Photo courtesy of the National Park Service
Built in 1870, the iconic Cape Hatteras Lighthouse stands watch over the Graveyard of the Atlantic.
Scaffolding is currently going up at the iconic Cape Hatteras Lighthouse on the Outer Banks of North Carolina as construction begins on a $19.2 million restoration project that is expected to limit visitor access for more than a year.
The work is slated to begin before the end of January, at which time there will be various closures around the lighthouse grounds in the Buxton community. However, the park store and restrooms are expected to remain open, according to National Park Service (NPS) spokesperson Mike Barber in a news release.
At 198 ft., the lighthouse is the tallest light station in the United States, and second tallest in the world. It was originally designed and constructed between 1868-1870 to guide ships around the treacherous Diamond Shoals near the cape. As a result of the often-fearsome storms along the Hatteras coastline, more than 5,000 ships have sunk in the waters off the cape since the early 1500s, giving the area its nickname as "The Graveyard of the Atlantic."
With the sea encroaching to 15 ft. of the lighthouse in 1999, the structure was moved back approximately 2,900 ft. to the southwest as part of a high-profile project and is now 1,500 ft. from the current shoreline.
The new effort to extend the life of the Hatteras Lighthouse will rehabilitate the interior and restore the exterior of the historic structure and provide landscape improvements, including restoring native grasses that were around the beacon before it was moved 25 years ago to its current location.
The Virginian-Pilot in Newport News, Va., reported Jan. 23 that fabrication and installation of a replica of the lighthouse's first-order Fresnel lens also is part of the project. A temporary beacon will be installed on the exterior during the construction, though there will be periods when the light is turned off, NPS said.
The first phase of the renovation will include construction fencing installed beyond the lighthouse fencing now present, as well as construction entrances adjacent to the parking lot. The primary construction entrance will be located east of the current main entrance to the light station.
In addition, NPS noted that a portion of the parking area will be closed for several months for the delivery of project materials and to act as a staging area for construction.
The Hatteras Lighthouse's restoration work is expected to take a minimum of 18 months.
Lighthouse One of America's Most Distinct Structures
The distinctive white and black-striped lighthouse is not expected to reopen to climbers until the summer of 2026, NPS said in 2023 when the project was first announced. It has been closed since 2020, initially due to the pandemic and then to conduct prep work for the renovation effort.
Over the course of the renovation, the park service will provide opportunities for visitors to watch some of the construction and learn more about the lighthouse improvements.
"After a lengthy and thoughtful planning process, we are excited to take this significant step towards preserving an iconic historic landmark," David Hallac, superintendent of the National Parks of Eastern North Carolina, said in the news release. "We thank our visitors for their patience and understanding as the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse and its surrounding landscape are restored and enhanced over the next couple of years."
The lighthouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978 and designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1998.
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