Little Cumberland Island Light

The Little Cumberland Island Lighthouse is a privately owned lighthouse in Georgia, United States, on the north end of Little Cumberland Island adjacent to main Cumberland Island, in Camden County on the southeast coast of Georgia.

Little Cumberland Island Light

Little Cumberland Island Lighthouse
Little Cumberland Island Light Location in Georgia
Location	Northern end of Little Cumberland Island, Georgia
Coordinates	30°58′34″N 81°24′47″W
Year first constructed	1838
Year first lit	1838
Deactivated	1915
Foundation	Brick
Construction	Brick
Tower shape	conical
Markings / pattern	White tower with black lantern[1]
Tower height	60 feet (18 m)
Focal height	71 feet (22 m)
Original lens	1838: 14 Lewis lamps 1857: Third-order Fresnel lens
Current lens	None
Range	14 nautical miles (26 km; 16 mi)
Characteristic	Fixed white
ARLHS number	USA-439
Heritage	place listed on the National Register of Historic Places
Little Cumberland Island Lighthouse
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
NRHP reference No.	89001407[2]
Added to NRHP	August 8, 1989

When in service the light marked the entrance to St. Andrew Sound and the Satilla River. It also marked a shoal that extends about 6 nautical miles (11 km; 6.9 mi) south-southeasterly of the light.[1]

History

The lighthouse as seen from Jekyll Island

The 60-foot (18 m) Little Cumberland Island Lighthouse was designed by Winslow Lewis and built in 1838. It had fourteen Lewis lamps generating a fixed light, which distinguished it from the older tower to the south that had a revolving light. The lantern room received its third-order Fresnel lens, manufactured in France by Henri LePaute, in 1857.[3] The new light had a range of 14 nautical miles (26 km; 16 mi) with a focal height of 71 feet (22 m) asl.[1] In 1874, a brick wall was built around the lighthouse to protect it from the encroaching sea.

Photograph of the Little Cumberland Island lighthouse after its restoration in 2016.

The lighthouse was in service until 1915 when it was deactivated. The keeper's house and all other light station buildings, are long since gone; However, thanks to dedicated owners, the lighthouse has been restored and remains in pristine condition. The lighthouse was renovated by the owners from 1994 to 1998 and again in 2016 by the nationally acclaimed company The Durable Restoration Company. The lighthouse house and surrounding property is privately owned and is not open to the public. [4] A large dune protects the lighthouse from the ocean, and as a result, the tower is now barely visible from the water.

Designation

The lighthouse is on the National Register of Historic Places, No. 89001407. It was designated on August 8, 1989.[2]

The Little Cumberland Island lighthouse is a private property and access in not permitted without permission from the owner.

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Camden County, Georgia

References

1. "List of lights and fog signals on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States, 1907, pp. 194-195. Government Printing Office, Washington.
2. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
3. "Little Cumberland Island, GA" Archived 2012-09-11 at the Wayback Machine. Lighthousefriends.com. Retrieved on 2012-12-07.
4. "Little Cumberland Island Light - Inventory of Historic Light Stations Georgia Lighthouses". National Park Service. Retrieved on 2012-12-07.