Range lights have played a major role in protecting travelers from the perils of navigating the various channels throughout the United States. One such channel set is the Hilton Head Front and Rear Range Lights. The Front Range Light, no longer standing, was only thirty-five feet tall. Because the beacon was mobile, as the channels sand banks shifted, so did the little lighthouse. The lighthouse was moved multiple times to accommodate for the changing tides.

The Civil War had ended and things were looking up for the southern states. Congress appropriated $40,000 for the land and construction of the range lights on Hilton Head Island. Completed in 1880 and fully operational in 1881, the lights shone brightly for mariners entering the channel.

The Rear Range Light is a unique lighthouse sits neatly on the picturesque Hilton Head Island at the Palmetto Dunes Resort. Constructed of steel and cast iron, this beacon is a perfect addition to the golf course at Palmetto. As golfers enjoy a peaceful day at the range, they drive right past this nautical monument on their way to the fifth and fifteenth greens.

Many hurricanes passed through the channel and one such hurricane had a devastating result. In 1898 Rear Range keeper Adam Fripp made the treacherous trip to the lantern room and as the wind howled a gust of wind shattered a glass pane, causing Keeper Fripp to have a fatal heart attack. His daughter, who assisted him at the lighthouse, died a few weeks later. To this day there are stories of ghost sightings in the tower and the surrounding area.

The Front Range Light was deactivated in 1932 and later destroyed. The Rear Range beacon was decommissioned in the 1930’s but the lighthouse is still in very good condition today. The Greenwood Development Corporation currently owns the lighthouse and it is kept in great repair for visitors to enjoy year round. Harbour Lights has recreated the Front Range beacon as it stood, in pristine condition, before its destruction. And we have depicted the Rear Range beacon, as it stands today.