The first lighthouse on the island was built in 1859 at a height of 95-feet, but was short lived. By 1862 it was reported to have fallen into the sea. Conflicting stories make it unclear whether it was destroyed by erosion or actually blown up by the Confederate Army during the Civil War.
In 1875 a new tower was constructed of interchangeable cast-iron sections so that it could be taken apart if necessary. Due to the aggressive high tides and erosion, the tower was disassembled in 1889 and reassembled at its current site, one and a quarter miles from where the original tower was located. This lighthouse was built on a concrete foundation eight-feet thick. From the ground to the top of the tower is 140-feet, and there are 181-steps to reach the top. The tower itself is 121-feet high and the walls are lined with brick. A second-order Fresnel lens was used until its retirement in 1933.
At the time of my visit here in 2000, the light was inactive. The lighthouse was part of the Hunting Island State Park and was open daily to the public for viewing and climbing the stairs. The red brick in the foreground of my picture, outlines the foundation where the keeper's quarters was located prior to being destroyed by fire.
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