North Carolina Lighthouses

The coast of the U.S. state of North Carolina is a chain of sandy barrier islands, called banks, enclosing shallow lagoons called sounds. From Cape Lookout northward the banks are widely separated from the mainland and are called the Outer Banks. The three great capes, Hatteras, Lookout, and Fear, extend underwater as dangerous shoals, and the area around Cape Hatteras has earned its name as the Graveyard of the Atlantic. Several of America's tallest and best known lighthouses were built to warn ships away from this dangerous coast.

Preservation efforts in North Carolina got a huge shot in the arm in 1999 through the well-publicized relocation of the Cape Hatteras Light, and the Outer Banks Lighthouse Society has worked hard to raise interest in the work needed at the other lighthouses. Major restoration is needed now at the Bodie Island Light (shown in the photo at right).

All but one of the cottage screwpile lighthouses of the North Carolina sounds have been lost, but two replicas have been built. The town of Plymouth rebuilt the 1866 Roanoke River lighthouse, and the town of Manteo rebuilt the 1857 Roanoke Marshes Light. The 1887 Roanoke River lighthouse, the only original screwpile lighthouse surviving, has been gravely endangered at Edenton, but work to restore it is now underway.

ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights, Admiralty numbers are from volume J of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals, and USCG numbers are from Vol. II of the U.S. Coast Guard Light List.

What's Hot:

Bodie Island Light
Bodie Island Light, September 2002
photo copyright Russ Rowlett
General Sources
Outer Banks Lighthouse Society
OBLS is an advocate for all of North Carolina's lighthouses; the Society's web site has great photos and current information.
Lighthouses of North Carolina
Photos and accounts by Stephen Wilmoth, the "Beach Bum."
North Carolina Lighthouses
Great photos and historical accounts by Kraig Anderson.
Lighthouses in North Carolina, United States
Aerial photos posted by Marinas.com.
North Carolina Lighthouses
An educational site maintained by the NC Department of Public Instruction.
Lighthouses of the South
Florida artist Roger Bansemer maintains this site.
The Lost Lights
Historical article by Thomas Yocum in the May 1999 issue of Our State, describing lost lighthouses of the North Carolina sounds.
Lighthouses of the North Carolina Sounds
*** Roanoke River (1) (replica)
2003 (replica of 1866 lighthouse). Active (an unofficial light is displayed). 1-1/2 story wood keeper's house with lantern centered on the roof, mounted on steel pilings reproducing the original foundation. Lighthouse painted white with red trim; lantern painted black. The original, destroyed by ice in 1885, was located near the western end of Albemarle Sound off the mouth of the Roanoke River, about 6 miles (10 km) northeast of Plymouth. We have photos from May 2003, a month before the lighthouse was completed. Anderson has an excellent page for the lighthouse, Wilmoth has a good account and photos from a March 2004 visit, and Google has a satellite view. Located on the Roanoke River waterfront off US 64 in downtown Plymouth. Parking available. Site open, tower open daily Tuesday through Saturday during the summer and on Saturdays and for group tours by appointment the rest of the year (small admission fee). Owner: Town of Plymouth. Site manager: Roanoke River Lighthouse and Maritime Museum.
* Roanoke River (2)
1887. Inactive since 1941. 35 ft (11 m) square cylindrical wood tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a 2-story wood keeper's house, originally mounted on a screwpile foundation. The original 4° Fresnel lens was mounted in the tower until recently; it is now in storage for later display. Originally located near the western end of Albemarle Sound off the mouth of the Roanoke River, about 6 miles (10 km) northeast of Plymouth. The lighthouse was relocated in 1955 to downtown Edenton (on the other side of Albemarle Sound) and used first as a rental property and then, from 1960, as the private residence of Emmett Wiggins. After the death of Mr. Wiggins in 1995, the house remained vacant and deteriorating. In May 2005 the Lighthouse Preservation Society of Newburyport, Massachusetts, secured an option to purchase the lighthouse, but nothing came of this effort. In early 2007 the lighthouse was purchased by the Edenton Historical Commission for $225,000, and in May it was relocated by barge to Colonial Park on the Edenton waterfront, where it will be restored. A December 2007 photo by Jean Davis Olecki shows the lighthouse still on its moving dolly. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: Edenton Historical Commission. ARLHS USA-694.
**** Roanoke Marshes (3) (replica)
2004 (replica of 1877 lighthouse). Active (privately maintained and unofficial). 1-1/2 story wood keeper's house with lantern and gallery centered on the roof, mounted on a concrete pier. Lighthouse painted white with red trim; lantern painted black. 5° Fresnel lens on loan from the Coast Guard. A photo is at right. This lighthouse is very similar to the 1866 Roanoke River Light. The original lighthouse, deactivated in 1955, was located in Croatan Sound southwest of Roanoke Island. An attempt was made to move the lighthouse on shore, but it collapsed into the sound during the operation. In 1995, the town of Manteo decided to build a replica of the lighthouse on a concrete pier in Shallowbag Bay just off the town's waterfront. After long delays to raise funds and obtain necessary permits, construction began in 2003 and was completed in September 2004. Melody Leckie's 18-page booklet on the history of the light station and the construction of the replica is available online, Anderson has an excellent page, and the town has a page for the lighthouse. The building houses a small lighthouse museum. Located off NC 400, the tourist route winding through historic Manteo. Accessible by walking the short pier. Site open, lighthouse open daily (free). Owner: Town of Manteo. Site manager: North Carolina Maritime Museum on Roanoke Island. ARLHS USA-1032.

Roanoke Marshes Light, June 2004
photo copyright Russ Rowlett
Gull Shoal
1891. Active; focal plane 45 ft (14 m); white flash every 4 s. The lighthouse, a hexagonal wood cottage with lantern centered on the roof, was demolished in the 1950s. The modern beacon is a skeletal tower mounted on the original screwpile foundation. Located in Pamlico Sound about 4 miles east of Bluff Point. Accessible only by boat. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-1029; USCG 2-32145.
[Pamlico Point (1)]
1828. Inactive since 1891. Originally a brick tower. The site is now under Pamlico Sound, and the foundation of the old lighthouse, visible underwater, is a popular fishing spot. The brick lighthouse was replaced by a screwpile cottage lighthouse, which was demolished in the 1950s. The Coast Guard has a historic photo. The screwpile foundation has been removed in recent years, and a modern light is now shown from a 25 ft (8 m) "multipile structure." Located in Pamlico Sound off the southern entrance to the Pamlico River estuary. Accessible only by boat. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-579; USCG 2-32810.
Oliver Reef
1874. Active; focal plane 40 ft (12 m); white flash every 6 s. The lighthouse, a square wood cottage with lantern centered on the roof, was demolished in the 1950s. The modern beacon is mounted on the original screwpile foundation. Located in Pamlico Sound north of Hatteras village and northeast of Hatteras Inlet. Visible at a distance from the Hatteras Inlet Ferry (NC 12). Accessible only by boat. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-1031; USCG 2-32340.
Outer Banks Lighthouses
**** Currituck Beach (Corolla)
1875 (Dexter Stetson). Active; focal plane 158 ft (48 m); white flash every 20 s. 162 ft (49 m) unpainted round red brick tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story brick oil house; the original 1º Fresnel lens is still in use. Sibling of Bodie Island. Original 2-1/2 story wood principal keeper's quarters. The visitor center is in the assistant keeper's quarters, a house apparently moved to the light station in the 1920s. An original storage building is used for staff offices. A photo is at right, Anderson has a fine page for the lighthouse, and Google has a satellite view. This historic light station was badly deteriorated in 1980, when the Outer Banks Conservationists (OBC) signed a lease to restore the buildings. More than two decades of work have restored the station to its original appearance. The lighthouse lantern and gallery were restored in winter 1999-2000. In August 2001 the Coast Guard announced plans to transfer the light station under NHLPA, and a controversy quickly arose when Currituck County sought ownership in opposition to OBC. In early 2003, the National Park Service awarded the lighthouse to OBC, and the Secretary of the Interior confirmed the award in July. Despite the fierce opposition of local Congressman Walter Jones, the deed was finally transferred on October 17. We have a November 2003 feature article, The Fight for the Light, describing this bitter struggle. It reached ridiculous heights, with the County Commission suing OBC for violation of local zoning ordinances. This disgraceful dispute threatened to upset the entire NHLPA lighthouse transfer process. Finally, three of the five commissioners reached an agreement with OBC in April 2006 to accept OBC ownership and cease all litigation. Located on the west side of NC 12 in Corolla. Site and tower open daily Easter through Thanksgiving (site free; fee to climb the tower). Owner/site manager: Outer Banks Conservationists. ARLHS USA-212; Admiralty J2384; USCG 2-0555.

Currituck Beach Light, June 2005
anonymous Creative Commons photo
*** Bodie Island (3)
1872 (station established 1848) (Dexter Stetson). Active; focal plane 156 ft (47.5 m); two white flashes (separated by 2.5 s) every 30 s. 160 ft (49 m) round brick tower with lantern and gallery, attached to brick oil house; original 1º Fresnel lens still in use. Tower painted with horizontal black and white bands; lantern black. The original 2-story brick duplex keeper's quarters is a visitor center with a small museum and gift shop. Two 1-story wood outbuildings are modern additions. A photo appears at the top of this page, Anderson has a great page with wonderful photos, the Cape Hatteras National Seashore also has a web site for the lighthouse, and Google has a great satellite view. Note: the name of the island and lighthouse is pronounced "Body." . This is a classic lighthouse with authentic surroundings, little changed in more than a century. There were some repairs to the tower in 1997-98, but extensive renovation is needed. Ownership of the tower was transferred to the National Park Service in July 2000, and the lighthouse was added to the Lighthouse Digest Doomsday List in September 2000. The Park Service received a $200,000 appropriation for repairs in 2000-01. Matching federal and state grants of $200,000 each in 2001 advanced planning of a full restoration. In spring 2002, work began with removal of lead-based paint from the oil house and tower base. In March 2003 the Coast Guard announced plans to replace the Fresnel lens with a modern plastic lens; preservationists and the park service sharply protested this decision and in the summer of 2004 the Coast Guard agreed to transfer the lens and the responsibility for its restoration and operation to the Park Service. The tower was repainted in April 2004. In August 2004, two large chunks of iron fell from the gallery, and a fence was built around the building to protect visitors. Ownership of the 1° Fresnel lens was transferred to the park service on April 25, 2005. Emergency repairs were made in 2007. Plans called for restoration to begin in 2008, but in December 2007 the U.S. Senate dropped the necessary funding from the fiscal 2008 budget. Located on the west side of NC 12 between Nags Head and Oregon Inlet. Site and visitor center open all year (free); tower closed to climbing but the base is open Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays during the summer. Owner: U.S. National Park Service. Site manager: Cape Hatteras National Seashore. ARLHS USA-067; Admiralty J2386; USCG 2-0590.
* [North River]
1866. Inactive since 1917. Originally, this was a rectangular cottage screwpile lighthouse, located in the North River (an arm of Albemarle Sound) near Coinjock. On December 31, 1917, shifting ice broke all the legs of of the platform. In 1920 the abandoned structure was sold to Dare County. The light tower was removed and the building was moved to Rodanthe on Hatteras Island, where it was used as a school until 1951. The building was then renovated as the Rodanthe-Waves-Salvo Community Center. The origin of the building was forgotten until it was rediscovered in 2006 by several citizens researching the history of North River Light at the Outer Banks History Center in Manteo. The building was expanded several times while it served as a school, and it no longer resembles the original lighthouse very much. Google has a satellite view. Located across NC 12 from the Chickamacomico Lifesaving Station, a popular tourist destination in Rodanthe. Site open, building open for scheduled activities. ARLHS USA-1171.
**** Cape Hatteras (2)
1870 (station established 1803) (Dexter Stetson). Reactivated (inactive 1936-1950); focal plane 192 ft (58.5 m); white flash every 7.5 s. 200 ft (61 m) round brick tower with lantern and gallery, mounted on an octagonal brick base; rotating DCB-224 aerobeacon (1950). The tower is painted with a distinctive black and white spiral pattern; the octagonal base is unpainted red brick; the lantern is painted black. 2-story wood principal keeper's house (1871) and 2-story wood duplex assistant keeper's house (1854). The original 1° Fresnel lens was mostly dismantled by souvenir hunters while the lighthouse was inactive; most of the remaining portions of the lens are on display at the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum in Hatteras. In 2006 the original pedestal was removed from from the lighthouse and reunited with the lens. Kevin Duffus has proved that this lens is the one installed in the older tower in 1854. Duffus has summarized this research in two Lighthouse Digest articles in October and November 2002. Brick oil house also preserved. A photo is at right, Anderson has a great page for the lighthouse, the National Park Service has an FAQ page, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has an excellent satellite view. This lighthouse replaced a 95 ft (29 m) octagonal brick tower, the tallest of the early federal towers, which had been extended to 150 ft (48 m) in 1854. This is the tallest U.S. lighthouse and one of the tallest brick lighthouses in the world. It is one of the most famous of all lighthouses and is probably the best-known building in North Carolina. The lighthouse has been recognized as a National Historic Landmark. In 1999 a $12 million relocation and restoration project moved the entire light station 2900 ft (885 m) southwest to escape beach erosion. We have closeup photos of this amazing move. In June 2001, a small segment of the spiral stairway fell, causing the park service to close the light tower for repairs. After $545,000 in repairs and renovations the tower reopened April 18, 2003. In June 2003 a new visitor center opened; this will allow interior restoration of the keeper's houses formerly used for this purpose. A celebration of the 200th anniversary of the light station was held in October 2003, even though Hurricane Isabel had blown out several windows and heavily damaged other areas of Hatteras Island in September. Located south of NC 12 in the town of Buxton. Site open all year, visitor center open daily (free), tower open daily Easter through Columbus Day (fee, tickets required). Owner: U.S. National Park Service. Site manager: Cape Hatteras National Seashore. ARLHS USA-119; Admiralty J2396; USCG 2-0625.
Cape Hatteras Light
relocated Cape Hatteras Light, 2002
photo copyright Russ Rowlett
* Ocracoke
1823 (Noah Porter). Active; focal plane 75 ft (23 m); continuous white light. 65 ft (20 m) round tower with lantern and gallery, built of brick with cement veneer; 4º Fresnel lens (1899). Lighthouse painted white, lantern black. The 2-story brick keeper's house, formerly used a residence for park rangers, is now occupied by volunteer caretakers. This is one of the best built and best preserved examples of an old-style brick lighthouse. The oil house and two storage buildings are also preserved. Cape Hatteras National Seashore also has a good page on the history of the light station, Anderson has a fine page with excellent photos, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. Part of the keeper's house is original, but the building was expanded with a second story in 1897 and a duplex section in 1929. In 2002 the park service moved a fence to provide more parking at the site. Located on Lighthouse Road just off NC 12 in the town of Ocracoke. Ocracoke Island is accessible by state ferries from Hatteras (free), Swanquarter (toll), or Cedar Island (toll). Site open (free); limited parking provided; tower closed to climbing but the base is open whenever volunteers are available to staff it. Owner: U.S. National Park Service. Site manager: Cape Hatteras National Seashore. ARLHS USA-561; Admiralty J2408; USCG 2-0660.
** Cape Lookout (2)
1859 (station established 1812) (W.H.C. Whiting). Active; focal plane 150 ft (46 m); white flash every 15 s. 163 ft (49.5 m) round brick tower with lantern and gallery; aerobeacon. The tower is painted in a black-and-white diamond pattern unique in the U.S. The original 1º Fresnel lens (1856, transferred from the earlier tower) was removed in 1972 and transferred in 1994 to Block Island Southeast Light, Rhode Island. The 2-story brick assistant keeper's house (1873) includes lodging for volunteer caretakers in season; in 2006 the lower story was renovated as a museum. The principal keeper's house (1907), relocated south near the point of the Cape, was leased as a summer residence; that lease has now expired and the house may be returned to its original location. There have been efforts to secure the return of the Fresnel lens, but that seems unlikely. The brick oil house and other buildings are also preserved, but in September 2003 Hurricane Isabel swept away the station's coal shed. A photo is at right, a booklet by John Loonam on the history of the light station is available online, Anderson has an excellent page for the lighthouse, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a good satellite view. The lighthouse is somewhat endangered by beach erosion from the west (Barden's Inlet) side of the cape; in the spring of 2006 sand was pumped into the area to protect the keeper's house from the erosion. A Coast Guard project in 1999-2000 provided much-needed interior renovation of the tower. The lighthouse was transferred to the National Park Service in 2003; this should pave the way to a more complete restoration. Volunteers from the Friends of Cape Lookout helped NPS paint the lighthouse in fall 2004. A new visitor center opened in the spring of 2006. In the fall, the DCB-24 aerobeacon (1972) was replaced by a more modern aerobeacon after the rotating mechanism of the older lamps failed. In February 2008, engineers found significant deterioration of the iron stairway, and the tower was closed to climbing. Engineering studies are being made during the summer of 2008 to plan repairs. Located on the South Core Banks, an uninhabited barrier island. The lighthouse is accessible by passenger ferries (toll) from Harker's Island, mid March to early November. Site open all year, visitor center open daily April through October (free), tower closed. Owner: U.S. National Park Service. Site manager: Cape Lookout National Seashore. ARLHS USA-126; Admiralty J2430; USCG 2-0670.

Cape Lookout Light, January 2004
anonymous Creative Commons photo

Cape Fear Lighthouses
[Cape Fear (Captain Charlie's Station)]
1903. Inactive since 1958, when the light tower, a 150 ft (46 m) pyramidal skeletal lighthouse, was demolished. The concrete foundation pad of the lighthouse remains. Three 1-1/2 story wood keeper's houses have been fully restored and are available for vacation rental. Google has a fuzzy satellite view of the station. This former light station is nicknamed for its long-time keeper Charlie Swan. The foundation of the lighthouse is located near the headquarters of the Bald Head Island Conservancy, and the light station's brick generator building is the Conservancy's visitor information center. Located at the point of Cape Fear on Bald Head Island. The island is accessible by passenger ferry (toll; reservations advised) from Southport. Site open. Owner/site manager: Bald Head Island Conservancy. ARLHS USA-1028.
** Bald Head Island (Old Baldy) (2)
1818 (station established 1794) (Daniel Way). Inactive 1861-1879 and since 1930 (a weak decorative light has been displayed since 1988). 100 ft (30.5 m) octagonal round brick tower with mottled stucco veneer, lantern and gallery. The original keeper's houses have been destroyed, but a replica of the 1850s principal keeper's house was built in 2000 and serves as a historical museum for the island. Oil house preserved. Anderson has a good page for the lighthouse, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. This is the nation's oldest brick lighthouse and the last built of the early federal octagonals. It was restored by a local foundation beginning in 1985. Lighthouse Digest has an article on the earlier (1794) tower. In 2005, an engineering study by International Chimney Corp. recommended that the mottled and damaged stucco should be removed and replaced with new material; most likely this would return the lighthouse to its historical appearance, painted white. About $1 million must be raised before restoration can begin. Located near the ferry landing on Bald Head Island, a private residential development at Cape Fear. Accessible by passenger ferry (toll; reservations advised) from Southport; tours are available that include this site as well as Captain Charlie's Station. Site open (free); museum and tower open daily except Mondays (fee). Owner/site manager: Old Baldy Foundation. ARLHS USA-032.
Bald Head Shoal Channel Range Rear
Active; focal plane 70 ft (21 m); white light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 73 ft (22 m) square cylindrical skeletal tower with gallery, mounted on a concrete platform. No photo available, but Google has a good satellite view. This modern light serves the function for which Old Baldy was built, to guide ships past the Bald Head shoal. The front light is on a short skeletal tower 1.33 miles (2150 m) southwest. Located about one mile north of Old Baldy just off the mouth of Bald Head Creek; visible from the lighthouse and (distantly) from the Southport waterfront. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-1225; USCG 2-30335.

Bald Head Island Light, January 2001
Creative Commons photo by Kevin Oliver
Price's Creek Range Front
1849. Inactive since 1861. 20 ft (6 m) old-style round brick tower with no lantern. Long forgotten, this little lighthouse was rediscovered by lighthouse fans during the 1980s. It is on the Lighthouse Digest Doomsday List. A June 1996 Lighthouse Digest story profiles the light, Anderson has a good page for the lighthouse, Stephen Wilmoth has a report with photos from an OBLS visit in spring 2005, and the Southport Times has posted a rare 1939 postcard view. The OBLHS visit discovered that the owners, probably concerned about liability issues, have replaced the original stairs in the lighthouse and repaired some of the crumbling brickwork. In April 2001, the Southport Board of Aldermen appointed a committee to consider preservation of the lighthouse and possibly relocating it to Southport, but nothing came of this effort. Located on the west side of the Cape Fear River north of Southport. The lighthouse is on private property and is not accessible without special permission. Visible from the Southport-Fort Fisher ferry (toll). Owner/site manager: Archer Daniels Midland, Inc. ARLHS USA-672.
** Oak Island
1958. Active; focal plane 169 ft (51.5 m); four white flashes every 10 s. 155 ft (47 m) round cylindrical reinforced concrete tower with lantern and gallery; rotating aerobeacon. The upper third of the tower is black, the center third white, and lowest third gray; these colors are in the concrete, not painted. A photo is at right, Anderson has a good page with photos and historical information, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. One of the last federal lighthouses, this is the second tallest concrete light tower in the country. Bansemer's page has a good description of its unique features. Built at an active Coast Guard station, the lighthouse was unharmed when the main station building next door was destroyed by fire in February 2002. In 2003 the Coast Guard announced it would transfer ownership of the lighthouse to the town of Caswell Beach; the transfer ceremony was held on October 20, 2004. The Friends of Oak Island Lighthouse was formed to manage and support the lighthouse. Located on Caswell Beach Road (extension of NC 133), marking the west side of the entrance to the Cape Fear River. Site open, tower open to the second floor level Wednesdays and Saturdays from Memorial Day (late May) to Labor Day (early September); tours to the top of the tower (a vertiginous climb) are available by advance reservation. Owner/site manager: Town of Caswell Beach. ARLHS USA-558; Admiralty J2470; USCG 2-0810.

Offshore Light Towers
Diamond Shoals
1967. Inactive since 2001. Texas platform with square cylindrical tower, with lantern and gallery, at one corner. The automated light failed in December 2001, and the structure has become too shaky for it to be repaired safely. The Coast Guard replaced the light with a temporary buoy and plans to demolish the tower. NOAA has also relocated its C-MAN automatic weather station from the platform. Located 12 miles (19 km) southeast of Cape Hatteras at the end of the infamous Diamond Shoals, a.k.a. the Graveyard of the Atlantic. Accessible only by boat. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-230; Admiralty J2400; USCG 2-0640.
Frying Pan Shoals
1966. Inactive since 2003. Texas platform with square cylindrical tower, with lantern and gallery, at one corner. The light tower was replaced in November 2003 by a large floating buoy that includes a NOAA C-MAN automatic weather station. Located 32.5 miles (52 km) southeast of Cape Fear at the end of Frying Pan Shoals. Endangered: scheduled for demolition. The remains of the tower will be left in place as an "artificial reef" for fishermen. Accessible only by boat. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-313; Admiralty J2466; USCG 2-0820.
Oak Island Light
Oak Island Light, January 2004
Creative Commons photo by Jimmy McDonald

Information available on lost lighthouses:

 

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Posted September 1999, the oldest Directory page. Last checked and revised May 5, 2008. Lighthouses: 16. Site copyright 2008 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.