Bodie Island Light

Bodie Island Light is a 47-meter lighthouse in Dare County on the North Carolina coast with a black and white striped tower. The structure stands on a narrow strip of land between the Atlantic Ocean and Pamlico Sound and rises above flat marshland with few other buildings nearby.

Architect Paul J. Pelz designed the tower completed in 1872 after an earlier attempt in the 1840s was abandoned due to foundation problems. During the Civil War Confederate soldiers destroyed a second tower to prevent its use by the opposing side.

The name comes from an island once separated from the mainland by waterways that later merged with the shore. Today the tower displays its recognizable stripe pattern as a daymark for mariners and serves as a visual reference point along the coast.

Access is via Highway 12 near Nags Head where a visitor center offers exhibits on maritime history and navigation. Tower climbs take place during certain months depending on weather and maintenance schedules.

The original Fresnel lens from 1872 remains functional and continues to send its signal across the water. The lens consists of hundreds of hand-cut prisms that concentrate light and make it visible over great distances.

Location: Dare County

Inception: 1872

Architects: Paul J. Pelz

Height: 47 m

GPS coordinates: 35.81850,-75.56330

Latest update: December 5, 2025 22:26