Front Range Lighthouse
The front range lighthouse stood about 35 feet high and was situated on the southeast shore along the Atlantic Ocean. It was mounted on a Keepers House near the beach. The front and rear range lighthouses were 1 1/8 nautical miles apart, on a line bearing W. 3/4 N. and E. 3/4 S. The front light was originally fixed red, but was changed to white six months after it was built.
The two lights from the front and rear beacons had to line up exactly, one above the other, so sea captains would know exactly how to enter the channel. The two towers formed one side of a triangle while two similar Hunting Island lights made the opposite angle. To cross the bar coming into Port Royal Sound, ships lined up the lights on either side and slid through. Since the channel was always shifting, the front light was eventually made mobile in 1884 so the lights could always be lined up.
The front lighthouse had been previously demolished shortly after 1932. It has been reported that portions of its foundation still remain and are partially visible along the shore.
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