Cape Hatteras Lighthouse
The present lighthouse, officially completed and lit in December 1870, is the second built of three that have been constructed in Buxton. The first Cape Hatteras Lighthouse was built in 1803. It was a sandstone structure 90 feet tall that projected an insufficient light beam using a collection of Argand lamps and reflectors. Sitars to a new height of 150 feet in 1854, and a first order Fresnel lens was installed, the most powerful of its day. The lamp was also fueled by whale oil, as was the previous light. During the Civil War in 1861, retreating Confederate soldiers took the Fresnel lamp from the lighthouse, to keep it out of Union hands. North Carolina’s Outer Banks and the inlets that allowed passage between them were considered of utmost strategic importance by Union forces to keep supplies from reaching the interior of the Confederate aligned southern state by sea. Shell damage during the war and structural deterioration prompted the construction of a replacement lighthouse in 1870, the one we enjoy today. The original lighthouse was then demolished in 1871. The ruins of which could be seen until a powerful storm in 1980 washed away the visible traces.
Whale oil was replaced by kerosene by the 1880’s, and by 1934, the beam was electrified. However, beach erosion threatened the base of the lighthouse by 1935, prompting the construction of a third lighthouse some distance away in the Buxton Woods. It was a steel skeleton tower that utilized an airport beacon. Fifteen years later, the 1870 lighthouse was again put back in operation, as erosion patterns changed. However, the Fresnel lens was vandalized in the 1940’s when the older lighthouse stood empty during those years. Now it uses two active 1000-watt lamps, visible for more than 20 miles. In 1999 the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse was moved a half mile inland, to save it from the encroaching Atlantic. The Lighthouse was cut from its original base, hydraulically lifted onto steel beams and traveled along railroad tracks to its present position over the course of 23 days. The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is now as far from the ocean as when originally constructed in 1870.
Opening for Climbing
Mid-April through Columbus Day
Visitor's Center museum and grounds open year-round.
Lighthouse Climbing Fees
$7.00 Adults
$3.50 Children under 12 (must be at least 42" tall); seniors 62 and older; disabled
$3.50 with a National Parks and Federal Recreation Lands Senior or Access Pass
Contact Information
(252) 995-4474
Website | Map It
This year the lifeguarded beach near the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse ranks No. 4 on the list – up from No. 7 last year and No. 8 in 2007.
Coastal expert Dr. Stephen Leatherman, director of the Florida International University’s Laboratory for Coastal Research, has chosen America’s Top 10 beaches since 1991. His rankings are based on 50 criteria, including water and sand quality, as well as facilities and environmental management. More than 650 beaches in the country are included in his judging.
This is what he said about Cape Hatteras:
“Bulging far offshore of the mainland coast as a barrier island, Cape Hatteras was the first National Seashore. Providing some of the best board surfing along the East Coast, as well as the most famous lighthouse in the United States, Cape Hatteras attracts beachgoers to its historic fishing villages. Nature lovers adore the excellent beachcombing and superb fishing.”
The specific Cape Hatteras beach he has named has been the Park Service’s Buxton lifeguarded beach.
In 2007, the No. 1 beach was the Ocracoke Lifeguarded Beach.
Leatherman said when he visited Ocracoke that one of his criteria is visitor safety, and the Buxton Beach, like the beach he chose on Ocracoke, has National Park Service lifeguards for most of the summer.
The Buxton Beach is located in the shadow of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse on the largely undeveloped Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Being undeveloped and natural is another thing that Leatherman likes.
Being named to Dr. Beach’s list is always a cause for celebration for the beaches he chooses, since a lot of publicity comes with the announcement of his new list.
This year’s No. 1 beach is Coopers Beach on the east end of Long Island, New York.
Here is why Leatherman said Coopers Beach received the honor:
“It is the main beach in the tony Village of Southampton. The Hamptons are world famous; this is one of America’s Gold Coasts along with Palm Beach and Malibu where the rich and famous reside and frequent during the season. Southampton is also steeped in history; it was the first English settlement, dating back to 1640. Historic mansions grace the beautiful, grass-covered sand dunes; the turrets of Calvin Klein’s mansion are among the views visible from Coopers Beach.
Coopers Beach is officially only 500 feet long, but this stretch of sandy shore extends for seven miles for the delight of beachcombers and strollers. A mile or so trek to the east is the one-of-a-kind St. Andrews Dune Church with its interesting architecture and tiffany windows; the original wooden frame was once a U.S. Lifesaving Station. While the U.S. Northeast coast was pummeled by storms this past winter, Coopers Beach stood up well with no damage. A wide beach awaits your visit.”
Once a beach is named No. 1, as Ocracoke was, it is “retired” from competition.
There’s still hope for the Cape Hatteras beach at Buxton Beach to get to the No. 1 spot. Ocracoke was on the Top Ten list for several years before it was crowned the best beach in America.
For more information, go to www.DrBeach.org.
Dr. Beach’s 2010 Best Beaches in America for 2010
1. Coopers Beach in Southampton, New York (NATIONAL WINNER)
2. Siesta Beach in Sarasota, Florida
3. Coronado Beach in San Diego, California
4. Cape Hatteras in the Outer Banks of North Carolina
5. Main Beach in East Hampton, New York
6. Kahanamoku Beach in Waikiki, Oahu, Hawaii
7. Coast Guard Beach in Cape Cod, Massachusetts
8. Beachwalker Park in Kiawah Island, South Carolina
9. Hamoa Beach in Maui, Hawaii
10. Cape Florida State Park in Key Biscayne, Florida
The first Cape Hatteras lighthouse was built in 1803. The reason for the lighthouse being built was the offshore currents flow in opposite directions, which produce conditions that can cause fog and dangerous storms. This can also produce rough currents. These rough currents can cause shallow water where the sailors still think they are in deep water and that can cause the ship to wreck. Plans to build a lighthouse on Cape Hatteras started as early as 1792. Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is the first lighthouse to be used as a warning light for sailors. The original design stood 90 feet tall and used whale oil lamps to light the tower. This system did not work because the lamps did not produce enough light and many ships almost ran ground because there was not enough light to discern water from land. The lighthouse increased in height from 90 feet to 150 feet in 1854. A Fresnel lens was installed to make the light more intense. Rooms were added for the keepers of the lighthouse to stay in. One big problem the lighthouse faced was the constant erosion of sand around the base of the lighthouse. The lighthouse was built on a sand dune that kept shrinking. The Light-House Board recommended that a new lighthouse be built following inspection of the structure after the Civil War. In 1870, a new Cape Hatteras Lighthouse was constructed. The lighthouse was over 200 feet tall. It still stands as the world's tallest brick lighthouse. Erosion still continued to be a problem around the base of the lighthouse. Salt water being pushed to the base instead of fresh water threatened to corrode the foundation of the lighthouse. From 1936 to 1950, Cape Hatteras Lighthouse was not in use due to the problems with erosion. In 1989, the National Acadamy of Sciences recommended that the lighthouse be moved away from the ocean. In 1999, the lighthouse was moved 2900 feet southwest, which put the lighthouse 1600 feet away from the edge of the ocean. The lighthouse is now a National Historic Landmark. To this day, the Cape Hatteras Light Station is still in use. It draws sightseers from all around the world. The lighthouse now has a steel-enforced brick foundation. The lens from the lighthouse built in 1854 can be found at the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum located at the tip of Hattaras Island. Directions to Cape Hatteras Lighthouse: From Kitty Hawk, take NC 158 to NC 12 South to the Cape Hatteras National Seashore entrance. After you pass Bodie Island Lighthouse, which is about 10 miles south of the park entrance on NC 12, travel another 45 miles to the town of Buxton. Make a left into the entrance of the light station.Cape Hatteras Lighthouse Facts:
Route 1, Box 675 Manteo, NC 27954 Phone: 252-473-2111 Website: http://www.nps.gov/caha |
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Last Updated: March 01, 2010 at 12:54 EST |
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Last Updated: May 18, 2010 at 15:12 EST |
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