Regional Industry & News

Tybee Island Lighthouse celebrates history, Coast Guard ties with free events

TYBEE ISLAND, Ga. (WTOC) - Georgia’s oldest and tallest lighthouse is hosting a series of free community events to celebrate its rich history, honor its long-standing partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard, and commemorate America’s upcoming 250th anniversary.

The celebrations, hosted by the Tybee Island Historic Preservation Commission and the Tybee Island Historical Society, kicked off Friday, Aug. 7, for National Lighthouse Day. The event featured a ribbon-cutting for a brand-new Coast Guard exhibit on the grounds—a fitting tribute to the service that saved the landmark nearly a century ago.

In the 1930s, talks of shutting the lighthouse down entirely prompted the Coast Guard to step in.

“The lighthouse service that then transferred to the Coast Guard decided that this was a light they definitely wanted to keep,” said Sarah Jones, Executive Director of the Tybee Island Historical Society.

The Coast Guard went on to own and operate the light station for more than half a century. In 2002, the Tybee Island Historical Society stepped in to take over the care of the grounds and buildings. Today, the property is maintained by the historical society, a nonprofit relying on community funding that supported a major renovation of the lighthouse just two years ago.

For Lieutenant Edward Fisher, a U.S. Coast Guard officer who grew up just minutes from the structure, seeing the new exhibit open on National Lighthouse Day was a dream come true.

“I never would’ve dreamed that this would come to fruition,” Fisher said, looking up at the historic beacon. “If you’re asking me how many steps there are, I think 167? 168.”

Fisher noted that the partnership has been essential in keeping the lighthouse beautiful and shining. It remains a vital symbol of local and national history.

“This is the symbol of Tybee,” Jones said. “It’s seen every war, from the Revolutionary War until World War II—it’s been a part of that in some way.”

Inside the lighthouse, researchers are still uncovering the individual names of those who have kept the light burning since the 1700s.

Free Events Continue Monday

While the National Lighthouse Day ribbon-cutting has concluded, the historic celebrations will continue Monday, Aug. 10, with free admission and patriotic activities:

- 1:00 p.m. — Declaration of Independence Reading: A dramatic live reading presented by the Tybee Arts Association.

- 2:00 p.m. — Children’s Story Time & Patriotic Crafts: Patriotic-themed crafts and storytelling for young visitors.

- Admission & Hours: The lighthouse site will be closed to the public in the morning, reopening at 12:15 p.m. Admission is free to all visitors from 12:15 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.