Fort Sumter Range Lights

Fort Sumter Range Lights are two separate beacons positioned to guide ships through the main channel of Charleston Harbor. The front beacon stands at Fort Sumter while the rear beacon operated from a church steeple for much of its service.

The front light was built at Fort Sumter in 1857 to support navigation in this important harbor. The rear light used the church steeple of St. Philip's for decades before moving to a different location in 1915.

The range lights system shows how ships once navigated Charleston Harbor safely without electronic aids. These beacons were essential to the region's maritime life and connected different parts of the city through their practical function.

Ships align the two lights vertically to ensure safe passage through the main channel. The visibility of these beacons depends on weather conditions and time of day, so experienced sailors combined them with other navigation methods.

The rear light used the church steeple of St. Philip's Church for over a century, combining religious architecture with practical maritime engineering in an unusual way. This blend of sacred and functional spaces was rarely seen in navigation systems.

Location: Charleston County

Inception: 1855

GPS coordinates: 32.75222,-79.87472

Latest update: December 14, 2025 16:42