A year-and-a-half construction job at one of North Carolina’s most popular visitor attractions is starting soon. The National Park Service says the Cape Hatteras lighthouse rehabilitation project will limit visitor access. For photo buffs seeking picturesque images, hold onto your lens caps. A scaffolding around the outside of the venerable lighthouse may mess up your images.
Larger-than-life beacon
In 2022, 2,862,844 visitors called on the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. That’s the last year visitation statistics are available for, but it’s surely an indicator of the site’s popularity. While there’s more to the NPS site than the Cape Hatteras lighthouse, the 150’ tall beacon has become larger than life for many.
Built to 90’ of height in 1854, the light got a topping off later. But time has taken a toll on the beacon, and $19.2 million has been set aside to help restore and rehabilitate the Cape Hatteras lighthouse. The Park Service says that job will begin later this month, and when it does, visitors will find ground closures around the light’s base until the work is done. When the project is complete, not only will the lighthouse be refreshed inside and out, the grounds will also have improvements. Included in the lighthouse job, the fabrication and installation of a replica first-order Fresnel lens will be a part.
Cape Hatteras light rehabilitation details
According to a press release from the Park Service, key highlights of the first phase of the project include:
- Construction fencing will be installed around the edge of the construction area. That includes an area beyond the current lighthouse fencing, construction entrances adjacent to the parking lot, and landscape improvements. The site will have limited access for visitation and viewpoints.
- The Keepers of the Light Amphitheater stones will be removed and stored in a secure location. The stones will be placed in the lighthouse district when the construction is completed. These honor the keepers and educate the public about their role in caring for the lighthouse.
- The primary construction entrance will be located east of the current main entrance to the light station. Part of the parking area will be closed for several months for the delivery of project materials and construction staging.
- Scaffolding will be delivered and erected around the exterior and interior of the lighthouse.
How will the Cape Hatteras lighthouse rehab affect visitors?
Expect the entire area to be under construction for a minimum of eighteen months. Access to the light station will vary, and temporary closures will occur. The lighthouse exterior will be scaffolded until the project ends. A temporary beacon will be installed on the lighthouse exterior. There will be periods of time that the light is turned off due to construction.
Visitors will have opportunities to view construction activities. Access to the Museum of the Sea will still be open, depending on construction schedules.
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Thanks for the report Russ & Tina !
Thank you, Russ and Tina! The poor park service. 🙁 Almost 25 years ago they moved the lighthouse a bit more than 1/2 of a mile to keep it from falling into the ocean. Now it needs renovation, but It is around 150 years old. It is a nice place to visit, as are all the lighthouses on the Outer Banks. :-).