Next stop on the tour was the Sullivan's Island ( AKA Charleston) Lighthouse which is located just down the beach from Fort Moultrie
The modern monolithic Sullivan’s Island
Lighthouse, Is a strange sight to behold. It is the last major lighthouse built by the federal government, and more closely resembles an air traffic control tower more than a traditional
lighthouse. The tower's unique triangular shape, with one point directed
towards the ocean, allows it to withstand winds of up to 125 miles per
hour.
When
first activated on June 15, 1962, the lighthouse featured an amazing
twenty-eight million candlepower light, produced by carbon arc lamps
costing $900 apiece, that was the second brightest in the western
hemisphere. This powerful beam proved dangerous to its keepers and
bothersome to its neighbors. In order to access the lantern room when
the powerful lamps were lit, keepers were required to don an asbestos
welding suit. To pacify neighbors, plate steel was installed in the
landward side of the lantern room. The beacon was downgraded a decade
later to a light of just over a million candlepower.
On
May 29, 2008, Charleston Lighthouse was transferred from the Coast
Guard to the National Park Service, which is committed to protecting the
historic nature of the property and to prevent commercial development
on the site. The Coast Guard will continue to maintain the light, but
the Park Service will be responsible for the upkeep of the tower.
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