Back River Lighthouse Ruins

One mile north, the Back River Lighthouse and keeper's dwelling stood for 127 years. The lighthouse was built for $4,250 in 1829, automated in 1915, and decommissioned in 1936. A guide for watermen and a meeting place for the community, the "picturesque Grand View Light Station" also served as a "mecca for local and visiting artists" according to a 1950 local newspaper. The lighthouse was one of the oldest structures in the area until neglect, wind, and water took their toll. Hurricane Flossy completely destroyed it in 1956, leaving only a pile of stones in the surf to mark the remains of the thirty-foot tower.