Customarily, things that happen on the Charleston County Courthouse steps do not turn out well for the parties present. The year was 1999, and Richard Beck and some of his friends from Folly Beach had been attracted to a proceeding advertised in the News and Courier. Standing there with their hands in their pockets, they were present to hear the reading of a Foreclosure action against the current Owner of the old Charleston Light, often called the Morris Island Lighthouse.
Listening intently, an announcement was made for an opening bid of $100,000. No one raised their hand or said anything! Hearing nothing from the sparse yet interested crowd, the foreclosure drew to a close. Shaking their heads, this group of Folly Island residents noticed another small group nearby and walked over to chat. Turns out that a similar group from James Island had attended out of curiosity. That began the conversation that joined these two citizen volunteer groups together to form Save the Light, Inc.
Richard had long been drawn to the lighthouse, and now, finally, there were others who felt the same. He was overjoyed, and so began the challenging task of making something happen to save this very symbol of our Maritime Heritage. Richard, being a great photographer, had taken many photos of the tower and immediately moved forward with an exciting plan. He suggested the two groups meet and discuss a plan to do something about acquiring it. The very first meeting, which included several Attorneys, an Engineer, a housewife, a teacher, a businessman, an artist, a banker, a utility company man, a college student, and a dentist, resulted in the formation of a grass-roots non-profit with a desire to acquire the Lighthouse.
Tasks were assigned, bylaws were written, papers were filed, and lo and behold, they were doing something about that Lighthouse. Negotiations began, and soon this group had a plan.
Charleston’s own famous Lowcountry artist, Jim Booth, volunteered to do a special painting of a sunrise at the Lighthouse, which he would call “First Light”. Robert New and Jim Booth agreed to sign a promissory note with a Bank, on behalf of the STL group, to secure funds to purchase it. Jim noted that his paintings of the Lighthouse always sell like hotcakes, and the deal was struck! Negotiations with the Lighthouse owner’s lawyer resulted in an agreed purchase price of $75,000. Jim Booth released the new painting and donated 400 prints for the Group to sell, at $200 each. They sold out within 6 months. This provided $80,000 income, and the note was paid off immediately.
Richard was the most excited of the group and remarked that anything is possible with the right team and the right plan. The first Chairman of this group was a well-known businessman and local leader, Robert New, who led the group for the initial three years, then co-chaired with Richard until he was elected Chairman and served from 2003 to 2008 as the leader of this group. He loved it and put his heart and mind into it. The First Board of Directors was moving forward and made history by acquiring a lighthouse and then convincing the State to accept it, while keeping control of the process of operating it. History had been made again on Morris Island.
Richard’s prior knowledge, gained while working for Folly Beach and their renourishment plans, was the key to getting the ball moving on the lighthouse. The key, as Richard pointed out, was that the Lighthouse needed to belong to the State and not a nonprofit organization. That was a real challenge, as the State saw that ownership as a drain of taxpayers’ money, which was in short supply.
Richard and his board of impressive leaders pressed hard, and the group worked out a deal where the State could own the Lighthouse and its 20 acres of sand and water while Save the Light would lease it for 99 years and take care of the ongoing efforts to save it. A great idea, as some of the STL team had been talking with the local Army Corps of Engineers staff about a project to help stop the erosion of the sand at the base of the lighthouse and Morris Island.
The lighthouse was transferred to the State of South Carolina, and a lease was signed in a historic ceremony at Folly Beach on December 13, 2000, proclaimed by Governor Jim Hodges as Morris Island Lighthouse Day.
Prior to this, Richard had graduated from Erskine College and the MUSC School of Dentistry in Charleston, only to accept a job in the upstate of South Carolina for two years. He missed the coast and living near the ocean, so he moved back to the area, living on Folly Beach and starting a dental practice on nearby James Island.
Loving life on Folly Beach, Richard eventually became involved with Folly politics and served on the City Council from 1978 to 1982, until he was elected the Mayor of Folly Beach in 1982. Serving for 7 years, he became very involved with the erosion problems on Folly and spent many hours researching the causes and taking actions that led to the renourishment efforts by the US Army Corps of Engineers. His efforts are visible daily on the beaches of Folly, as all beaches from the West end to the Eastern tip have been restored many times due to his diligence and understanding of the issues.
Richard’s final year as the Chairman of Save the Light, in 2007, the US Army Corps of Engineers found a way to fund a Section 111 project that would install a cofferdam ring of sheet piles around the foundation of the lighthouse and protect it from further erosion, as well as stabilizing it’s foundation. The project was called Phase I of the restoration of the lighthouse and was successfully completed in the summer of 2008. Richard had succeeded in the first step of saving the lighthouse. The second phase of work was completed in July of 2010 by local companies installing micro-piles beneath the foundation of the tower and filling the cofferdam with sand.
Richard continued to serve on the Board of Directors as the longest-serving Founding Member. He led many of the annual initiatives for raising funds and keeping the project in the focus of the Lowcountry and the entire State. Richard has been the primary spokesman for the Folly Beach A Tax Fund each year, providing the connection between the City Council and the lighthouse.
The lighthouse is in the Folly Beach City limits and attracts thousands each year to view it from the easternmost point of Folly Beach, now called the Lighthouse Heritage Preserve, County Park.
Richard is responsible for the Save the Light website flyover video, and his voice will forever remind us of his dedication to a cause for which he is well known. His camera images are well established as a history lesson for anyone visiting the Folly Beach and Morris Island areas.
Richard earned his Captain’s License and dedicated his last years to providing boat tours for guests and friends to see this treasure standing tall, all because a small group of citizens joined together 27 years ago to save it. He also connected an upstate Lighthouse group from the Greer area, led by Mrs Betty O’Brien, to join forces with Save the Light, bringing with her a fantastic fundraising ability and one of the largest donations to date. She soon joined the Board of Directors and served as the Capital Campaign Chair for many years, before retiring to Hendersonville, NC.
Richard Beck accomplished much in his lifetime, and his effect on the entire area, including Folly Beach and Morris Island, will be long remembered. Save the Light Inc exists because he cared and connected those of us who continue to work to preserve our heritage and the Morris Island Lighthouse.
Al Hitchcock