Erected in 1858 by the U.S. Lighthouse Board, this cast-iron “street-lamp”–style beacon served as the rear range light (paired with a front light on Fig Island) to guide ships safely into Savannah Harbor and past six British vessels scuttled in 1779. The 25-foot tower (focal plane roughly 77 feet above the river) was shifted a few feet south in 1869, refurbished in 1929, and extinguished during World War II. By 1958, corrosion had necessitated the use of guy cables for stabilization. A major restoration funded with $125,000 from the Savannah Morning News and CSX dismantled, treated, repaired, and repainted the structure; it was re-erected and relit on January 11, 2001. Now within the Savannah Historic District, the beacon—originally a red light—glows today with a decorative gas lamp.
Old Harbor Light (Savannah, Georgia)
