Brief History of the Morris Island Lighthouse
pink lighthouse
Morris Island is not only a quintessential landmark to venture to while on Folly Beach, but also played a major role in the Civil War. Morris Island is a protected and coveted island for naturalists and history buffs; this island is home to some rich and bloody history thanks to the Revolutionary War, Civil War, and pirates. Morris Island, apart from having a beautiful lighthouse also was home to at least 15 buildings that included a school, several barns, and homes. Morris Island was once 3 separate islands before the 1800s but over time was silted into one giant island over years of erosion.
orange lighthouse
The first settlement in what is now known as Charleston was in 1670, and the first settlers would arrive on what would be Morris Island and settled in 1673. The very first lighthouse on Morris Island was built in 1762 with orders from King George III and stood over 40 feet tall, it wasn’t until the Revolutionary war that it was destroyed. Following that lighthouse, another was built in place of the destroyed one that stood at 60 feet tall, sadly this one was also destroyed during the Civil War. The destruction of the second lighthouse was performed by the Confederate troops to hinder the Union troops from using it as a lookout tower. The lighthouse we all know and admire is the one that was constructed after the Civil War.
moon at morris island
The Morris Island Lighthouse was in operation between the years 1866 through 1963 before it was decommissioned, and a new more modern lighthouse was erected on Sullivan’s Island. The current Morris Island Lighthouse stands at a whopping 161 feet tall and was once accompanied by a three-story home; both costing around $150,000 to build. In 1880, the lighthouse stood roughly 2700 feet away from the water, by 1938 the lighthouse was on the cusp of the water’s edge. Due to all the erosion, the lighthouse is now on its own island standing 1600 feet from the shoreline.
On July 18th, 1863, 650 African American troops of the 54th Massachusetts Volunteers stood on the beach of Morris Island with 5 other Union regimens. The goal of this group was to storm Fort Wagner at night to overtake it. The fate of the Civil War was teetering on the taking of this fort. Around 1 AM the fort was taken, thanks to the bravery and courage that the 54th and the Union army possessed.
The battle of this island is still waging on, however this time between historians and conservationists against land developers. The coalition is still fighting strong to keep this island safe. It is considered one of the most important sites in the Civil War in the state of South Carolina. If destroyed and built over, it would not only tarnish the history of this structure but decimate it entirely. The hollow ground would also need to be excavated which is supposedly the resting site of many fallen soldiers that gave their lives during the Civil War. In 2008, the Trust for Public Lands bought the island on behalf of the city of Charleston to protect the island and its rich history.
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These photos are:
- Justin