Recent visitors to the village on St. Simons Island have marveled at the sight a large, canvas-wrapped edifice in the spot where the lighthouse normally stands. No, it is not the latest work by artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude; rather, it is part of an ongoing restoration project.The St. Simons Island Lighthouse is undergoing a top-to-bottom, inside-and-out restoration that began Feb. 9.
The work began with sandblasting of all interior metal work including the 129 stairs, landings, railings and decorative window grates. The outside metal work is receiving similar treatment, necessitating the use of an enormous containment tarp which enshrouds the 104-foot structure and keeps the abrasive media and removed paint from being carried away by the wind.
After the metal has been stripped bare and, if needed, repaired, it will be given a primer coat, a middle coat and a urethane top coat. According to construction manager Paul Gilbert, the primer is equal to galvanizing in protecting the metal from the elements of sand and salt from the sea.
Eight cast iron handrail posts from the gallery level are being replaced, and will be recast from one of the originals. All windows, including the exterior metal, are being replaced as well. The lighthouse's outside masonry will be pressure washed and repaired as needed. It will then be repainted (white, of course) with two coats of acrylic paint.The contractor went to great pains to protect the light's third order fresnel lens. The lens was encased in a layer of bubble wrap, followed by a layer of shrink wrap, with an outer layer of 1/4-inch plywood. Every chip and crack in the lens was documented.
The project includes renovation of the old storage building, which will receive a new metal roof and door. Its masonry will be repointed, and its exterior cleaned and painted. The entire project is scheduled to be completed by the end of April.
Total cost for the lighthouse restoration project is $700,000. Of that amount, $500,000 has been financed with transportation enhancement funding by the state department of transportation. The Coastal Georgia Historical Society, which owns and operates the lighthouse, storage building and keeper's dwelling, is required to match $200,000 toward the project, for which donations are being sought.
Pavers or benches are being sold as part of the Historical Society's fundraising effort. The benches and pavers will be placed around the base of the lighthouse after the renovation and landscaping are completed. For more information, call the society at 912-638-4666 or visit them online.
Photos courtesy of Natalie Bishop, St. Simons Island.
