Georgetown Lighthouse

National Register Listing

Street Address:

On North Island, about 12 mi. SE of Georgetown, Georgetown, SC (Georgetown County)

Alternate Name:

Georgetown Light

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NRHP Nomination

Record Number:

S10817722009

Description and Narrative:

Begun in 1799 and lighted in 1801, the Georgetown Lighthouse is the oldest active lighthouse in South Carolina and one of the oldest in existence on the south Atlantic coast. However, a tablet above the entrance notes 1811 as the date of erection, differing from the nomination form’s conclusion. During the Civil War, the lighthouse was used by the Confederates as an observation post until it was captured by Union forces in May 1862. The lighthouse tower, in the shape of a truncated cone, is 87 feet tall. The stairs and center supporting post were cut from solid stone, and the outer walls are of brick. The light was rebuilt in 1812 and 1867. The lighthouse complex is in a cleared area of scrub-covered sand dunes and includes several one-story buildings that form the Coast Guard station, a dock on Winyah Bay, and a radio tower. Listed in the National Register December 30, 1974.

Period of Significance:

1801

Level of Significance:

National

Area of Significance:

Transportation;Commerce;Military

National Register Determination:

listed

Date of Certification:

December 30 1974

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