Georgia
St. Simons Lighthouse
Fort St. Simons
The lighthouse grounds are also
the site of Fort St. Simons, a
British fort built by Oglethorpe
during the 1730s.
Spectacular Views
The view from the lighthouse
across St. Simons Sound and
into the Atlantic is among the
most beautiful in the South.
St. Simons Lighthouse is one
of Georgia's most fascinating
historic attractions.
|
Lighthouses dot the Southern coastline, but few
are as beautiful or accessible as the Sight
Simons Light on St. Simons Island.
The distinctive white tower was constructed
during the 1870s to replace an earlier structure
and is still in use today. The adjacent Keeper's
Cottage (1872) is the home of the Coastal
Georgia Historical Society which maintains the
site and offers museum exhibits and access to
the lighthouse itself.
From bottom to top, it takes a strenuous climb of
129 steps to climb the 104 foot tower, but the
view from the catwalk is definitely worth the effort.
According to legend, the lighthouse is still
haunted by the ghost of one of its early keepers.
Frederick Osborne was killed following an
argument with his assistant in 1880 and it is
said that he can still be heard walking up and
down the spiral staircase of the tower on certain
dark nights.
Hours:
Monday - Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sunday, 1:30 to 5 p.m.
Closed most major holidays.
To learn more about the Ghost of
the St. Simons Island Lighthouse,
click here:
Copyright 2006 by Dale A. Cox
|
