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Carolina On My Mind Ocracoke Lighthouse
The Ocracoke Lighthouse is an interesting and rich part of North Carolina’s history. I had the opportunity to visit this beautiful lighthouse recently and I found much of the history surrounding it to be very fascinating. Ocracoke Lighthouse is one of the oldest active lighthouses on the southern coast, and is the second oldest lighthouse in the United States that has been in continuous service.
Ocracoke Lighthouse is located on Ocracoke Island, a sixteen-mile long barrier island, located off North Carolina’s Outer Banks. In 1585, a group of English explorers wrecked their sailing ship in Ocracoke Inlet. In 1715, Ocracoke Inlet was established as a port to help improve navigation and trade along the coast. It was the only navigable waterway that allowed ships to get to inland ports such as Elizabeth City, Edenton, and New Bern. As population began to increase throughout the 1700’s, it became obvious that a lighthouse was needed.
There was much debate concerning where to place the lighthouse, on Ocracoke Island or Shell Castle Island. Eventually, it was decided that Shell Castle Island would be the best position for the new lighthouse and the North Carolina General Assembly passed an act to begin building it. Construction was delayed in 178, because the federal government took control of all formerly state-controlled navigational aids. In 174, the Treasury Department granted funding for the construction of the lighthouse.
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The Shell Castle Lighthouse was a pyramid-shaped, wooden structure, with a keeper’s house and oil vault. It was built by H. Dearborn, the same man who constructed the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. For years it served its purpose, then in 1818, lightening destroyed the Shell Castle Lighthouse. By the time a replacement lighthouse was approved, the channel had dramatically shifted, covering Shell Castle Island. The replacement lighthouse was then built on Ocracoke Island, where it stands today.
Built in 18, the Ocracoke Lighthouse was built by Noah Porter on two acres of land that was purchased for $50. It is believed that an Indian village once existed on this site, before settlement began. Construction cost $11,5.5, and took less than one year to complete, including a three-room keeper’s quarters. The Ocracoke Lighthouse stands sixty-five feet tall, and is seventy-five feet above sea level. The walls are five feet thick at the base, and the entire lighthouse is white. Its signal can be seen from fourteen nautical miles.
During the 1700’s, it is known that Blackbeard, the infamous pirate, used Ocracoke Island as his home and his hideout. The Ocracoke lighthouse is a short distance from where Blackbeard maintained his camp at Springers Point on Ocracoke Island. Captain Robert Maynard of the British Navy, beheaded Blackbeard in 1718 at Teaches Hole, located across from Springers Point. This led to the end of piracy on a large scale. Legend has it that Blackbeard’s ghost still lurks about the island searching for his lost head.
Ocracoke Lighthouse saw its heyday in the 1840’s, when many sailing vessels and oceangoing ships entered Ocracoke Inlet daily. During the Civil War the Ocracoke Lighthouse was controlled by both northern and southern troops. Confederate troops removed the lens from the lamp in the early years of the war, while Union troops replaced it in 186. Trade dwindled after the Civil War began, but the Ocracoke Lighthouse survived as a harbor light, leading both to and from the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse.
The lighthouse was ran by a keeper until 146, when it was automated. In 18, the Ocracoke Lighthouse was repainted and some minor repairs were made. The old wooden steps were replaced with metal ones for safety reasons. A second story was added to the keeper’s house, and four windows were also removed, and then restored by the Ocracoke Preservation Society. Now the lighthouse is owned by the U.S. Coast Guard, but the lighthouse, keeper’s quarters, and grounds are maintained by the National Park Service. Funding for the maintenance of the lighthouse comes from federal grants.
For many years wild ponies, numbering up to a thousand, roamed Ocracoke Island. Their origin has always been a mystery. Many hypotheses and legends exist about how these ponies came to Ocracoke Island. One story credits a group of Spanish explorers DeSoto or Cortez as having brought them as they searched for gold. Another story suggests that the ship Black Squall was carrying a circus troupe and animals when it went through the area during a storm. According to this legend, all circus workers and all horses but two survived. Others believe these “Banker Ponies” came from various shipwrecked vessels in the Graveyard of the Atlantic.
Historians say the most probable story is that the ponies arrived with Sir Walter Raleigh and were left on Roanoke Island at the time of the mysterious Lost Colony disappearance. As the Outer Banks became more accessible, many ponies were sold. Cape Hatteras National Seashore was established in 15 and only 1 of these ponies were in existence at that time. A 0-acre reserve was established for the remaining descendants of the first ponies, where they are now kept about 7 miles north of Ocracoke Village.
Ocracoke Village is a small, quaint town on the south side of Ocracoke Island. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 10, and is home to many historic buildings and homes, as well as the Ocracoke Lighthouse and the British Cemetery. There are many interesting gift shops, bed and breakfast inns, camping facilities, and restaurants in Ocracoke Village. Of course there is also over sixteen miles of beautiful beaches on this island as well. I have traveled much in my lifetime, and I believe this is one of the most beautiful beaches I have seen. The water is so clear and clean, perfect for swimming and gathering shells and sand dollars.
Ocracoke Lighthouse can only be reached by ferry. There is a free ferry that is state operated, and there are many other various ferries, both large and small, that charge a small fee. During our trip, it was too windy for the large ferries to make the trip, so we drove until we found a small ferry for fishermen who were kind enough to take us. I thought it was the perfect atmosphere for our trip, and much more fun than a large ferry would have been.
Visitors are free to walk around the property and view the lighthouse and surrounding building. Visitors are not allowed inside Ocracoke Lighthouse, but they may walk right up to it, touch it, and take photographs. Just before our trip, the keeper’s quarters were opened to the public as a museum and gift shop for the first time. There are many interesting displays inside the keeper’s quarters concerning how the lighthouse is operated and even some about documented shipwrecks that occurred in the area.
Ocracoke Lighthouse is a very beautiful and colorful part of North Carolina’s history. A visit to Ocracoke Island is interesting, educational, and lots of fun. I would highly recommend to anyone interested in visiting one of the jewels of our dazzling Crystal Coast. This is just one of the reasons so many people have Carolina on their minds.
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