State Funds to Help South Carolina’s Morris Island Lighthouse Shine Again

The simple mission of Save The Light, Inc. is to save and preserve the Morris Island Lighthouse for the People of South Carolina. Located off Folly Beach, near Charleston, the lighthouse stood almost a mile inland when it was built in 1876, but long-term erosion has taken its toll.

After purchasing the Morris Island Lighthouse in the late 1990s, Save the Light – a grass-roots non-profit – almost immediately gave it to the state of South Carolina; however, Save the Light retained responsibility for planning, engineering, fundraising and execution of all aspects of its preservation.

Save the Light made it a priority to get the Morris Island lighthouse listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The group established a long-term maintenance program and restoration plan using a phased approach, working closely with the Army Corps of Engineers. Phase III, which is just beginning, will focus on the preservation of the tower and consist of repairing the interior walls, stairs, metal work, rails, the roof, and replacing the glass in the lantern room.

On October 25, 2018, Save the Light received news that the South Carolina state budget will allocate $175,000 to help with restoration efforts for the state-owned 184-year-old lighthouse. Watch WCSC Charleston’s Live 5’s interview with Al Hitchcock, Save the Light board member and founding member of the organization. Hitchcock has close ties to the construction industry as the former owner of CR Hipp Construction, a leading mechanical contracting firm in North Charleston. Also view the Save the Light’s webcam for live video any time during daylight hours.

For information on how you can help preserve the Morris Island Lighthouse for generations to come, visit http://www.savethelight.org or follow Save the Light on Facebook @ SavetheLightInc.

Photos: Historic photo (left) and current photo (right).