Coming to Sullivan's Island from across the Inlet there are a handful of architectural beacons that tell you you've arrived on Sullivan's Island. The lighthouse. The pagodas. The bishop's cap chimneys. The red tin roofs, the angel oaks and crushed oyster shell drives.

For me, there was always one more.

What I came to know as the Wedding Cake House became my beacon that I had made it to Sullivan's Island.

Growing up on Long Island in the 1980s, during the era of big hair, bold architecture and what would later become the Wolf of Wall Street generation, the house felt more familiar to me than the beach cottages and Southern vernacular homes that define so much of the island. It never quite fit in, and maybe that's exactly why it became so unforgettable.

Like most island stories, there was more to it than I ever imagined.

As Sullivan's Island continues to evolve and a new generation of homes begins to shape the landscape, I thought it was the perfect time to learn the story behind one of the island's most recognizable landmarks and hear from the people who have helped write its past and its future.

The story really begins in 1982, when the Baker family looked at one of the island's most unusual building sites and decided not to work around its history, but with it.

Instead of removing the massive circular concrete structure left behind from an unfinished World War II military installation on the former Marshall Reservation, they built on top of it. The result was a three-story round house that seemed to rise right out of the point. With each level slightly smaller than the one below it, it didn't take long for islanders to give it a nickname that would stick for decades: the Wedding Cake House.

Its location only added to the story. Sitting outside the maritime forest, the home enjoyed sweeping views of Breach Inlet, the Atlantic Ocean, the Intracoastal Waterway, the shipping channel, and the south end of Isle of Palms. It wasn't just a house people recognized. It was one people talked about.

For many years, Peter and Lillian Tezza, longtime owners of the home, raised their family there. While the rest of the island knew it as the Wedding Cake House, the Tezzas simply called it the "Sand Castle." Their children grew up in its round rooms and winding staircases, creating the kind of memories only a one-of-a-kind home can provide.

When the property entered its next chapter, Patrick Marr, Principal of Cobalt Properties and a longtime Sullivan's Island resident, saw an opportunity to preserve the spirit of one of the island's most recognizable homes while building something that would serve the next generation.

"As a resident of Sullivans Island for more than 20 years, I too find it special, and being a good steward on the Island is important to me."

That philosophy shaped every decision that followed, beginning with assembling a team that respected the property's history as much as its future.

Phil Clarke, Founder of Clarke Design Group, knew from the beginning that the original house deserved a place in the new story.

"The main thing we wanted to do was honor the original structure the best we could, thus introduction of the rounded porch. And we wanted to design a home that would capture all that this amazing site has to offer and build it at a quality that would last generations."

Bringing that vision to life was Travis Arnett, President of Arnett Construction & Arnett Custom Homes.

"That house and its location have always been iconic on the island. When our long-term client decided to purchase it and tapped us to help him evaluate the feasibility of what could be done, we jumped at it. We live for projects like this."

One detail immediately answered a question many people had wondered about for years.

"I remember being very surprised that it had a basement. It's also the reason the house was round because they built the house on that World War II military structure."

As the design evolved, one goal never changed.

"There was definitely a lot of intention with a focus on creating incredible views from every room. Phil did a great job on the layout, and the whole build team had great ideas along the way as well."

Few people have watched the property through more chapters than Ashley Haynes, a lifelong Sullivan's Island resident and Realtor, who is representing the home.

"I was lucky enough to grow up right behind this property. As far back as I can remember, 'The Round House,' as it was called back in the day, was what I saw when I looked out of my bedroom windows."

He says the point itself has always been what makes the property unforgettable.

"The old house, as well as the new house, sit alone and privately out on the point, so you can't help but notice the property from many different spots in the area. This is also what gives the property 270-degree views of the Intracoastal Waterway, Breach Inlet, the south end of IOP, and the shipping channel coming into downtown Charleston."

Watching the transformation gave him a new appreciation for the site itself.

"Once the old house came down, I was surprised to see how expansive the property is. The new house sits in a more central position on the property, and it takes full advantage of the panoramic views from all three levels."

More than forty years after the Wedding Cake House first captured the Island's imagination, its story continues. The shape may have changed, but what made the property so memorable never did. It's still one of Sullivan's Island's most recognizable homes, and now its next chapter is being written with the same appreciation for place that made the original so unforgettable.