Cape Hatteras Lighthouse
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At is 193 feet, 2 inches in height, the Cape Hatteras lighthouse is recognized by the National Park Service as the tallest lighthouse in America. The lighthouse is located on the Outer Banks of North Carolina near the town of Buxton. The Outer Banks are a group of islands on the North Carolina coast that separate the Atlantic Ocean from the coastal sounds and inlets.
The lighthouse is one of several on the North Carolina Outer Banks that are still operational including the Currituck, Bodie Island, Ocracoke, Cape Lookout, and Oak Island lighthouses.
Due to the erosion of the shore, the Cape Hatteras lighthouse was moved from its original location at the edge of the ocean to safer ground 1600 feet inland. The massive operation was controversial at the time since there was speculation that the structure may not survive the move, resulting in lawsuits that were later dismissed. Despite some opposition, work progressed and the move was completed between 1999 and 2000 in a massive operation.
Rededicated in 2000, the lighthouse is fully open to the public at its new location further inland and visitors can even climb the lighthouse stairs for a small fee during spring and summer months.
The light at the top is automated and is visible every 7 seconds. In good visibility conditions, the beacon can often be seen for 20 miles out at sea, although its official range is 24 miles under optimum conditions. Over 1 million bricks were used in the construction of the structure, which was built between 1868 to 1870 at a cost (then) of $167,500.
The Cape Hatteras lighthouse is still considered operational as a navigation aid maintained by the United State Coast Guard and the National Park Service. However, the lighthouse is obviously reduced in need by modern day GPS and other electronic navigational devices.
The lighthouse beacon was also augmented by the 175 foot tall Diamond Shoals light tower, which is 12 miles off of the Hatteras coast. The light tower was put in place in 1967 and light ships were present before then dating back to 1824, including one lightship sunk by a German submarine in World War I. The light tower has recently been decommissioned by the United States Coast Guard, as maintenance on the structure proved too expensive in light of increasing reliance on GPS.
External links
- National Park Service Hatteras Lighthouse Page (http://www.nps.gov/caha/lh.htm)
- NC Public Instruction Lighthouse Page (http://www.itpi.dpi.state.nc.us/caroclips/homepage.html)