Cockspur Island Lighthouse
If you drive over the causeway from Savannah, Georgia to Tybee Island, you’ll notice a small lighthouse in the Savannah River. It captured my interest the first time I saw it. Often times, the lighthouse is inaccessible from neighboring Cockspur Island. Residing near Fort Pulaski, the tiny lighthouse has a fascinating history. And maybe even a few ghosts.
The Cockspur Island Lighthouse is the smallest lighthouse in Georgia and was built in 1848. The lighthouse originally had a twin that resided on the opposite side of the Savannah River, but with the ravages of the Civil War and the sea, only one of them survived. It’s located on an islet in the Savannah River northwest of Tybee Island and is part of Fort Pulaski National Monument. It’s situated twelve miles east of the Savannah port.
The original lighthouse was destroyed by a hurricane in 1854 and was replaced by a somewhat larger one on the same foundation in 1855.
The lighthouse is built on a bed of oysters and muscles and is often covered during high tide, with only the lighthouse remaining above water. It’s truly a sight to see. One of the unique features of the lighthouse, despite its small size, is that the base of the tower is shaped like the prow of a ship, pointed to reduce the surrounding water’s impact on the structure.
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History of the Lighthouse
Before this lighthouse was built, documents suggest that a different one was erected on the island itself between March of 1837 and November 1839. In 1848, a renowned architect by the name of John Norris was contracted to build the lighthouse. John Norris had a hand in building many of Savannah’s amazing structures, including the U.S. Customs House, The Mercer-Wilder House, and the Green-Meldrim House, where General Sherman resided during the Civil War. Congress approved a total of $5,000 for both the lighthouse, the keeper’s residence, and the lamps.
The beacon was home to five fixed lamps that shone visible for nine miles. At the beginning of the Civil War, the lights were put out. On April 10, 1862 Union troops bombarded Fort Pulaski. A thirty-hour siege took place, with gunfire from both sides and the lighthouse in the direct line of fire. Amazingly, it only suffered minor damage and lived to continue its work as a beacon on the Savannah River.
On April 25, 1866, the lighthouse was relit and painted white to use as a daymark, helping navigate mariners direction during the day hours.
Despite having survived so much, storms continued to trouble the little lighthouse. An enormous storm hit Cockspur Island on August 27th of 1881, causing the water to rise 23 feet above sea level. Water filled the tower and destroyed the interior and the keeper’s residence. After that, the keeper’s resided in a two-story cottage atop Fort Pulaski.
Cockspur Island Lighthouse Keepers
The first lightkeeper was named John Lightburn—what a name, right? He lived on Cockspur Island, near the Fort, and would daily visit the two lighthouses to service the lights. The second keeper was James Callan who noted that the lights often burned for longer than needed because they were dangerous to access during high tide. The third keeper, Cornelius Mahar, drowned in 1853 when his boat capsized in the river. His wife, Mary Mahar, took up the job and continued to serve as keeper for an additional three years. Cornelius wouldn’t be the only one to lose his life servicing the lighthouse.
In August of 1871, keeper Patrick Egan went to service the lighthouse during a terrible storm with his sons Michael and Thomas. Their boat capsized. Michael and Patrick were able to hold onto the boat, but Thomas drowned. His body was never recovered.
Like hearing about haunting places? Check out the creepy history of The Foley House Inn.
For the Birds
By 1909, ships began using the North Channel of the Savannah River exclusively, and the small lighthouse was no longer needed. It was deactivated. But even the birds found the lighthouse charming. The Lighthouse Service Bulletin reported in 1934 that lighthouse was home to a pair of bald eagles, that has nested there. They were often seen on the abandoned tower, perched on its rails.
The Lighthouse in Modern Times
The Coast Guard stopped using the tower as a daymark in 1949, but thankfully the Park Service took over in 1958. The neglected tower then underwent renovations between 1995 and 2000. On March 18th, 2007, the lighthouse was relit, shining the light of its history for all to see once more as a solar-powered beacon.
In 2007, the discovery of shipworms threatened the tower once more. With the continuous waves, storms, and tidal erosion, in addition to the shipworms—the lighthouse is now considered a place in peril. The Park Service and the Friends of Cockspur Island Lighthouse petitioned for federal funds to preserve the land surrounding the lighthouse. It took a while, but the money came and allowed the Army Corp of Engineers to take appropriate measures to protect the land surrounding the lighthouse. The Friends of Cockspur Island Lighthouse are now seeking donations to preserve and thoroughly restore the lighthouse itself.
Because of the unstable state of the land and tower, it is closed to the public. The best way to see it is by boat; although, visitors can only glance at it from afar, as no one is allowed on the islet. Fort Pulaski National Monument does have a trail that is sometimes open for visitors to get closer enough for photos, but because of tidal changes and storms, the trail isn’t always open. Check with the park for details.
Ghosts of the Cockspur Island Lighthouse
But there’s a darker side of this beacon of light… some locals believe the tower to be haunted by the ghosts of Civil War soldiers. Or maybe even the ghosts of keepers’ past. Seeing as visitors aren’t allowed there, I suppose we’ll never know more than what the local lore has told us.
But one thing is for sure, this small lighthouse will continue to intrigue all those who pass it… perhaps something or someone is beckoning us there.
Music:
Stepping Stones by Megan Wofford. https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/oI4EJFT145/
Folk Story by Trevor Kowalski. https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/ce4jBwr0Hm/
Ghostpocalypse – 6 Crossing the Threshold by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
