Lighthouse on St. Simons Island celebrating 150th anniversary

St. Simons Island Lighthouse

ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. – A beloved lighthouse on the Georgia coast will be illuminated like a giant birthday candle to celebrate turning 150 years old.

The lighthouse on St. Simons Island opened in 1872 to replace an earlier version destroyed during the Civil War. Standing 104 feet (32 meters) tall and capable of projecting its light beam 23 miles (37 kilometers) out to sea, the coastal landmark is still used to help ships navigate St. Simons Sound.

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The Coastal Georgia Historical Society plans to mark the lighthouse’s big 150th anniversary over Labor Day weekend by having an animated light show projected on the outside of the 104-foot tower.

The show will tell the history of the lighthouse and its keepers while highlighting the coastal region’s heritage and culture, Sandy White, education director for the historical society, said in a news release. The free 20-minute light show will be repeated several times during evening hours Friday through Monday.

The historical society produced the light show in collaboration with Castano Group, a production and design agency based in Jacksonville, Florida, that specializes in projection mapping.