Ocracoke Light, Lighthouse in Ocracoke, North Carolina, United States.
The white cylindrical tower rises 75 feet from the ground, with walls that narrow from 25 feet at the base to 12 feet at the top.
Built in 1823 by Noah Porter from Massachusetts, the structure replaced an earlier lighthouse on Shell Castle Island that had been destroyed by lightning in 1818.
The fourth-order Fresnel lens installed in 1854 produces a steady beam visible for 14 miles, marking safe passage through Ocracoke Inlet into Pamlico Sound.
The lighthouse grounds remain open daily for visitors, with dedicated parking spaces available, although climbing the internal staircase is not permitted for safety reasons.
The National Park Service manages this second oldest lighthouse in North Carolina, which functions continuously since 1823 with an 8,000 candlepower illumination system.
Location: Ocracoke
Inception: 1798
GPS coordinates: 35.10897,-75.98606
Latest update: May 30, 2025 06:46
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