Hilton Head Rear Range Lighthouse
Located at Dunes Resort Athur Hills Golf Course, 53 Leamington Lane Palmetto, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928. on, South Carolina, the Rear Range Lighthouse is a unique landmark. It was formerly part of a system of lights that guided ships entering Port Royal Sound, but was decommissioned in 1932. This structure, also known as the Leamington Lighthouse, is a well-preserved landmark on Hilton Head Island and is included on the National Register of Historic Places. It was recently renovated and features new windows, 360-degree observation deck boards, and a newly stained roof.
The Rear Range Lighthouse was a part of a system of lights constructed in 1880 to guide shipping into Port Royal Sound. It was one of two range lights located on Hilton Head Island. The other lighthouse is located in Harbour Town and is more widely known. The Rear Range Lighthouse is believed to be between 425 and 450 years old, though some historians believe it to be much younger. Click more info here
In the late 1700s, merchants in South Carolina petitioned the federal government to build a beacon light. Congress provided the money, and two range lights were erected on Hilton Head. The front range light was located on the keeper’s dwelling, and the rear range light was located on a 95-foot-tall iron tower. The front range light was eventually replaced by a fixed white light, while the rear range light was kept in service.
In the late 1880s, the United States Lighthouse Board constructed a system of lights on Hilton Head to guide ships entering Port Royal Sound. The rear range light was affixed to a 95-foot-tall iron light tower, and the front range light was located on a square, square tower. The front range light was positioned to track the changing channel into the sound. The light was originally fixed red, but was switched to fixed white in 1883.
In 1893, the front range light was replaced with Funck-Heap lamps. After six years of service, the light was discontinued. The front range light was moved south to a new location on the southern end of the lighthouse reservation. The rear range light was discontinued in 1932, but was renovated and moved to the front of the golf course. Continue reading about Coligny Beach Park
The Leamington Lighthouse was built in 1879-1880 by the United States Lighthouse Board to guide shipping into Port Royal Sound. It is one of the few surviving lighthouses in South Carolina. It is a cast iron skeleton structure with a wooden watch room. The canopy of the live oak tree that stands next to the lighthouse is thought to be between 435 and 450 years old. The canopy spans 150 feet and is considered to be the oldest living oak tree on Hilton Head Island. The lighthouse was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985, and the tower was renovated in 1985, 1987, 1990, and 2006.
In addition to the lighthouse, the Port Royal Sound lighthouse complex includes a cylindrical stair tower, a water cistern, and a vintage brick oil house. A keeper’s dwelling is also located within the complex. These buildings are now used as businesses, and the lighthouse is no longer in use.