| The third
Lighthouse that we went to on our first day of exploring, was the Bodie Island Lighthouse.
After crossing from Ocracoke Island to the Hatteras National Seashore by ferry, we
drove up the Outer Banks to see the Cape Hatteras lighthouse. When we were done
there, we had a few more hours of daylight left, so we took the Bridge over the Oregon
Inlet, and just 4 miles north of there stopped at the lighthouse. Another magnificently restored structure with a great looking museum / gift shop in the former keepers quarters, we also got there after it closed. So our exploring was limited to looking at and photographing the lighthouse. Why do all these places close so early? We would really have liked to spend some money in the gift shop. The first tower constructed on this location in 1848 was destroyed in the civil war. The present tower,which is still an active aid to navigation, was first lit in 1872. It was automated in 1954. The tower is 156 feet high at the focal plane of the light, and has a first order Fresnel lens. Overall, the lighthouse is 170 feet high. The tower is constructed of brick, cast iron and stone. The exterior finish is perfect, as are all the visible details of the house. It is open to the public, but presently I do not have any details of that information available. |
 The entrance to the lighthouse has the inscription "1871" over the doorway
Close up of the lantern room and First Order Fresnel Lens
Giant stones make up the base of the lighthouse and the foundation
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12/13/04 11:08:49 PM
