The Lighthouse at Bodie Island

The Road Less Traveled recently led us to The Bodie Lighthouse in Cape Hatteras National Park, Nags Head. It’s pronounced like “body” since the lighthouses were constructed to help mariners navigate through the “Graveyard of the Atlantic.” Outer Banks lighthouses are spaced every 40 miles, so mariners have continuous views of the beacons up the narrow strip of coastline.

On October 1, 1872, the Bodie Lighthouse was illuminated for the first time.

On October 1, 1872, the Bodie Lighthouse was illuminated for the first time. In 1837, the federal government sent the cutter Campbell to review the coastline for the need for a beacon further south to navigate the dangerous cape. The first lighthouse was completed, but not without issues. The overseer had no lighthouse experience, and an unsupported brick foundation was laid. The tower began to lean, costly repairs proved fruitless, and the lighthouse was abandoned in 1859. The construction on a second site soon after also fell to calamity. Fearing that the Union troops would use the lighthouse against them, the Confederate soldiers blew it up in 1861.

After talks, travels, and trials, the present Bodie Lighthouse was completed in 1872, and the light shone with its first-order Fresnel lens. The keeper’s cottage was completed shortly thereafter. With a few adjustments for flocks of geese and lightning, the lighthouse was finally on solid ground. 

Made of brick, the beacon stands 167.6 feet high, has a first-order fresnel lens, and was electrified in 1932. Because of the electrification, the keeper’s cottage was no longer needed and was closed. The property was transferred to the National Park Service in 1953. The keeper’s cottage is now a non-profit museum containing pictures, puzzles, and pottery, with a generous slathering of history. All purchased items support the museum and lighthouse.

The Outer Banks Lighthouse Society has helped preserve and protect the property since 1994. It also serves as a ranger station and visitor’s center for the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. In the summer months, you can climb the lighthouse.

Learn more about the Bodie Island Light Station and how to visit, here.