Where to Find the Lighthouse of North Carolina

Along with NASCAR, Barbecue and ACC Basketball, North Carolina is well known for its many lighthouse stationed along it barrier islands. In years past, North Carolina’s treacherous coastal regions have earned the nickname, Graveyard of the Atlantic, because of the numerous shipwrecks. However, in 1789 George Washington and Congress passed a bill that began the construction of lighthouses along the coastlines of the original 13 colonies.

As a result there are now eight North Carolina lighthouses just waiting for you to visit. These lighthouses can be reached a couple of ways – by taking the ferry from shore to shore, or by driving the 120 mile stretch of NC 12 that runs from Corolla to Ocracoke. And while the trip and sightseeing can be done in a day, you may find it more relaxing to book a rental cottage or hotel room so you can have more time for exploring the area.

Bald Head Island is the site of Old Baldy Lighthouse. Built in 1817, it is North Carolina’s oldest lighthouse. The lighthouse is open for self guided tours. You can get the best view of the island when you climb to the top of the observation deck, where you will have an unobstructed view of Bald Island’s 14 miles of breath taking beaches.

The Ocracoke, built in 1823, stands a mere 75 feet tall sending its brilliant beam only 14 miles. Built by Noah Porter, Ocracoke Lighthouse is the oldest lighthouse still being used on the eastern coast. The lighthouse is not open for public tours, but visitors are encouraged to spend some time at the British Cemetery which is a memorial to the crew of HMC Bedfordshire which was torpedoed by a German submarine in May of 1942. Ocracoke Island was the home of renowned pirate Blackbeard (AKA Edward Teach), who died here in 1718.

On Harker’s Island, you will find Cape Lookout Lighthouse. Originally built in 1812 and reconstructed in 1859, the lighthouse is one of the more recognized North Carolina lighthouses. The black and white diamond patterned beacon is still in use today and is reached by taking the ferry from Harker’s Island.

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse (1870) has been called America’s lighthouse due to its towering 208 feet height. Its distinctive black and white spirals have graced the cover of many books, magazines and postcards. The lighthouse sends its shinning brilliance as much as 20 miles, warning mariners of the shifting sandbars where many ships have not fared so well. Due to erosion, the Hatteras Lighthouse was painstakingly moved ½ mile inland in 1999. It is open for touring from mid-August to Columbus Day. There is a fee to climb the lighthouse steps, but you can visit the museum for free.

The second most famous lighthouse of North Carolina’s lighthouses is the Bodie Island Lighthouse located 6 miles south of Whalebone Junction. The black and white striped lighthouse is 156 feet high and is closed to the public; however, you can tour the keeper’s cottage, view the exhibits in the Visitor’s Center and walk its nearby nature trails.

On Corolla, home to wild mustangs that are frequently seen racing across its sandy shores, you can visit the 158 feet tall Currituck Lighthouse. The red brick lighthouse has been guiding ships since 1857; however, after it was automated the lighthouse keepers were unneeded and the buildings ultimately became dilapidated. In 1980, it was taken over by the Outer Banks Conservationist group who began its restoration. Today the lighthouse and outbuildings are open to the public, and visitors are able to climb to its top.

Although not located in the region officially referred to as the Outer Banks, Oak Island is home to one of North Carolina’s more recent lighthouse. Built in 1958, the 158 feet tall lighthouse is not open to the public.

North Carolina’s newest lighthouse, opened in 2004, is the Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse. In appearance, the lighthouse does not have the traditional towering structure, but rather is a light keeper’s cottage with a tall beacon at its peak. The lighthouse is also a museum with exhibits on Roanoke Island’s maritime history.

North Carolina’s lighthouses are as unique as the regions they serve. Their individual history offers insight to the lifestyles of those who have come before, while their bold beacons continue to guide more people safely to their shores. They are as beautiful as they are beneficial and definitely worth taking time to visit the next time you come to North Carolina.

Where to Find the Lighthouse of North Carolina
North Carolina lighthouses