Charleston Lighthouse
Q (2) W 30s🇺🇸South Carolina, USOperational
Location & Light Range
About Charleston Lighthouse
Constructed in 1960 and first lit the same year, Charleston Light stands 43 meters tall with its focal plane at 50 meters above mean sea level. Its design features a steel frame clad in aluminum alloy with a triangular cross-section, built to withstand high winds. Initially painted white and red-orange, it was later repainted white and black following public feedback. This lighthouse is unique among U.S. lighthouses for its inclusion of an elevator and air conditioning.
Why it matters: This structure holds significance as the final onshore manned lighthouse constructed by the Federal Government.
Background
Charleston Light, also known as Sullivan's Island Lighthouse, is located on Sullivan's Island, South Carolina, which is the northern entrance to Charleston Harbor. Designed by Thomas Sullivan, the lighthouse was erected to replace the defunct Morris Island Light on Morris Island, which was at risk of being destroyed by erosion, but which remains standing and was stabilized in 2010. Construction of the Charleston Light was started in 1960, and it was first lit on June 15, 1962.
Charleston Light has a steel frame, an aluminum alloy skin, and a triangular cross section. It is 140 feet (43 m) tall. Its slim, triangular structure was built to withstand winds of 125 miles per hour, and the focal plane of the light is 163 feet (50 m) above mean sea level. Originally, it was painted white and red-orange, but was later repainted white and black after citizens complained about the distracting color of the upper half. It is the only U.S. lighthouse with an elevator and air conditioning, and was the last onshore manned lighthouse to be built by the Federal Government. The Texas Tower Offshore Lighthouses were the last offshore manned lighthouses and, were built later starting in 1961 with Buzzards Bay Entrance Light.
It was originally fitted with an Aerobeacon DCB-24 carbon-arc light producing 28 million candelas (candlepower) and was the second most powerful in the Western Hemisphere. As the light was actually too dazzling, the light was replaced by a Vega Industries Ltd VRB-25 VRB-25 rLight & Optic
Characteristic Signature
Q (2) W 30s
- Flash Type
- Quick
- Light Color
- White
- Flash Count
- 2 flashes
- Interval
- 30s
- Focal Height
- 50m
Construction & History
- Year Built
- 1960
References & Identifiers
- Wikipedia
- Read on Wikipedia →
- Wikidata
- Q5084156 →
Tower & Structure
- Tower Height
- 43m
Location
- City
- South Carolina
- Country
- 🇺🇸US
- Latitude
- 32.7579°
- Longitude
- -79.8432°
Nearby Vessels
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