Ship Island Light

Ship Island Light is a lighthouse in Harrison County, Mississippi, located on a barrier island in the Gulf of Mexico. The 24-meter brick tower marks the deep-water channel that connects Mobile Bay to the Mississippi River.

The original lighthouse was built in 1853 and served shipping traffic until 1885 when coastal erosion forced its abandonment. Subsequent rebuilds over more than a century shaped the structure that stands today.

The fourth-order Fresnel lens from the original lighthouse remains preserved at the Maritime and Seafood Industry Museum in Biloxi.

The lighthouse is reachable by ferry from Gulfport, which typically runs from March through October. The island has few amenities, so visitors should prepare ahead and bring water for their visit.

An earlier wooden structure burned down in 1972 and was replaced by a replica in 2000, only to be destroyed by a hurricane just five years later. These repeated losses show the harsh conditions that coastal structures face in this region.

Location: Harrison County

Inception: 1853

Height: 24 m

GPS coordinates: 30.21270,-88.96610

Latest update: December 14, 2025 17:03