Bodie Island North Carolina
Harbour Lights #719
Christmas 2004
Lighted

Throughout history, hundreds of ships have met their fate and multitudes of mariners lost their lives in the menacing waters off the North Carolina coast, giving rise to its reputation as the Graveyard of the Atlantic. In 1837 Congress appropriated the funds for the construction of a much-needed Outer Banks beacon to supplement one existing at Cape Hatteras. It would be ten years before the site on Pea Island was purchased and construction began.

The initial light, a 54-foot tower constructed in 1847 on an unsupported brick foundation, began to lean within two years and was finally abandoned in 1859. It was rebuilt on a nearby site the same year. When the Civil War broke out the 80-foot tower was blown up by the Confederate troops who feared that the Union forces would use the lighthouse as an observation post.

It was not until 1871 that construction began on a third Bodie Island Lighthouse. The government purchased the new site, 15-acres north of the Oregon Inlet, from John Etheridge for $150. On October 1, 1872 the 156-foot Bodie Lighthouse, equipped with a powerful First Order Fresnel Lens, was ready to help ships navigate through the dangerous Cape. The Keeper’s Quarters duplex was completed soon after.

The light was electrified in 1932, ending the need for an on-site keeper. In 1953 all of the light station’s property except the tower were transferred to the National Park Service. The light still functions as a U.S. Coast Guard navigational aid. The Keeper’s duplex has undergone two historic restorations and now serves as a ranger office and visitor center for Cape Hatteras National Seashore.

Harbour Lights beautifully depicts a winter wonderland. This exceptional sculpture perfectly embodies the true spirit of the holidays!