"A thin broken strand of islands curves out into the Atlantic Ocean and then back again in a sheltering embrace of North Carolina's mainland coast and its offshore sounds. These are the Outer Banks of North Carolina. For thousands of years these barrier islands have survived the onslaught of wind and sea. Today their long stretches of beach, sand dunes, marshes, and woodlands are set aside as Cape Hatteras National Seashore. We invite you to visit our site - whether your interest is in the general history of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore, educational supplements, maps or current exhibits", you'll find a wealth of information below.
CAPE HATTERAS LIGHTHOUSE 1998
The way things used to be
Cape Hatteras Lighthouse Timeline
Source: National Park Service
For a look at the history of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse and efforts to save it from the sea click HERE
The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is the tallest lighthouse in America. Located to warn travelers
off shore in the area known as the "Graveyard of the Atlantic," the lighthouse has 268 steps inside to the top. During the Civil War, the lighthouse was attacked by both Union and Confederate forces. Over the years, three different Cape Hatteras Lighthouses have existed. The current lighthouse is actually the second structure. In 1936, it was so threatened by sea erosion that it was replaced by a steel skeleton tower in nearby Buxton Woods. The erosion reversed by 1950, however, so the tall brick lighthouse was reactivated.
THE CAPE HATTERAS LIGHTSTATION
" The days of the blue-uniformed lighthouse keeper - checking his whale oil supply, slowly climbing the tower to clean his lenses - have passed forever. Yet the lighthouse he so faithfully attended remains on duty. Built of bricks to serve as a navigational warning device and possessing a very special beauty noted by seaman and landlubber alike, Cape Hatteras Lighthouse stands on a spot still dreaded by mariners. Its needle of light still guides them as it has for 100 years. " Click to Learn more from The National Park Service
The relationship between the National Park Service and the islanders on Hatteras and Ocracoke has been
a rocky one from the start almost 50 years ago. Since the Cape Hatteras National Seashore was founded in 1953, the National Park Service and residents of Hatteras and Ocracoke islands have weathered a sometimes tumultuous relationship. This series examines the origins of the seashore, how the service has tried to manage the vast coastal preserve and issues that now face park officials and the people who live there. Read the rest of the story
