A Brief History of The Morris Island Lighthouse

One of the great things about living along the coast is the fascination and love of lighthouses. When you see one for the first time, the idea that somehow, we humans had the foresight to know how important this simple fixture would affect the safety of mankind upon the waters of the world is amazing.

Here in Charleston, we have two lighthouses—one that is officially the “Charleston Lighthouse” and one that has been the “Charleston Light” for better than three centuries. Of course, the latter has had almost a cat’s number of lives in its long history.

From 1673, the first light burned at what was then only the Charles Towne colony. The construct of balls of oak and pitch elevated in iron baskets was replaced in 1767 with a 42-foot-tall tower that held lamps of lighted fish oil suspended from its ceiling. Having known the smell of raw fish oil, I wouldn’t want to have been the keeper of the light during that time. This more permanent structure was situated on three small Islands known as Middle Bay Island. It also had the distinction of being the first of the pre-revolutionary lights built in the Carolina colony.

The “Charleston Light” has served the city well during its lifetime. In 1775, the light was darkened to prevent the British from entering Charleston Harbor safely. Shortly after the Revolutionary War, the Tower of 42 ft was replaced with a brick tower that rose above its foundation to a height of 102 ft. A newer light reflector system was installed making the light even more effective. In 1790, the South Carolina legislature (in its infancy) transferred the title for the light to the newly-formed Federal Government. The three small islands that formed Middle Bay Island had accrued enough sand and substance to now be one Island and the name was changed to Morrison's Island. Charleston had also grown to be the largest commercial East Coast port just behind the port of New York.

As the port grew, the town grew and so did the importance of the light. In 1800, Congress appropriated monies for repair and upgrade; by 1838, the light had been improved to a revolving light. In 1858, a newer, first-order lens was installed to provide an even stronger presence on the coast.

The lighthouse on Morrison's Island had become so significant that upon the secession of South Carolina from the Union, the Morris Island Lighthouse was wrested from the Union by the Governor’s order. This order demanded that the lightkeeper leave the light and the state due to its forcible possession. The importance of the light did not keep the Confederate forces from destroying the lighthouse to prevent the Union Navy from easy access to Charleston Harbor or the Union Army from using it as a lookout tower.

After the war in 1873, Congress approved funds for the construction of the Morris Island Lighthouse which was first operated in October of 1876. Towering 158 feet above the ocean, the light penetrated the darkness of night 19 miles out to sea. At the base of the round lighthouse tower stood the lightkeeper's house and a boathouse. During the late 1800s, a number of significant things happened to or had deleterious effects on the lighthouse and its accompanying buildings. Earthquakes in 1868 and 1886 damaged the foundation of the light and moved the refractive lens mount in the tower. A massive hurricane in 1885 destroyed the rear beacon, overturned part of the base wall, and carried away the bridge between the two beacons. The wooden walkway that connected the island’s structures were badly damaged and the boathouse was overturned. This version of the lighthouse had only been in place since 1876 and had grown to 161 feet in height.

Another significant negative event in the life of the Morris Island light was the completion of the Charleston Harbor jetties in 1889. The structures were built to protect the channel into the harbor, but they caused shifts in the current which eventually eroded the island that surrounded the light. Once, almost 1,200 feet from the water's edge, the ocean finally surrounded the base of the lighthouse tower which stood alone in pictures as early as 1938.

By 1962, the automated lighthouse was deemed unsafe and impractical as a manned tower. It was decommissioned and subsequently replaced by the Sullivan’s Island light that same year.

The Morris Island Light is now 1600 feet from shore completely surrounded by ocean waters. Its base has been reinforced by concrete via the efforts of a group of Charleston locals’ determination to “Save the Light.” It’s now owned by the state of South Carolina but leased to the “Save the Light” Foundation.

In 1989, Hurricane Hugo washed away any remnants of the contingent buildings and caused erosion which left the lighthouse sitting alone in the ocean.

Many Charlestonians and lighthouse enthusiasts still dream of the renewal of the Charleston Light known as the Morris Island Lighthouse. It has such a strong following that in the parking lot of Myrtle Beach’s Broadway at the Beach shopping complex, stands a 109-foot replica.

In even more exciting lighting news: for the 2019 Fourth of July weekend, “Save the Light” Foundation partnered with Dominion Energy to turn on the Morris Island Lighthouse in celebration of Independence Day. This celebration was just the beginning to light the fire for their $7 million restoration project which will take place over the next 5 years.

So, all you Lighthouse enthusiasts out there need not despair... The Charleston Light is awaiting repair!

~ David Joyner