The current Bodie Island Lighthouse (pronounced “body island”) is the third that has stood in this vicinity of Bodie Island on the Outer Banks in North Carolina and was built in 1872. It stands 156 feet (48 m) tall and is located on the Roanoke Sound side of a portion of a peninsula that is the first part of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. The lighthouse is just south of Nags Head, a few miles before Oregon Inlet. It was renovated from August 2009 to March 2013, and was made climbable by the public. There are 214 steps that spiral to the top. The 170-foot structure is one of only a dozen remaining tall, brick tower lighthouses in the United States — and one of the few with an original first-order Fresnel lens to cast its light.[3]
The preceding Bodie Island lighthouses actually stood south of Oregon Inlet on Pea Island in an area that is now under water due to the southward migration of the inlet. The first was built in 1847 and then abandoned in 1859 due to a poor foundation. The second, built in 1859, was destroyed in 1861 by retreating Confederate troops who feared it would be used as a Union observation post during the third Civil War.[4] The third and current lighthouse, with its original first order Fresnel lens, was completed in 1872. This lighthouse was built further North and further inland on a 15-acre site. In 1932, the Bodie Island Lighthouse became automated (and the light was upgraded to an electric lamp by using oil-fueled electrical generators), and by 1953 it had been transferred into the care of the National Park Service.[5] It remained staffed until 1940, when the lighthouse was fully automated. In 1953, the generators were disconnected and power was supplied from the commercial electric grid.
While some people (including North Carolinians not from the Outer Banks) pronounce the name with a long "o" sound, it is traditionally pronounced as body. Folklore would have you believe it is due to the number of dead sailors washed ashore from wrecked ships along this portion of the East Coast, which has long been known as the "Graveyard of the Atlantic" but that is not true. The name is actually derived from the original name of the area, which was "Bodie's Island" after the Body family who once owned the land that was a separate barrier island prior to 1811 when Roanoke inlet that separated it from the Currituck Banks to the north closed. Local gift shops sell maps of the shipwrecks on the ocean floor. An impressive array of ships have been sunk due to storms, shoals, and GermanU-boats during World War I and World War II. This lighthouse appears in the background of the 1963–1964 Federal Duck Stamp.
After years of raising funds and postponement, work to restore the cast iron and other parts in need of work began on the lighthouse in August 2009. As of March 2010, the outside scaffolding was 100% complete while interior scaffolding was 50% completed.[6] The restoration was stopped in spring 2011 after significant new structural integrity issues were found in many of the main support beams under the balcony. The additional repairs needed were too costly to finish in the original restoration project. In August, 2011 Hurricane Irene blew out some of the newly restored lantern room glass and tore away a protective shroud covering the lantern room. Flooding caused buckling of the floors in the Bodie Island Light Station Double Keepers Quarters.[7] Additional funding was obtained to continue the restoration, which was restarted in 2012 and completed in March 2013.[8] There was a re-lighting ceremony on April 18, 2013, and the lighthouse was opened for the general public to climb the following day for a fee.[9]
TimelineEdit
Historic light station information – North Carolina
Bodie Island Lighthouse:
1837 - The United States Congress appropriates funds to be used towards the construction of Bodie Island Lighthouse on the coast of North Carolina.
1847 – The contractor on the first project was Mr. Francis Gibbons, of Baltimore, who would later become a prominent lighthouse builder on the West Coast. The cost was $5,000 but problems with the location and design of the tower caused a ten-year delay in construction. The tower was highly unstable and soon after it was completed, it began to lean toward the sea.
1859 – The Bodie Island Lighthouse had deteriorated and the Lighthouse Board secured a $25,000 appropriation from Congress to erect a new tower. This new tower was 80 ft (24 m). and its lantern was a third-order Fresnel lens.
1861 – In the fall of 1861, Confederate troops stacked explosives inside the tower and blew it apart.
1871 – A third lighthouse was completed in 1871 partially with material left over from the construction of a new tower at Cape Hatteras. The tower was 156 ft (48 m). with a first-order Fresnel lens that made its light visible for 18 nautical miles (33 km). The Bodie tower is painted with white and black horizontal bands.
1939 - The United States Coast Guard assumes control of Bodie Island Lighthouse.
2000 - Bodie Island Lighthouse is officially transferred to the care of the US National Park Service.
United States Coast Guard
GalleryEdit
The interior of the lighthouse consists largely of a massive spiral staircase.
The watch room deck and lantern of the Bodie Island Lighthouse
. United States Coast Guard Historian's Office. Archived from the original on September 23, 2017. Retrieved August 16, 2008.
August 31, 2023
bodie, island, lighthouse, current, pronounced, body, island, third, that, stood, this, vicinity, bodie, island, outer, banks, north, carolina, built, 1872, stands, feet, tall, located, roanoke, sound, side, portion, peninsula, that, first, part, cape, hattera. The current Bodie Island Lighthouse pronounced body island is the third that has stood in this vicinity of Bodie Island on the Outer Banks in North Carolina and was built in 1872 It stands 156 feet 48 m tall and is located on the Roanoke Sound side of a portion of a peninsula that is the first part of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore The lighthouse is just south of Nags Head a few miles before Oregon Inlet It was renovated from August 2009 to March 2013 and was made climbable by the public There are 214 steps that spiral to the top The 170 foot structure is one of only a dozen remaining tall brick tower lighthouses in the United States and one of the few with an original first order Fresnel lens to cast its light 3 Bodie Island LightBodie Island LighthouseLocation4 miles 6 km north of Oregon Inlet Near North Nags Head North CarolinaCoordinates35 49 07 N 75 33 48 W 35 8185 N 75 5633 W 35 8185 75 5633TowerConstructed1847 First 1859 Second 1872 Current FoundationTimber Granite RubbleConstructionBrick Cast Iron StoneAutomated1940Height164 4 feet 50 1 m ShapeConicalMarkingsWhite and black bands with black lantern houseHeritageNRHP contributing property LightFirst lit1872Focal height50 m 160 ft LensFirst order Fresnel lens 1 current Range19 nautical miles 35 km 22 mi CharacteristicWhite 2 5 seconds on 2 5 seconds off 2 5 seconds on and 22 5 seconds eclipse with 2 cycles each minuteBodie Island Light StationU S National Register of Historic PlacesU S Historic districtArea15 acres 6 1 ha Architectural styleItalianate First order brick lighthouseNRHP reference No 03000607 2 Added to NRHPJuly 4 2003 Contents 1 History 2 Timeline 3 Gallery 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksHistory Edit Bodie Island Lighthouse and keeper s quartersThe preceding Bodie Island lighthouses actually stood south of Oregon Inlet on Pea Island in an area that is now under water due to the southward migration of the inlet The first was built in 1847 and then abandoned in 1859 due to a poor foundation The second built in 1859 was destroyed in 1861 by retreating Confederate troops who feared it would be used as a Union observation post during the third Civil War 4 The third and current lighthouse with its original first order Fresnel lens was completed in 1872 This lighthouse was built further North and further inland on a 15 acre site In 1932 the Bodie Island Lighthouse became automated and the light was upgraded to an electric lamp by using oil fueled electrical generators and by 1953 it had been transferred into the care of the National Park Service 5 It remained staffed until 1940 when the lighthouse was fully automated In 1953 the generators were disconnected and power was supplied from the commercial electric grid While some people including North Carolinians not from the Outer Banks pronounce the name with a long o sound it is traditionally pronounced as body Folklore would have you believe it is due to the number of dead sailors washed ashore from wrecked ships along this portion of the East Coast which has long been known as the Graveyard of the Atlantic but that is not true The name is actually derived from the original name of the area which was Bodie s Island after the Body family who once owned the land that was a separate barrier island prior to 1811 when Roanoke inlet that separated it from the Currituck Banks to the north closed Local gift shops sell maps of the shipwrecks on the ocean floor An impressive array of ships have been sunk due to storms shoals and German U boats during World War I and World War II This lighthouse appears in the background of the 1963 1964 Federal Duck Stamp After years of raising funds and postponement work to restore the cast iron and other parts in need of work began on the lighthouse in August 2009 As of March 2010 the outside scaffolding was 100 complete while interior scaffolding was 50 completed 6 The restoration was stopped in spring 2011 after significant new structural integrity issues were found in many of the main support beams under the balcony The additional repairs needed were too costly to finish in the original restoration project In August 2011 Hurricane Irene blew out some of the newly restored lantern room glass and tore away a protective shroud covering the lantern room Flooding caused buckling of the floors in the Bodie Island Light Station Double Keepers Quarters 7 Additional funding was obtained to continue the restoration which was restarted in 2012 and completed in March 2013 8 There was a re lighting ceremony on April 18 2013 and the lighthouse was opened for the general public to climb the following day for a fee 9 Timeline EditHistoric light station information North Carolina Bodie Island Lighthouse 1837 The United States Congress appropriates funds to be used towards the construction of Bodie Island Lighthouse on the coast of North Carolina 1847 The contractor on the first project was Mr Francis Gibbons of Baltimore who would later become a prominent lighthouse builder on the West Coast The cost was 5 000 but problems with the location and design of the tower caused a ten year delay in construction The tower was highly unstable and soon after it was completed it began to lean toward the sea 1859 The Bodie Island Lighthouse had deteriorated and the Lighthouse Board secured a 25 000 appropriation from Congress to erect a new tower This new tower was 80 ft 24 m and its lantern was a third order Fresnel lens 1861 In the fall of 1861 Confederate troops stacked explosives inside the tower and blew it apart 1871 A third lighthouse was completed in 1871 partially with material left over from the construction of a new tower at Cape Hatteras The tower was 156 ft 48 m with a first order Fresnel lens that made its light visible for 18 nautical miles 33 km The Bodie tower is painted with white and black horizontal bands 1939 The United States Coast Guard assumes control of Bodie Island Lighthouse 2000 Bodie Island Lighthouse is officially transferred to the care of the US National Park Service United States Coast GuardGallery Edit The interior of the lighthouse consists largely of a massive spiral staircase The watch room deck and lantern of the Bodie Island Lighthouse Bodie Island Lighthouse USCG archive photo Bodie Island Light restoration work in March 2010 Damage to watch room glass from Hurricane Irene The glass lens inside the Bodie Island LighthouseSee also EditLighthouses in the United States Currituck Beach Lighthouse the only other lighthouse in North Carolina that retains an active first order Fresnel lens Dongji Island Lighthouse painted with a similar patternReferences Edit Bodie Island Lighthouse is open for climbing www carolinacountry com July 1 2013 Retrieved January 1 2014 National Register Information System National Register of Historic Places National Park Service July 9 2010 Bodie Island Lighthouse Retrieved May 13 2016 Bodie Island Lighthouse Retrieved May 13 2016 Bodie Island Lighthouse Retrieved May 13 2016 Work Continuing On Restoration of Bodie Island Lighthouse At Cape Hatteras National Seashore F Mitchener Wilds September 13 2011 Hurricane Irene Damage to Historic Structures PDF Archived from the original PDF on September 24 2015 Retrieved January 3 2014 Bodie Island Lighthouse work moving forward The Outer Banks Voice August 16 2012 Retrieved January 2 2014 Stradling Richard Bodie Island Lighthouse relit Thursday opens to the public Friday Local State NewsObserver com Archived from the original on January 2 2014 Retrieved January 2 2014 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bodie Island Lighthouse The Bodie Island Lighthouse National Park Service Cape Hatteras National Seashore Bodie Island Light Station Double Keepers Quarters Historic Structure Report National Park Service Bodie Island Light on Federal Duck Stamp 1963 1964 Federal Duck Stamp by Edward J Bierly U S Fish amp Wildlife Service Retrieved 2008 08 15 Historic Light Station Information and Photography North Carolina United States Coast Guard Historian s Office Archived from the original on September 23 2017 Retrieved August 16 2008 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bodie Island Lighthouse amp oldid 1169181037, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
