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BLOODY POINT RANGE LIGHTS
DAUFUSKIE ISLAND Station Established: Year Current Tower(s) First Lit: 1883 Operational? NO Automated? NO Deactivated: 1922 Foundation Materials: Construction Materials: Tower Shape: Markings/Pattern: Relationship to Other Structure: INTEGRAL Original Lens: CAPE ROMAIN LIGHT LIGHTHOUSE ISLAND Station Established: 1827 Year Current Tower(s) First Lit: 1858 Operational? NO Automated? UNK Deactivated: 1947 Foundation Materials: TIMBER PILING Construction Materials: BRICK Tower Shape: OCTAGONAL Markings/Pattern: UPPER 2/3 ALT. B/W, LOWER 1/3 WHITE Relationship to Other Structure: SEPARATE Original Lens: FIRST ORDER 1858 CAPE ROMAIN LIGHTHOUSE CHARLESTON LIGHT (NEW) SOUTH SIDE OF SULLIVANS ISLAND Station Established: 1962 Year Current Tower(s) First Lit: 1962 Operational? YES Automated? YES 1975 Deactivated: n/a Foundation Materials: CONCRETE Construction Materials: STEEL/ALUMINUM ALLOY SKIN Tower Shape: TRIANGULAR Markings/Pattern: UPPER BLACK/LOWER WHITE Relationship to Other Structure: INTEGRAL Original Lens: DCB 24 1962 GENERAL INFORMATION: The Charleston Light, located on Morris Island, at the entrance to the harbor of Charleston, S. C., was one of the colonial lights turned over to the Federal Government under the terms of the act of August 7, 1789. The light was in a brick tower, built by the Colony of South Carolina in 1767. On May 7, 1800, Congress appropriated $5,000 for repairing the lighthouse. In 1838 the light was described as a revolving light, the tower being 102 feet from the base to the lantern. A new first-order lens was installed in the tower on January 1, 1858. On December 20, 1860, on receiving reports from the lighthouse inspector at Charleston regarding the probable seizure of the lighthouse property by the Confederacy, the Secretary of the Lighthouse Board wrote the Secretary of the Treasury that he would not recommend "that the coast of South Carolina be lighted by the Federal Government against her will." Ten days later the inspector at Charleston informed the Board that "the Governor of the State of South Carolina has requested me to leave the State. I am informed that forcible possession has been taken of the lights, buoys, etc., of this harbor, and that similar measures will be adopted in regard to all lights in the State." Early in January 1861, the Rattlesnake Shoal Lightship was towed into Charleston and the lighthouse tenders were seized. By the latter part of April 1861, practically all lights were extinguished, lightships removed, and other aids removed or destroyed from the Chesapeake to the Rio Grande, with the exception of some of the lights on the Florida coast and reefs. In 1862 the Lighthouse Board reported "Charleston, lens and lantern destroyed." In all, 164 lights were forcibly discontinued during the Civil War on the southern coasts. These were relighted from time to time, and by 1866, the greater part had been restored. The Charleston Channel was re-marked promptly on the occupation of the city by Union troops in February 1865. In 1865 the Lighthouse Board reported "that an almost total change had taken place, leaving no channel in the harbor as it was in 1860, and opening new ones. Under this altered state of things it became necessary to establish lights temporarily at such places as would be useful guides through existing channels and omit all other. On March 3, 1873, Congress made the first of three appropriations for a new lighthouse on Morris Island. $60,000 was granted on that date for "commencing the rebuilding of a first-order seacoast light on Morris Island destroyed during the war." Two other appropriations totaling $90,000 in 1874 and 1875 were for completing the work. The new structure was to be at or near the same spot as the old tower, 150 feet high and built of brick, with a first-order flashing light. Foundation piles were driven and the space between them filled with concrete 8 feet thick. The new tower, when completed in 1876, was 161 feet in height and the cost was $149,993.50. A first-order Fresnel lens was installed. In 1884 the illuminating apparatus was changed for the use of mineral oil instead of lard oil. The cyclone of August 25, 1885, destroyed the rear beacon of the Morris Island range, overturned part of the brick wall which enclosed the tower and dwelling of the main light, carried away the bridge between the beacons, and destroyed a large part of the plank walks connecting the several lights and dwellings, and overturned the boathouse. The range was reestablished 3 days later by a temporary beacon. A new wooden skeleton structure 40 feet high was built in 1885. The earthquake of August 1886 threw the lens of the main light out of position and cracked the tower extensively in two places, but not so as to endanger its stability. The lens was replaced and the cracks repaired without delay. Erosion of land caused the Coast Guard to begin construction of a new lighthouse in 1960. The new light was commissioned on June 15, 1962. The tower stands 163 feet high on the north side of Charleston Harbor entrance on Sullivans Island. DAUFUSKIE ISLAND (HAIG POINT) RANGE LIGHTS DAUFUSKIE ISLAND/CALIBOQUE SOUND Station Established: 1871 (Appropriation authorized--land was secured in 1872) Year Current Tower(s) First Lit: 1873 Operational? YES Automated? UNK Deactivated: 1934-1987 Foundation Materials: Construction Materials: WOOD Tower Shape: SQUARE ON HOUSE Markings/Pattern: WHITE W/RED ROOF Relationship to Other Structure: INTEGRAL Original Lens: FIFTH ORDER, FRESNEL FORT RIPLEY SHOAL LIGHT FORT SUMTER LIGHT GEORGETOWN LIGHT NORTH ISLAND/WINYAH BAY ENTRANCE Station Established: 1801 Year Current Tower(s) First Lit: 1867 Operational? YES Automated? YES 1986 Deactivated: n/a Foundation Materials: RUBBLESTONE CAISSON Construction Materials: RUBBLESTONE Tower Shape: CONICAL Markings/Pattern: WHITE W/BLACK LANTERN Relationship to Other Structure: SEPARATE Original Lens: FOURTH ORDER, FRESNEL 1855 HILTON HEAD RANGE REAR (LEAMINGTON) LIGHT HILTON HEAD ISLAND Station Established: 1877 Year Current Tower(s) First Lit: 1880 Operational? NO Automated? UNK Deactivated: 1932 Foundation Materials: CONCRETE FOOTINGS Construction Materials: CAST IRON Tower Shape: SKELETAL PYRAMIDAL W/CENTRAL CYLINDRICAL. Markings/Pattern: WHITE Relationship to Other Structure: SEPARATE Original Lens: HUNTING ISLAND LIGHT HUNTING ISLAND STATE PARK Station Established: 1859 Year Current Tower(s) First Lit: 1875 Operational? NO Automated? NO Deactivated: 1933 Foundation Materials: NATURAL/EMPLACED Construction Materials: CAST IRON/BRICK LINED Tower Shape: CONICAL Markings/Pattern: TOP THIRD BLACK, WHITE BELOW Relationship to Other Structure: SEPARATE Original Lens: SECOND ORDER, FRESNEL 1875 MORRIS ISLAND (OLD CHARLESTON) LIGHT MORRIS ISLAND/CHARLESTON HARBOR ENTRANCE Station Established: 1767 Year Current Tower(s) First Lit: 1876 Operational? NO Automated? YES 1938 Deactivated: 1962 Foundation Materials: TIMBER PILING/CONCRETE BASE Construction Materials: DRESSED STONE Tower Shape: CONICAL Markings/Pattern: WHITE & BLACK BANDS W/BLACK LANTERN Relationship to Other Structure: SEPARATE Original Lens: FIRST ORDER, FRESNEL 1858 SULLIVAN'S ISLAND RANGE LIGHTS |
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1862:
Admiral David Farragut captures New Orleans a day after his fleet successfully sailed past two Confederate forts on the Mississippi River.
1864: For the second time in a week, a Confederate force captures a Union wagon train trying to supply the Federal force at Camden, Arkansas. 1898: The United States declares war on Spain. 1915: Australian and New Zealand troops land at Gallipoli in Turkey. 1945: Eight Russian armies completely encircle Berlin, linking up with the U.S. First Army patrol, first on the western bank of the Elbe, then later at Torgau. Germany is, for all intents and purposes, Allied territory. 1952: After a three day fight against Chinese Communist Forces, the Gloucestershire Regiment is annihilated on "Gloucester Hill," in Korea. 1972: Hanois 320th Division drives 5,000 South Vietnamese troops into retreat and traps about 2,500 others in a border outpost northwest of Kontum in the Central Highlands. |