The St. Simons lighthouse and museum are must see attractions located next to the downtown area on the island. Climb the 129 stairs to the top for a great view of Saint Simons Island, Ga., as well as Jekyll Island and Brunswick, the mainland town. Save some time for the gift shop, which is more of a local boutique than a museum store. The Coastal Georgia Historical Society manages the lighthouse, as well as the Old Coast Guard station, which has been converted into a Maritime Center museum (opening in 2018).
St Simon Lighthouse History
The original building material for the St Simons Island lighthouse was tabby, a mixture of lime, water, sand and oyster shells, materials readily available on the Island. I read the architect, James Gould (also it’s first keeper) used the ruins of nearby Fort Frederica as a source for the tabby. Fort Frederica is another incredible site on St. Simons if you like history.
Gould’s lighthouse was burned during the Civil War by Confederate troops who did not want it used by the Union. The 104 foot lighthouse tower and Victorian keepers quarters you see today was completed in 1871.
St. Simons Island Lighthouse Museum
The St. Simons Island Lighthouse Museum is located in the keepers quarters, and not only tells about the history of the lighthouse, but also give you some perspective on those that lived in the area before. Upstairs are four period decorated rooms depicting the kitchen, parlor, keepers bedroom and children’s bedroom. At one point, the stairs in the keepers house were removed and the building was a duplex for both the keeper and assistant keepers families.
The museum is small and may not keep the attention of children as long as adults might like (I’m a readers, so I take a long time in museums), but they do have several nods to kids in the museum with short easy fun facts like “the Keeper had to wind the mechanism (for the light) every 75 minutes”, and kids corner activities like “The map (in the display) shows St. Simons Island in July 1742. Find Fort Frederica, Fort St. Simons, the British, the Spanish, and the Battle.” Plus there is a lighthouse ghost – that always intrigues my kids.
Events at the St. Simons Lighthouse
The ground of the St. Simons Lighthouse is a perfect place for events. We attended a wonderful concert over a Fourth of July week. Guests brought lawn chairs, and tables with full spread picnics to enjoy while they listened. A grassy dance floor formed in front of the band, which was located in an old white lattice out building. The best part is the events are a mixture of locals who know each other and families vacationing on the Island. Since the lighthouse is right next to the pool and playground, we let our young teens go play mini-golf at the pool while we enjoyed the concert.
St Simons Lighthouse Hours and Tickets
The St. Simons Lighthouse is open 10 am – 5 pm daily. Tickets can be purchased at the A.W. Jones Heritage Center which is located next to the lighthouse. Be sure to check out the movie before you head next door, it’s a great overview of the history of the lighthouse using old photographs.
I would also leave time to browse in the museum shop which is really more like a boutique. I’ve found some gorgeous purses, jewelry, and household items, plus of course lots of lighthouse paraphernalia. They also have a good selection of books including author Eugenia Price whose books are set on the island. This is also where you can get more information about St Simons Lighthouse events.
Before you leave the Heritage Center walk into the hallway to view images from the G8 Summit held on Sea Island in 2004.
More Lighthouses in Georgia
The St Simons Island Lighthouse is one of four lighthouses in Georgia that are active, and one of two that are easily accessible for tours. In addition to the St Simon Lighthouse, Tybee Island has an easily accessible lighthouse and keeper’s quarters available for tours. Nearby is Cockspur Lighthouse. This Georgia lighthouse is visible from Fort Pulaski (an fun historical stop during your Tybee Beach trip), but is not open for tours.
Closer to St. Simons is Sapelo Island lighthouse. This lighthouse is privately owned and available for tours, but it’s a bit harder to visit since you need to take a ferry to Sapelo Island. You can book a ferry and tour at the Sapelo Island Visitors Center.
To learn more about the lighthouses of Georgia visit this page put together by Lighthouse Friends. See our additional post for a list of Southeastern lighthouses.
More about St. Simons Island History
To learn more about St. Simons history, visit the Old Coast Guard Station Museum. The World War II Homefront museum will open at the Station in 2018. In the meantime, you can learn a little of the World War II history, and grab a nice beachside lunch or cocktail, at the King and Prince Hotel restaurant/bar is called Echo. The name Echo comes from the hotel’s history during World War II. It was a base of operations for the U.S. Navy that was using a brand new technology called radar, hence the name Echo. Even the trim of the restaurant has a naval feel and touches.
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