741.

The next year, a new tower was built. This one was made of stone and wood. It still didn't have a light; instead, it had a flagpole on top. This second tower was eventually lost to the ocean as the shoreline slowly wore away.

The Third Tower and Its Changes

The third tower was built in 1773 by John Mullryne. This one was made of brick and was about 100 feet tall. At first, it used a system of mirrors and candles to create light.

In 1790, the lighthouse became part of the U.S. government. The lighting system was then updated to use oil lamps. In 1822, a second, smaller tower was added nearby. This created a "range light" system, where two lights lined up helped ships find their way.

In 1857, both towers got new, special lenses called Fresnel lenses. These lenses were much better at making the light brighter and more focused. The smaller front tower received a 4th order lens, and the main tower got a larger 2nd order lens.

Civil War and Rebuilding

During the American Civil War, in 1862, soldiers from the Confederate side burned the lighthouse. They also took the special lens when they left to go to Fort Pulaski.

Work to rebuild the lighthouse started in 1866. However, a sickness called cholera caused delays. A new tower was built on top of the first 60 feet of the old tower. This made the whole lighthouse about 154 feet tall. This new tower was fitted with a very powerful 1st order lens. The front light was now a 50-foot tall wooden tower with a new 4th order lens.

Storms, Earthquakes, and Modernization

In 1871, a strong hurricane badly damaged the main tower. It developed serious cracks. There was even talk of replacing it entirely. Instead, a new front tower was built from iron. This front tower had already been moved twice before!

New homes for the lighthouse keepers were built in 1881 and 1885. In 1886, a big earthquake in Charleston shook the tower. This damaged the lens and caused more cracks in the brick. Luckily, these were fixed right away.

In 1933, the lighthouse was updated to use electricity. This meant it no longer needed as many keepers. In 1972, the light was made automatic, so no one needed to be there all the time to operate it.

How the Lighthouse Looked Over Time

The way the lighthouse was painted changed many times over the years. At first, it was all white. In 1887, the bottom and the top lantern part were painted black. This changed again in 1914 and 1916, with more black paint added further down the tower.

In 1967, the whole tower was repainted with a white bottom and a gray top. But the gray color faded quickly. So, in 1970, it was painted black again. This gave it the black-white-black look you see today.

Protecting a Piece of History

In 1999, a big project began to restore the lighthouse. The Tybee Island Historical Society took over the lighthouse station in 2002. They did this under a special law called the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act.

As part of this project, the tower was repainted to look like it did between 1916 and 1966, with its black-white-black pattern. The light is still working today, helping ships navigate. It even uses its original lens! The lighthouse and its old keeper's houses are open for people to visit.