On December 16, Dare County, North Carolina celebrated the “sesquicentennial” – 150th anniversary — of the lighting of the Cape Hatteras lighthouse. This iconic lighthouse was completed in 1870, and was an amazing engineering feat at the time. Long before GPS navigation, the light protected mariners from the so-called “Graveyard of the Atlantic,” the shoals off Cape Hatteras that led many ships to their peril. At nearly 200 feet tall, it is one of the tallest brick lighthouses in the world.
Not only was the construction of the lighthouse a major engineering feat, 21 years ago, this lighthouse was moved to a new site as the sea encroached on its position on the shoreline. A team of scientists and engineers worked with the US Park Service to move the lighthouse 2900 ft in 23 days, re-establishing the original 1500 ft distance from the ocean in 1870. This move ensured that the lighthouse can be preserved for future generations. A fascinating WRAL video allows you to join in the virtual celebration of the 150th anniversary of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse! – Beth Sciaudone, DTC Civil Water Resources & Environmental Instructor
