What is an interesting fact about the Bodie Island Lighthouse?

It’s one of the tallest lighthouses in the United States The tower also nearly reached double the height of the lighthouse that was completed in 1859. It stands 156 feet (47.57 meters) tall which makes it one of the tallest lighthouses in the United States.

Why is the Bodie Island Lighthouse famous?

Why is the Bodie Island Lighthouse important? The Bodie Island Lighthouse is distinctive for its black and white horizontal stripes. The current structure, which was completed in 1872, is one of only a handful of brick tower lighthouses that remain in operation in the United States.

How did Bodie Island Lighthouse get its name?

The accepted origin of the name Bodie Island is that it stemmed from an original landowner and settler of the area, who was named “Body” or “Boddy.” A more colorful legend is that it was named after the many bodies that washed ashore from centuries of shipwrecks in the Outer Banks’ Graveyard of the Atlantic.

How old is Bodie lighthouse?

150Bodie Island Lighthouse / Age (c. 1872)

Who owns the Bodie Island Lighthouse?

On October 15, 1953, the US Coast Guard declared the 56 plus-acre Bodie Island Light Station property surplus and transferred it to the National Park Service as part of Cape Hatteras National Seashore; the Coast Guard maintained jurisdiction over the tower itself until July 13, 2000, when it too was transferred to the …

How many stairs does Bodie Island Lighthouse have?

200 steps
The Bodie Island Lighthouse has just over 200 steps from the ground to the top, equal to climbing a 10-story building. The narrow stairs have a handrail only on one side and 9 landings.

What was Bodie Island originally named?

History. Bodie Island was originally known as Bodie’s Island or Body’s Island and was named for a family of that name, variously written as “Body” “Boddye” “Boddy” and “Bodie” that settled there. Robert Boddy/Boddie emigrated to Virginia from London, England on August 10, 1635 on HMS Safety.

Who built Bodie Island?

The US government acquired 15 acres of land from John B. Etheridge (coincidentally a former keeper of the first Bodie Island Lighthouse) on which to construct the new light station on June 13, 1871.

Who was the first Bodie Island Lighthouse keeper?

William F. Hatsel
The 164-foot tower’s first-order Fresnel lens, fabricated by Barbier and Fenestre of Paris, was lit on October 1, 1872 by William F. Hatsel, who resided in the new dwelling built just west of the lighthouse. Keeper William F. Hatsel was initially assisted by two men: Isaac Meekins as first assistant and William E.

Who built Bodie lighthouse?

Why was Bodie Island Lighthouse built?

Located just south of Nags Head, the Bodie Island Lighthouse as it stands today is the third such beacon built to help mariners maneuver the coast from Cape Hatteras to Currituck Beach. The original Bodie Island Lighthouse was built in 1847, on the south side of Oregon Inlet in an area known today as Pea Island.

How many bricks are in the Bodie Island Lighthouse?

Above the wood and granite foundation, nearly one million bricks were laid in a double-wall construction and topped by an iron lantern room. The architectural drawings used at Bodie Island were first drawn for the St.

What is the Bodie Island Lighthouse?

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.

What are some interesting facts about Bodie Island?

Bodie Island Lighthouse Quick Facts. Bodie Island is pronounced “body”. Folklore says the origin is due to the number of bodies that washed ashore after shipwrecks in these waters of the “Graveyard of the Atlantic”. The current Bodie Island Lighthouse is the third that has stood in this vicinity.

What ever happened to the Bodie Island Light Station?

On October 15, 1953, the US Coast Guard declared the 56 plus-acre Bodie Island Light Station property surplus and transferred it to the National Park Service as part of Cape Hatteras National Seashore; the Coast Guard maintained jurisdiction over the tower itself until July 13, 2000, when it too was transferred to the National Park Service.

How many steps does the Bodie lighthouse have?

10) As like the other lighthouse(Cape Hatteras), The Bodie Lighthouse has about 200 steps from top to bottom, and the stairs are narrow with very thin rails.