Harbour Town Lighthouse

A landmark since 1969 and a unique “Shoppe at the Top” since 1994.

A visit to Hilton Head Island without a visit to the Harbour Town Lighthouse has been described that way. It’s not just a landmark – although it is all of that – the Lighthouse is the single strongest symbol of Hilton Head Island. It is the image that says it all. Everyone from visitors to publishers to movie-makers pictures the Lighthouse, when Hilton Head Island is the topic. There are a host of good reasons for that. There’s meaning behind this iconic image, and that meaning is authentic and genuine. Imagining his innovative, nature-friendly approach to a resort community, Sea Pines founder Charles Fraser thought it was criticalt hat there be a central gathering place, where people could go and socialize in pleasant surroundings.

This idea stemmed from his own research, where he found example after example of towns, beginning with the Greeks and the Romans, designed around open plazas. As Fraser fashioned Harbour Town, after the best ideas he gleaned from an extensive trip through the Mediterranean, he saw that it needed an exclamation point . . . a significant structure that would symbolize the idea, magnetize the location, and add some drama to the site. He imagined there should be a lighthouse located at the entrance to the harbour, shining out over Calibogue Sound.

The Birth of an Icon
Fraser commissioned his architects at Sasaki and Associates of Cambridge Massachusetts to design the lighthouse. Some of the early residents in Sea Pines, and old-time Hilton Head Islanders, considered it to be a rather silly idea, “Fraser’s Folly.” Now, more than a half century after its completion, the 93-foot tall, hexagonal, candy-striped lighthouse has become an internationally recognized symbol of the Sea Pines Resort community, an icon of excellence and quality.

The lighthouse was completed in 1970. The frame was up just in time to overlook the final putt of the first Heritage Classic on the18th green of Harbour Town Golf Links in 1969. That final putt was sunk by America’s favorite golfer, Arnold Palmer, making Palmer the first Heritage Classic PGA champion. Today, TV coverage broadcasts nation-wide and across the globe the commanding presence of the Harbour Town Lighthouse each spring during the tournament.

Bringing the Lighthouse to Life
At first the Lighthouse was simply an imposing tower with 114 steps leading up to an observation deck, offering spectacular views of the surrounding Calibogue Sound, the Harbour and the famous 18th hole of the Harbour Town Golf Links. Realizing that the lighthouse should be staffed for security and safety reasons, a talented area entrepreneur, Mark King, conceived the idea that the top floor of the lighthouse would make an excellent spot for an aerial gift shop. The Shoppe at the Top became reality because of an extraordinary woman who is known as the lighthouse keeper, Nadia Wagner. Nadia is hard to miss. She has a smile that could serve as the lighthouse beacon itself, an infectious laugh and a delightful, welcoming manner. As if that weren’t enough, consider that for several years Nadia was solely responsible for stocking and restocking the gift shop...114 steps each way...witharmloads of boxes and supplies. Nadia and Club Group founder Mark King have since opened The Maritime Gift Galley on the ground floor, to offer books, nautical artifacts and memorabilia to visitors. The Maritime Gift Galley is a place where captains of industry and technology mingle with visitors and guests. Where children and grandparents mix with yachtsmen and connoisseurs. It is quintessential Hilton Head Island.

A Walk Through Time
Mark King thought it would be fun for people to learn something as they made the climb to the top. He commissioned Porter Thompson, a local historian, to create interesting and informative displays on each of the nine landings of the lighthouse nearly 20years ago. The exhibits are constantly being changed. The Lighthouse was recently 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, a truly amazing work of art. 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 a state-of-the-art 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. And there is more. Where there are lighthouses there are ghosts, and this lighthouse is no different. On certain evenings and even during the day there are occasional footsteps, faint voices, and on rare occasions, things moving about in the shop when no one is around. Some of the most popular exhibits along the 114-steps are tales of spirits, told for generations in these parts. The Harbour Town Lighthouse has stood for more than 50 years as a beacon and a symbol of the creative spirit of Charles Fraser.

The Sea Pines founder and visionary is laid to rest under the Liberty Oak facing the Lighthouse he built as a welcome to all who come to visit or stay a lifetime. It has become a part of the story people take home with them, an essential symbol of the dreams that have come true here. No matter how often you come to Hilton Head Island, the Harbour Town Lighthouse is a must-do experience.