Currituck Beach Light
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 Currituck Beach Lighthouse |
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| Location: | Corolla, North Carolina |
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| Coordinates WGS-84 (GPS) |
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| Construction: | brick |
| Year first lit: | 1875 |
| Automated: | 1939 |
| Tower shape: | Conical tower |
| Height: | 158 ft |
| Original lens: | First-order Fresnel lens |
| Characteristic: | 20-second flash cycle (on for 3 seconds, off for 17 seconds) |
The Currituck Beach Light is a lighthouse in Corolla, North Carolina, on the Outer Banks.
[edit] History
On December 1, 1875 the beacon of the Currituck Beach Light filled the remaining "dark spot" on the North Carolina coast between the Cape Henry light to the north and Bodie Island to the south. To distinguish the Currituck Beach Lighthouse from other regional lighthouses, its exterior was left unpainted and gives today's visitor a sense of the multitude of bricks used to form the structure. The lighthouse was automated in 1939 when the United States Coast Guard assumed the duties of the Bureau of Lighthouses. At a height of 158 feet, the night beacon still flashes at 20-second intervals to warn ships hugging the chain of barrier islands along the coast.
There is a current controversy between Currituck County government and the Outer Banks Conservationists, Inc. (OBC) about the ownership of the lighthouse and associated structures.
The United States Coast Guard approved OBC’s ownership proposal despite a counter offer by the county. OBC performed much of the reconstruction and refurbishing work since 1980 through private funding and volunteer work. For a nominal fee OBC also allows visitors to climb the steps to lighthouse top as this revenue go to further preservation efforts.
Currituck County wishes to merge lighthouse tourism operations with that of nearby county owned historical properties. The lighthouse is prominently featured on the county seal.
The Federal Government has granted OBC title to property, but through state and federal legislative maneuvering, the county continues its efforts to acquire the property.
[edit] Facts
- Number of steps: 214
- Height to focal plane of lens: 158 feet (48.2 m)
- Height to top of roof: 162 feet (49.4 m)
- Number of bricks: approximately one million
- Thickness of wall at base: 5 feet 8 inches (1.7 m)
- Thickness of wall at parapet: 3 feet (0.9 m)
- Position: 34 miles (54.7 km) south of the Cape Henry (Virginia) Lighthouse; 32 1/2 miles (52.3 km) north-northwest of Bodie Island Lighthouse
- Coast Survey Chart: 36° 22'36" N latitude, 75° 49'51" W longitude.
As it had reported in previous years, the U.S. Light-House Board in 1872 stated that ships, cargoes, and lives continued to be lost along the 40 miles of dark coastline that lay beyond the reaches of existing lighthouses. Southbound ships sailing closer to shore to avoid the Gulf Stream were especially in danger. In response, construction began on the Currituck Beach Lighthouse in 1873 with completion two years later.
The Currituck Beach Lighthouse is a first order lighthouse, meaning it has the largest of seven Fresnel lens sizes. The original source of light was a U.S. mineral oil lamp consisting of five concentric wicks; the largest was 4 inches in diameter.
Before the advent of electricity, a mechanical means was required to rotate the huge lenses that made the light appear to flash. A system of weights suspended from a line powered a clockwork mechanism beneath the lantern--much like the workings of a grandfather clock. The keeper cranked the weights up by hand every two and a half hours.
Like the other lighthouses on North Carolina's Outer Banks, this one still serves as an aid to navigation. The beacon comes on automatically every evening at dusk and ceases at dawn.
With a 20-second flash cycle (on for 3 seconds, off for 17 seconds), the light can be seen for 18 nautical miles. The distinctive sequence enables the lighthouse not only to warn mariners but also to help identify their locations.
The Currituck Beach Lighthouse was the last major brick lighthouse built on the Outer Banks.
Sand Island Light in Alabama was built in 1873 using the same plans as Currituck Beach Light, but with a second order Fresnel lens.
