Ocracoke , from the North Carolina Collection's website at the
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States ...
. Retrieved 2013-02-05. Light was built in Hyde County, on
Ocracoke Island
Ocracoke , from the North Carolina Collection website at the
,
North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and ...
builder Noah Porter. The lighthouse stands tall. Its diameter narrows from at the base to at its peak. The lighthouse was built to help guide ships through
Ocracoke Inlet
Ocracoke Inlet () , from the North Carolina Collection's website at the
into
Pamlico Sound
Pamlico Sound ( ) is a lagoon in North Carolina which is the largest lagoon along the North American East Coast, extending long and 15 to 20 miles (24 to 32 km) wide. It is part of a large, interconnected network of lagoon estuaries that i ...
.
In 1864, Confederate troops dismantled the fourth-order
Fresnel Lens
A Fresnel lens ( ; ; or ) is a type of composite compact lens developed by the French physicist Augustin-Jean Fresnel (1788–1827) for use in lighthouses. It has been called "the invention that saved a million ships."
The design allows the c ...
, but Union forces later restored it.
Ocracoke Light is the oldest operating light station in
North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and ...
and the second oldest lighthouse still standing in the state. The lighthouse was automated in 1955. During the summer months when there is a U.S. National Park Ranger on duty, visitors may access the base of the lighthouse. Access to the top of the lighthouse is not allowed due to the simple steel spiral staircase being safe only for maintenance activity.
However, this is not the original staircase; the original staircase was a wooden step spiral built into the inside of the exterior wall. This was removed during the 1950s due to excessive rotting to the boards and a lacking necessity for a substantial staircase because of the automation of the light. The wooden stairs were removed and the holes in the all-brick lighthouse were cemented closed.
The lighthouse was added to the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
in 1977 as Ocracoke Light Station.
Controversy
Various claims have been made about the light, including "the Ocracoke Light is the second oldest operating lighthouse in the nation," from the National Park Service. The original 1795 construction a mile away would qualify only as fifth oldest and the current 1823 tower is about twelfth oldest.
Ocracoke Lighthouse with the Milky Way Galaxy.jpg, Ocracoke Lighthouse with the Milky Way Galaxy
Image:OcracokeLighthouseSilverLake.JPG, Ocracoke Lighthouse and Silver Lake from Ocracoke National Park Museum
Image:USCGOcracoke.jpg, U.S. Coast Guard Archive