Park Celebrates Lighthouse Day

Date: July 28, 2014
Contact: Outer Banks Group, 252-475-9034

The National Park Service will be celebrating National Lighthouse Day at Cape Hatteras National Seashore with special programs. Lighthouse Day has, historically, been proclaimed as a day of national observance on August 7. The Lighthouse Act of August 7, 1789 established the Federal Government's role in the construction, maintenance, and repair of these unique structures.

Lighthouses, whose solitary beacons have guided countless ships through perils of fog and darkness, are a cherished part of our Nation's heritage. Often isolated and repeatedly tested by the ravages of storm and sea, lighthouses are monuments to the courage and determination of the people who built them and the keepers who have maintained them.Cape Hatteras National Seashore protects and preserves three lighthouses: Bodie Island Lighthouse, Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, and Ocracoke Lighthouse.

Special Lighthouse Day programs include:

August 6, 5 pm - The Oldest Lighthouse: The Ocracoke Lighthouse is the oldest continuously operating lighthouse in North Carolina. Learn how this tower is truly part of the Ocracoke community and get a peek inside the base of the tower.Meet at the Ocracoke Lighthouse.Parking is very limited.We recommend that you walk, bike, or be dropped off. (30 mins)

August 7, 1 pm &4 pm - The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse--Why is it Here: Have you ever wondered why this lighthouse was built on a remote barrier island?  Learn about the storied history of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse and its purpose. Meet at the Hatteras Island Visitor Center Pavilion.(20 mins)

August 7, 3 pm - A Link in the Chain: While the Bodie Island Lighthouse stands alone on a narrow ribbon of sand, it serves as a link in the chain of a network of lighthouses on the east coast. Learn more about the U.S. Lighthouse Service and of what life was like for the Bodie Island Lighthouse keepers and their families. Meet on the front porch of the Bodie Island Visitor Center. (30 mins)

All programs are free and open to all.