April 24, 2011

Road Trip Endeavour-Day 3-Tybee Island Light Station

location-Tybee Island, GA
built-1736, destroyed and rebuilt several times since
active beacon-yes
stamp-yes
players-Jen, John, Lincoln, Spencer and Jackson

 

The  Tybee Island Lighthouse is the first out-of-state tourable lighthouse we have ever visited.  It is still active and guides boats safely into the Savannah River.  This is no Michigan lighthouse.  It is the tallest lighthouse in Georgia.  It is a whopping 178 steps (144 feet) to the top.  That is very tall, even for the bravest four year olds.  None of the lighthouses we've climbed in Michigan have been very tall.

We obviously couldn't take Jackson up 178 steps, so John and I took turns taking Lincoln and Spencer up to the top.  John went up first with Spencer.   He is a pretty gutsy kid.  He got right up there and wanted to go right outside and walk around the top.  Then I took Lincoln up, he really wanted to go, but he was pretty nervous.  He took it pretty slow, but he made it all the way.  We just looked out the door at the view and didn't go out.  We were so proud of them both for having courage and they were very proud of themselves.  Jackson had fun running all over the place and trying to eat rocks.  All of them loved seeing the ocean and all the palm trees.  We had a lot of fun here. 

click on the pic to read


Spencer at the top!
Lincoln being very careful-
wearing a light keepers hat for courage

Lincoln at the top-
he wanted to stay inside
Jackson had fun too!

beautiful view from the top
It is also the oldest lighthouse in Georgia.  The first one was built in 1736 and was destroyed by a storm five years later.  It has been rebuilt several times since.  It has also been painted with different day marks six times.  It is currently painted with it's 1916 day marks.

The light was converted to electricity in 1933.  In 1948, the last light keeper, George Jackson, died and the United States Coast  Guard took over maintaining the light.  In 1987, the Tybee Island Historical Society took over maintenance and restoration of the site and the U.S.  Coast Guard still maintains the light.
keepers house
assistant keepers house
our first lighthouse with palm trees

2 comments:

  1. Looks like so much fun! We have a friend of the family that lives here for part of the year. Would love to get down there for a visit!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Beautiful place to visit! We just went through on our way to FL, but would be a great place for a vacay.

    ReplyDelete

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