Currituck Beach Lighthouse on the Outer Banks of North Carolina

There was one spot left along the North Carolina coast that remained dark. In 1875, the Currituck Beach Lighthouse became the beacon that brought light to that dark spot in the City of Corolla, North Carolina. So that it would stand out from the other lighthouse along the Outer Banks, the Currituck Lighthouse was left unpainted. The other four lighthouses were all black and white, vertically, horizontally or in a checkered pattern. By leaving it unpainted, you get a great feel for the huge number of bricks that were used to form such a grand structure. It is estimated that there are one million bricks in the Currituck Lighthouse. The walls at the base of the lighthouse are approximately 5' 8" thick.

Currituck Beach Lighthouse is different from the other Outer Bank lighthouses in another way also. While they all suffered from pirates and/or wars, the Currituck Lighthouse had a fairly uneventful history.

Sitting between Bodie Island and Cape Henry, Virginia, the 158-foot lighthouse was built approximately 100 years after the other lighthouses along the Outer Banks. The delay in building it is what saved it from destruction during the Civil War.

The Lighthouse Keepers' House was made from precut materials that were delivered to the site on a barge and then assembled on the lighthouse grounds. It was a duplex where two keepers' families shared the residence. Prior to electricity, they had to mechanically rotate the lenses so that the light would appear to be flashing. The system was set up like a grandfather clock using weights. The keeper had to crank those weights up by hand every two and a half hours. You can see why more than one keeper was needed. In 1939 the Currituck Lighthouse was automated and the keepers were no longer needed to crank the lens, take care of the wick, keep the lenses clean and keep the lamps fueled.

By 1970, the house had no windows or doors, the weather had decayed the porches and vines were taking over the building. A private non-profit organization, called the Outer Banks Conservationists, signed a lease with the State of North Carolina and took over responsibility for restoring the Keepers' House and the whole historic area.

There is also a historic outhouse and a historic storage building on the grounds. Today, the storage building has become the office for the lighthouse staff. Currituck Beach Lighthouse is one of three lighthouses in North Carolina that are open to the public. You can climb its 214 steps in its circular staircase to the top if you like. Shady brick walkways make it a lovely site where weddings have been held. There is also a gift shop on the grounds for your enjoyment.

Sources: http://www.carolinalights.com/north-carolina-lighthouses/currituck-beach-lighthouse