Sullivan's Island lighthouse

In a town where it's all about history, and a building's value is often in its age, you'd think the Sullivan's Island lighthouse wouldn't have much of a chance.

Unlike its elegant cousins up and down the coast (and across the harbor), the lighthouse on Sullivan's is a boxy, brooding ugly duckling. Its style screams mid-20th-century Cold War or pre-"Brady Bunch," neither of which is the choice du jour among preservationists around here.

But the National Park Service, which took ownership of the light in May, is working to get the lighthouse on the National Register of Historic Places. And for good reason.

Unlike beauty, historical value is not skin — or, in this case, aluminum siding — deep.

Sullivan's Island was the last lighthouse built by the U.S. Coast Guard

When the lighthouse, officially called Charleston Light, was commissioned on June 15, 1962, it marked the end of an era. For nearly 250 years, the United States had been in the business of building lighthouses. They had been replaced by decidedly more high-tech gadgets, such as radar and GPS.

Right now, the oldest standing lighthouse in the country is at Sandy Hook, N.J. It dates to 1764. Coincidentally, Sandy Hook Light is also owned by the National Park Service, meaning that NPS has the oldest and newest lighthouses in the country in its collection.

This lighthouse is unique

There are several things about the Sullivan's Island lighthouse that make it unlike any other tower in the country. For instance, it is the only three-sided lighthouse, a feature meant to make it more wind resistant (the prow points toward the water). It was built to withstand 125-mph winds.

It is the only lighthouse in this country, maybe anywhere, that has an elevator (unfortunately, it's not working).

And it is undoubtedly the only lighthouse in the country with siding. Sullivan's Island light is covered with porcelainized aluminum siding. Some folks say it is also the only one with air conditioning and shag carpet, but we didn't see the carpet. And, unfortunately, the air conditioning does not extend past the second floor.

At one point, the light was the second brightest in the Western Hemisphere with 28 million candle power. After locals complained that it seemed as if the sun was never setting, the Coast Guard dialed back the light to 1.5 million candle power. The light still can be seen 27 miles out to sea on clear nights.

The lighthouse sits

on historic ground

When the Coast Guard had to replace the original Charleston Harbor light (known to us as Morris Island lighthouse), officials chose historic ground for its new tower. The Sullivan's Island light sits on the site of the only U.S. life-saving service station in South Carolina, which dates to 1895. Those buildings, which include Coast Guard quarters, a boathouse, garage and sighting station/bunker are already on the National Register of Historic Places.

The National Park Service team at Fort Moultrie is working on plans to get the lighthouse specifically placed on the National Register.

It used to be a lot worse

Back when the Sullivan's Island light was first lit, its day-mark (exterior paint scheme to you landlubbers) was white and a rather, uh, striking red-orange. Think Coast Guard helicopter color.

The color was offensive enough that islanders petitioned the government until the color was changed to the more palatable black.

This required, literally, an act of Congress. You see, lighthouses have all those different paint schemes to let ships at sea recognize them during the day. When you change the colors, you have to change the book that helps sailors identify them.

Interesting tidbit: You still can see some of the red-orange paint in places where the black paint has peeled off. Inside, the lighthouse still retains the original color.

The lighthouse needs private friends

In November, the National Park Service plans to hold a meeting with locals and lighthouse enthusiasts to talk about plans for the light to see if there is enough support for a private friends of the light group (all the other lighthouses have them).

One thing probably not on the table, park officials say, is opening the tower to the public.

It's not that they don't want to provide public access, but you pretty much have to be in shape to tackle it.

First you climb blocky, narrow steps for 10 stories. And then the last 30 feet is climbed by ladder, straight up.

It's not the sort of thing an insurance carrier will let you turn kids loose on.

Besides, once you get in the tower, you'd be blinded by the light.