A Walk Through Time

The founder of The Club Group, a firm that manages the Yacht Basin, the Harbour Town Yacht Club, The Shops at Sea Pines Center, as well as various residential properties in Sea Pines, and even our Harbour Town Lighthouse, thought it would be fun for people to learn something as they made the climb to the top of the lighthouse. Mark King commissioned Porter Thompson, a local historian, to create interesting and informative displays on each of the nine landings of the lighthouse more than 20 years ago. The exhibits are constantly being changed.

Just a few years ago, the lighthouse was designated an Official Coast Guard Museum. The new display features a 1:5 scale model of the “Eagle,” a historic 295-foot cutter that serves as a seagoing classroom for Coast Guard cadets. The ship’s original plans were used in the construction of the 16-foot, hand-built model, an utterly amazing work of art.

The Ones Who Were Here Before Us

In addition to the Coast Guard “Eagle” model, the lighthouse Museum features a Daufuskie Island display consisting of artifacts and a taste of the curious, mystical story of Daufuskie. From the pottery of prehistoric civilizations to the refined, sea island sensibility of Haig Point. From Native Americans through Spanish explorers through the tenacious families who stayed on through thick and thin to enjoy the beauty of life on this “paradise beyond.” The Daufuskie Island display in the lighthouse is a trip worth taking.

A visit through the lighthouse has become an interesting and informative climb through the history of Hilton Head Island, from pre-history and native peoples to the life and times at Sea Pines over the years. There’s something fun to learn on every landing. And there is an ultramodern webcam on the top so you can call your friends and family wherever they are, have them link up to the lighthouse web site and see you live on the observation deck.

The View and the Inspiration

Rewarding the visitor at the top of the Harbour Town Lighthouse is not only the Island’s most distinctive store, “the Shoppe at the Top,” but also an unforgettable view and – for many a life-changing inspiration.

The view from this extraordinary setting has made Harbour Town Lighthouse a popular venue for weddings. Over the years it has been the site of countless first kisses, engagements. and marriages. Brides who seek the distinctive, an occasion no one will forget, often find their way to the lighthouse. The experience and connections of the lighthouse staff make the arrangements not only memorable, but also remarkably easy. The lighthouse is available for private parties and events, too.

It warms our hearts that people make the lighthouse part of their own stories. It makes our history very personal – and keeps the story very up to date.