Ocracoke Light
Appearance
![]() Ocracoke Island Light | |
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Location | Ocracoke Island, North Carolina |
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Coordinates | 35°06′32.2″N 75°59′9.6″W / 35.108944°N 75.986000°W |
Tower | |
Constructed | 1798 ![]() |
Markings | white ![]() |
Heritage | National Register of Historic Places listed place ![]() |
Light | |
First lit | 1823 ![]() |
Focal height | 23 m (75 ft) ![]() |
Lens | fourth order Fresnel lens ![]() |
Range | 15 nmi (28 km; 17 mi) ![]() |
Characteristic | continuous flash 220 stairs |
Ocracoke Light was built in the town of Ocracoke, on Ocracoke Island, North Carolina in 1823 by Massachusetts builder Noah Porter. The lighthouse stands 75 feet (23 m) tall. Its diameter narrows from 25 feet (8 m) at the base to 12 feet (3.7 m) at its peak. It is the oldest operating lighthouse in North Carolina and the second oldest in the United States (the oldest being Sandy Hook Light in New Jersey). During the summer months when there is a U.S. Park Ranger on duty, visitors can enter the base of the lighthouse, but climbing is not allowed.
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c6/USCGOcracoke.jpg/200px-USCGOcracoke.jpg)