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Ocracoke Lighthouse


The Ocracoke Lighthouse was completed in 1823. The lighthouse was Constructed by Massachusetts builder Noah Porter.

The lighthouse stands about 75 feet tall. Its diameter narrows from 25 feet at the base to 12 feet at its peak. The walls are solid brick - 5 feet thick at the bottom tapering to 2 feet at the top. An octagonal lantern crowns the tower and houses the light beacon.

The exterior’s solid white coloration serves as its identifying mark to mariners by day. The original whitewash “recipe” called for blending lime, salt, Spanish whiting, rice, glue, and boiling water. The mixture was applied while still hot.

A fourth-order Fresnel lens was installed in 1854.Originally an oil-burning light, the Ocracoke Light was electrified in the early decades of the 1900s. The present light is equal to 8,000 candlepower and casts a stationary beam that can be seen 14 miles at sea. 

Fully automated, the lighthouse no longer needs  a  light keeper to tend to its daily needs. The United States Coast Guard now oversees the operation of the light.

The Ocracoke Light is the second oldest operating lighthouse in the nation. The Lighthouse site can be visited daily. The lighthouse is not open for climbing.