A Proud Georgia Sentinel Since 1736
Tall and regal, Tybee Lighthouse stands, a beacon to ships at sea, a sentinel of the Georgia shore. Beautifully proud and graceful, Tybee Lighthouse – at 154 feet tall – stands for so much more to everyone else: a reminder of earlier times, a symbol of our nation, our state, our beach, and ourselves.
Tybee Lighthouse demands our attention – by night with its brilliance and by day with its own pattern of paint. Its beam is visible at night from some 20 miles at sea.
Because of its role in the history of the US, and because its 7-building complex remains one of the most intact light stations in the country, Tybee Light has received funding toward restoration and is seeking National Historic Landmark status.
Restoration efforts began October 1998 to bring the complex to its 1916-1939 appearance. Painting of the unique and historic “day mark” to a black and white band was also completed during restoration of the lighthouse.
The 1881 Head Keeper’s Cottage interprets the simple, family-oriented living conditions of lighthouse keepers. The families of two of the former Head Keepers have donated personal belongings that are on display in the historic cottage.
Tybee Island has had a lighthouse since 1736, three years after the founding of the Georgia colony. General James Edward Oglethorpe ordered construction to mark the entrance to the Savannah River and to warn ships of shallow waters along the Georgia coastline. The first tower stood 90 feet, reportedly the tallest building of its kind in America. The current and 4th Tybee Lighthouse stands on the foundation of Tybee’s third, 1773 lighthouse.
Tybee’s lighthouses have succumbed to beach erosion and have survived hurricanes and the effects of the Charleston earthquake. Tybee Light also served as an observation point during the Revolutionary War, a signal post with other forts during the War Between the States, and again with signal flags during the Spanish-American War.
In March of 2010, the Tybee Island Historical Society, (the nonprofit that maintains the lighthouse and museum), moved the Fogarty-Hosti Cottage to the property adjacent to the Light Station. Not many people who visit Tybee Island get the chance to tour a true Tybee Raised Cottage. The cottage provides the Historical Society with the opportunity to house archives and interpret Tybee’s architectural and cultural history. Available by appointment only.
The Tybee Island Museum and Lighthouse are located on the north end of the island (Fort Screven area). Open 9 a.m. -5:30 p.m. daily, except Tuesdays. Admission is $10 for adults and $8 for military, veterans, first responders, teachers, seniors and children 6-17 years. Children 5 years and under are free. The last tickets are sold at 4:30 p.m. 912-786-5801.
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