Morris Island Lighthouse

"Quintessential symbols of the romance of the sea, solitary guardians of our coasts, towers standing firm against salt-bearing winds -- lighthouses have always captured our imagination. Whether depicted in popular art or in written accounts of tragic shipwrecks and heroic battles against cruel seas, lighthouses are objects of curiosity and fascination." A line from the video Safe Passage: Aids to Navigation on the St. Lawrence.

I am fascinated by lighthouses. I am intrigued by them. There is something about these solitary guardians of the seas that stirs my emotion.

For me these beacons perfectly illustrate what is meant by sacrifice and selflessness. Isolated. Exposed to extreme weather conditions. Often neglected and forgotten. In the midst of darkness, their lights shine, guiding seafarers safely past dangers and treacherous waters.

A fellow postcrosser sent me a message asking if I would be interested in a doing a direct swap with her. I was glad I agreed. When I followed the link to her online album, I thought I died and went to postcard heaven. Needless to say, I had a very difficult time choosing among the charming cards she has for trade.

I was too happy to discover that Lauren has a great collection of lighthouse-themed postcards and a few ones featuring Albrecht Dürer's paintings. So twenty minutes later and after a grueling debate with myself, I was finally able to chose two postcards from her amazing postcard stock.

In exchange for two postcards featuring the Cordillera rice terraces and the Sinulog Festival, I got the Morris Island Light and a Dürer postcard*.


Here are some bits of information I got on the lighthouse.

"Morris Island Light is a lighthouse on Morris Island in South Carolina. The light stands on the southern side of the entrance to Charleston Harbor, north of the City of Folly Beach.

The lighthouse is unusual in that it now stands several hundred feet offshore. When constructed in 1876 the light was approximately 1,200 feet (370 m) from the water's edge. However, the construction in 1889 of the jetties which protect the shipping lanes leading to Charleston Harbor altered ocean currents, resulting in the rapid erosion of Morris Island and the destruction of many structures and historical sites By 1938 the shoreline had reached the lighthouse, forcing its automation as it was no longer safe or practical to keep it manned. In 1962 the Morris Island Light was decommissioned and replaced by the new Charleston Light, located on Sullivan's Island at the north end of the harbor." - Wikipedia write up

The Morris Island Light was sold to a private citizen by the Federal Government as surplus property in 1962. The historic lighthouse was brought for $75,000 in 1999 by Save The Light, Inc., a non-profit organization committed to preserving lighthouses. Ownership of the lighthouse was subsequently transferred to the State of South Carolina through the Department of Natural Resources. Subsequently, Save The Light, Inc. signed a 99-year lease for the Morris Island Lighthouse. Currently, it raises the needed funds, works with the Army Corps of Engineers, and coordinates the preservation efforts for the said lighthouse. (I can only hope that a similar group would take the initiative of advocating the preservation of lighthouses in the Philippines)

Anyway, the lovely lighthouse postcard sent by Lauren came with these three interesting stamps below.

*I'll feature the Dürer postcard in the coming days. If and when it finally lands in my mailbox, that is. It's mighty weird that the two cards Lauren mailed did not arrive at the same time. I hope it hasn't lost its way. I would be one very miserable lady should that happen.

Maraming salamat, Lauren! Until our next swap!

Wishing you happy journeys...

This is my contribution to Willa's Wednesday Postcard Meme