The Cat and the Lighthouse
by Marty Fancy
Title
The Cat and the Lighthouse
Artist
Marty Fancy
Medium
Photograph
Description
SOLD to collector(s) in:
North Carolina
Ocracoke Island is a sixteen (16) mile long barrier island, located off North Carolina's Outer Banks and was made famous by Blackbeard the Pirate, who used Ocracoke Island as a hideout and hangout. In 1715, an act was passed to establish Ocracoke Island as a port to help improve trade and navigation around the coast. By 1730, more people began arriving on the Island. With the increase in population, colonists decided they needed a lighthouse to help vessels maneuver the inlet. There was a huge debate about the building of a lighthouse on Ocracoke Island. Many of the mariners wanted to see a lighthouse built near Shell Castle Island instead. A petition was passed around urging people to request the beacon be placed on Shell Castle Island.
In the late 1700s, the North Carolina General Assembly passed an act to build Ocracoke Lighthouse. Construction was delayed in 1790 when the federal government took control of all navigational aids away from the state government. By this time, mariners had succeeded in putting a beacon at Shell Castle Island. Shell Castle Island Lighthouse was built by the same man who constructed the first Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. The lighthouse was in the shape of a pyramid and was placed on a stone foundation and was made of wood. The lighthouse served its purpose well until 1818, when it was destroyed by lightning. It was not rebuilt, since the channel had shifted and became useless.
Powered By SmugWPBy the 1820s, Ocracoke Island had become a major shipping port. It was logical to once again consider putting a lighthouse on the island. Two acres near Silver Lake Harbor were purchased from Jacob Gaskill for $50. The lighthouse was approved for construction in 1822 and was built and lit by 1823. The new lighthouse only cost $11,359.35 to build, and this was including a three room keeper's quarters. The lighthouse stands sixty-five feet tall, and rises seventy-five above sea level. It was made of brick and plaster. At the base, the walls are five feet thick. It was originally equipped with a 3rd-order Fresnel lens, which was replaced with a 4th-order lens in 1854. The current lighting apparatus has 8,000 candlepower and can be seen from fourteen miles out to sea. In 1946, the Ocracoke Lighthouse was automated and its keeper since 1926, Captain Joe Burrus, left its service. He was a keeper for 45 years and also served at the Cape Lookout Lighthouse and the Diamond Shoals Lightship.
In 1989, some minor repairs were made and painting was done. For safety reasons, the old wooden steps have been replaced with metal ones. The four windows from the lighthouse were removed an almost destroyed, but have since been restored by the Ocracoke Preservation Society. The U.S. Coast Guard owns and oversees the lighthouse, since it is a navigational aid, but the National Park Service maintains the lighthouse, grounds and keeper's quarters. The funds that are used to maintain the lighthouse come from federal grants.
Uploaded
August 10th, 2014
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