From the mid-eighteenth through the early twentieth centuries, the waterways of coastal Georgia, from the St. Marys River in the south to the Savannah River in the north, were a vital part of the state’s economy. Georgia’s barrier islands are home to five existing lighthouses, each with its own unique style and history.
Lighthouses of the Georgia Coast is the eleventh book by William Rawlings. He was born, raised, and lives in Sandersville, Georgia, home to his family for more than two centuries. His first five books were suspense novels set in rural Georgia. Turning to nonfiction, he wrote three subsequent works about Georgia and Southern history. He’s been the recipient of a number of writing awards.
Rawlings’s recent works include a suspense novel set in Savannah titled The Girl with Kaleidoscope Eyes, and a true-crime thriller, Six Inches Deeper. Lighthouses of the Georgia Coast, his fifth nonfiction book, was published by Mercer University Press earlier this year. The new book includes information about lighthouse design and construction, the role and legacy of the keepers, and the strategic importance of the structures during the Civil War. To learn more about William Rawlings and his books, see the author’s website at williamrawlings.com.
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Jeremy D’Entremont is the author of more than 20 books and hundreds of articles on lighthouses and maritime history. He is the president and historian for the American Lighthouse Foundation and founder of Friends of Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouses, and he has lectured and narrated cruises throughout the Northeast and in other regions. He is also the producer and host of the U.S. Lighthouse Society podcast, “Light Hearted.” He can be emailed at Jeremy@uslhs.org