Tybee Island Light stands where the Savannah River meets the Atlantic and preserves a long history of adaptation. First established in 1736, the site saw early towers destroyed by storm and erosion before a 1773 brick lighthouse became the first true light here. The present tower incorporates part of that structure and was enlarged after Civil War destruction and delayed reconstruction, reaching 154 feet. Over time it survived hurricane and earthquake damage, gained Fresnel lenses, was electrified in 1933, and automated in 1972. Now under the Tybee Island Historical Society, it remains both a museum and an active aid to navigation with its original lens.