(Hatteras Lighthouse, Buxton, NC)
I guess you could accuse me of being a bit biased, but if you enjoy visiting lighthouses like I do, my home state of North Carolina is a treasure trove of wonderful places to see.
There are 12 historic Lighthouse sites in North Carolina :
Oak Island
Bald Head Island
Cape Lookout
Okracoke
Cape Hatteras
Bodie Island ( currently being restored)
Carrituck Beach
Price Creek ( on private property- no access )
Cape Fear ( site only- structure demolished )
Roanoke River
Roanoke River Replica
Roanoke Marshes Replica
Cape Hatteras Lighthouse: near Buxton on Cape Hatteras.
Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is probably the most well-known NC lighthouse, perhaps because it is the tallest lighthouse in America, but also because of all the publicity surrounding the necessity of moving it, due to beach erosion, in 1999.
The Army Corps of Engineers had quite a massive but intricate task on it’s shoulders…..
and not without a lot of difficulty, the Lighthouse was moved almost 3000 feet back from the water’s edge.
The first Cape Hatteras LH was built in 1804, but was destroyed during the War between the States, in 1862.
In 1871, Cape Hatteras LH was rebuilt, this time, at 210 feet, as the tallest brick lighthouse in the world. It cost about $168,000, took two years to construct, and used over one and one quarter million ( 1,250,000 ) bricks.
The sea has played havoc with the site over the last century and a half, at one time coming within 300 feet of the base, necessitating a decommissioning of the tower between 1935 and 1950— and again during the move in 1999-2000.
She is an instantly recognizable emblem of North Carolina, with her daymark of white and black diagonal stripes, and is open to the public.
Oak Island Lighthouse
Oak Island Lighthouse is located near Caswell Beach, on Oak Island, and is one of the nation’s youngest lighthouses…
It replaced an earlier steel structure called ” Cape Fear Lighthouse ” in 1958.
The placement of this light was critical to aid ships in avoiding the very dangerous ” Frying Pan Shoals ” and to mark the mouth of the Cape Fear River.
The light can be seen from 16 miles away, and is 169 feet high.
It is so powerful that repair crews must wear protective suits when working in the lens room.
Another well known landmark of North Carolina, her daymark is: gray on the bottom third of the tower, white on the second third, and black on up — and these colors are part of the cement finish, not painted on.
Ocracoke Island Lighthouse
Ocracoke Island Lighthouse is the oldest operating lighthouse in the State, this structure having been built in 1822, for a little over $11,000, replacing an earlier light built in 1798.
This area was a favorite of Blackbeard the Pirate, and the scene of many a historical drama…. during the War Between the States, the Confederates had disabled the light, but Union troops eventually relit it.
Ocracoke has a steady automated light, is 76 feet high, and it’s daymark is plain white.
Only the base is open to the public, and only in summer.
Cape Lookout Lighthouse
Cape Lookout Lighthouse, located on the South Core of the Outer Banks, is 163 feet high, was built in 1857, and is one of the only lighthouses in America that is lit day and night.
The tower serves navigation in more than one way, because it’s daymark, alternating black and white diamonds, is in itself a directional marker— the side corners of the black diamonds pointing north-south, and the white diamonds, east and west.
Despite being accessible only by ferry, the tower is worth visiting, and you can even climb the tower mid-May through mid-September.
Bald Head Island Light
Bald Head Island Light , ” Old Baldy “, is North Carolina’s oldest standing lighthouse, having been completed in 1817.
It stands 110 feet tall, and is on the National Register of Historic Places.
It is only a couple of miles downstream from Wilmington, NC, and although it no longer serves as a navigational light house, having been decommissioned in 1935, it shines a day beacon, and has been fully restored.
It welcomes visitors to both the tower, and the adjoining museum all year round.
Carrituck Beach Lighthouse
Carrituck Beach Lighthouse, in Corolla, is a beautiful old brick tower, and is one of my favorite climbs….. 214 steps take you to the top and a wonderful view of the Outer Banks.
Near the top of the Outer Banks, It was built to fill in the ‘dark space’ between Cape Henry Light in Virginia and Bodie Island Light in North Carolina.
Before electricity, the beacon had a unique clockwork mechanism that would rotate the lens so it would appear to be flashing… the keeper would simply crank it every couple of hours.
It is 162 feet high, and has no daymark, showing a natural brick surface–
….. approximately 1 million of them !!!
It uses a 20 second flash cycle- 3 seconds on, 17 seconds off, and can been about 18 nautical miles away.
Still serving as a navigational beacon, the house and tower have been completely restored, and visitors are welcome Easter through Thanksgiving.
As you can see, there are so many reasons to see North Carolina,
I don’t understand why you ain’t headin’ on over this-a-way already.
Hoy!