Morris Island Lighthouse
Morris Island Lighthouse | |
| Location | Morris Island, South Carolina (Charleston harbor entrance) |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 32°41′43″N 79°53′1″W / 32.69528°N 79.88361°W |
| Tower | |
| Constructed | 1767 |
| Foundation | Timber piling, concrete base |
| Construction | Dressed stone |
| Automated | 1938 |
| Height | 161 feet (49 m) |
| Shape | Conical |
| Heritage | National Register of Historic Places listed place |
| Light | |
| First lit | 1876 |
| Deactivated | 1962 |
| Lens | First-order Fresnel, 1858 |
Morris Island Lighthouse | |
| Nearest city | Charleston, South Carolina |
| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1876 |
| NRHP reference No. | 82003837 |
| Added to NRHP | June 28, 1982 |
The Morris Island Lighthouse is a lighthouse on Morris Island in South Carolina. The light stands on the southern side of the entrance to Charleston Harbor, north of the City of Folly Beach. At 161 ft (49 m), it is the tallest lighthouse in South Carolina. The lighthouse was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.
Although the lighthouse now stands several hundred feet offshore, it was originally inside a much larger island. When constructed in 1876, the light was approximately 1,200 feet (370 m) from the water's edge. However, the construction in 1889 of the jetties which protect the shipping lanes leading to Charleston Harbor altered ocean currents, resulting in the rapid erosion of Morris Island and the destruction of many structures and historical sites (such as Fort Wagner). By 1938 the shoreline had reached the lighthouse, forcing its automation as it was no longer safe or practical to keep it staffed. In 1962 the Morris Island Light was decommissioned and replaced by the new Charleston Light, located on Sullivan's Island at the north end of the harbor.