Located about halfway between the busy ports of Savannah and Charleston, Hunting Island became the logical place to mark the shallows and shoals of St. Helena Sound. First warning sailors with a lightship, a 95 foot lighthouse was completed in 1859. Just a few years old, Confederate forces destroyed the lighthouse to prevent Union troops from utilizing the tower.
   Construction of a second generation lighthouse began in 1873. Built of curved cast iron plates, the design took into consideration an eroding coastline. Produced by the Phoenix Iron Works, the half ton plates were bolted together, resting on an eight foot thick concrete foundation. Just 14 years after the 132 foot structure was completed, coastal erosion forced the lighthouse to be dismantled and moved over a mile to the southwest. Taking just four months for the move, the lighthouse was again operational, broadcasting its beam 18 to 20 miles offshore.
   Climbable, the lighthouse is one of the main attractions at Hunting Island State Park. Appearing in a 1924 photo (inset), the light keeper’s quarters was destroyed in a 1938 fire. Only a foundation remains today. The oil house (inset) remains intact, along with other small outbuildings. Lighthouse fans may rent the only remaining state park cottage. All other cabins were lost after Hurricane Hugo passed by in 1989. The guest cabin, able to sleep six, sits near the base of the lighthouse, just outside the picket fence.

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