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The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is the
tallest brick lighthouse in the United States. Originally
built in 1870 it is 208 feet tall and weighs nearly
2800 tons. When it was first constructed it was 1600
feet from the shore, but beach erosion and other environmental
factors had by 1987 brought crashing waves to within
120 feet of the base. Significant concern that the
next hurricane to strike the Outer Banks area would
cause the lighthouse to fall into the sea led to the
National Park Service's decision to move the structure
half a mile inland to protect it.
To undertake the challenging move,
the NPS put together a "dream team" of engineering
experts. The lighthouse's 800-ton granite base was
removed and replaced with steel support towers. The
lighthouse itself was then lifted and moved on rollers.
In five-foot increments, the tower was moved a total
of 2900 feet to its new location. The lighthouse's
slow "road trip" began on June 17, 1999,
and the final destination was achieved on July 19th.
Once again, the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is 1600 feet
from the ocean, at least for now. Although no longer
used as a navigational aid for ships, the lighthouse
is open to visitors. Hundreds of people climb up the
narrow stairs to the top of the tower every day during
the summer season.
Photos
of the move
Web
cam of the lighthouse
More
NPS photos of the lighthouse
Cape
Hatteras National Seashore
Location:
New coordinates for the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse are
Latitude 35° 15' 01.92560" North and Longitude
75° 31' 43.74342" West. The original site
coordinates for the lighthouse were Latitude 35°
15' 18.6" North and Longitude 75° 31' 10.5"
West.
1401 National Park Dr
Manteo, NC 27954
Photographed by Rod
Ness 2/4/08
Posted on RoadTrip America 5/08
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