On the southern tip of St. Simons Island, this lighthouse has long guided ships into St. Simons Sound and warned of dangerous sandbars. The first light, built in 1810, was destroyed by retreating Confederates in 1862 to keep it from aiding Union naval operations. The current brick tower, completed in 1872 just west of the original site, remains active and still uses a rare third-order biconvex Fresnel lens. Modernized over time with electric power, automation, and supporting range lights, it continues to serve navigation while also standing as one of the island’s best-known landmarks and an enduring symbol of the community.

St. Simons, Georgia · USA