Hyde County Lighthouse Lighthouse
Location & Light Range
About Hyde County Lighthouse Lighthouse
This cylindrical brick tower, standing 20 meters tall, was first lit on August 15, 1824. Painted white with a black lantern, it rises to a focal height of 23 meters and has a geographic range of 13.8 nautical miles. The keeper's house, originally a single story, was expanded with a second story in 1897 and a duplex section in 1929. In 2009-10, the lighthouse underwent a four-month closure for lantern glass replacement, metalwork repairs, and lightning protection installation. Restoration of the tower was planned for 2022, with groundbreaking for the project occurring in December 2023. The site is open to the public, though the tower remains closed.
Why it matters: The Hyde County Lighthouse is one of the oldest active lighthouses in North Carolina, assisting navigation around Ocracoke Island. Its construction represents early 19th-century lighthouse engineering and it is a key feature of the National Park Service's Ocracoke presence.
Light & Optic
- Flash Type
- Fixed
- Light Color
- White
- Raw Code
- F W
- Focal Height
- 23m
- Geographic Range
- 13.8NM
Construction & History
- Year Built
- 1824
Significant events: Keeper's house expanded with a second story in 1897, keeper's house expanded with a duplex section in 1929, fence moved to provide more parking in 2002, closed four months for lantern glass replacement, metalwork repairs, and lightning protection installation in 2009-10, restoration of tower planned in 2022, groundbreaking for restoration project in December 2023, documented as first lit on August 15, 1824
Visiting
- Open to public
- Site open, tower closed
Nearby Vessels
Tower & Structure
- Tower Height
- 20m
- Tower Shape
- cylindrical
- Tower Color
- white with a black lantern
- Material
- brick
Structure: A 20m round brick tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with a black lantern.
Location
- Country
- 🇺🇸United States
- Region
- North Carolina
- Sea Region
- Located on Lighthouse Road just off NC 12 in the town of Ocracoke, Ocracoke Island is accessible by state ferries from Hatteras, Swanquarter, or Cedar Island.
- Latitude
- 35.1090°
- Longitude
- -75.9860°
References & Identifiers
- Nearest Port
- Hatteras(15.1 km)
- Admiralty No.
- J2408
- USCG No.
- 2-0660
- ARLHS No.
- USA-561
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