Can you believe it! Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is 200 years old...well not the present tower with the black & white candy stripes. The first lighthouse was lit in 1803.

On October 18th, the Outer Banks Lighthouse Society with help from the National Park Service will hold a day long celebration open to the public.

The NPS will hoist the 15 star American flag that would have flown there back in 1803, and will have the lighthouse available for climbing with no charge.

The Chicamacomico LSS Historical Society will be present with displays...and a puppet show designed to tell the stories of the surfmen.

There will be authors available for book signings, artists, and costumed characters, including a "keeper" stationed at the keeper's dwelling to talk with the children, and anyone else who wants to listen.

A 5'6" model of the original 1803 lighthouse will be on display offering some unique photo opportunities.

It promises to be a historical day...so if you plan to be in the area, please come join us for a grand celebration!

Judy

Thanks Judy. I am going to mark our calendar. Sounds like it's worth a drive down from Great Bridge (Chesapeake) Virginia.

Joyce

Thanks Judy

We will definately be there for this event. This is also a good date because a lot of the tourists will be gone so the traffic should be bearable.

This is the official news release I'm posting at the request of our OBLHS President, Cheryl Roberts....

News Release
For Immediate Release


Outer Banks Lighthouse Society

The Outer Banks Lighthouse Society with the cooperation of the National Park Service is hosting a celebration of the 200th year of light at the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse on Saturday, October 18th, 2003, in Buxton, NC. The event begins at 10 AM with events during the day for all ages. An 1803 American flag will be flown at the lighthouse just as an American flag was exhibited at the original lighthouse as well as the 1870 light station for two centuries. The lighthouse will be open to visitors that day at no charge.

Activities for October 18th include special appearances by authors for talks and signings including Homer Hickam, TORPEDO JUNCTION, ROCKET BOYS (subsequently the movie OCTOBER SKY), and the upcoming novel THE KEEPER’S SON; Kevin Duffus, THE LOST LIGHT: The Mystery of the Missing Cape Hatteras Fresnel Lens; Ray Jones, AMERICAN LIGHTHOUSES and the upcoming ENCYCLOPEDIA OF LIGHTHOUSES; noted Outer Banks historian, David Stick, GRAVEYARD OF THE ATLANTIC and OUTER BANKS OF NORTH CAROLINA; Cheryl Shelton-Roberts, LIGHTHOUSE FAMILIES and MOVING HATTERAS: Relocating the Cape Hatteras Light Station to Safety; and Bruce Roberts, author/photographer for a number of lighthouse books.

This event also marks the 50th anniversary of the formation of Cape Hatteras National Seashore and a special noon program that will include special speakers from the NPS, U.S. Coast Guard, and music by Bett Padgett, creator of many CDs including IF A LIGHTHOUSE COULD SPEAK.

There will be re-enactments of lifesaving measures, a Civil War encampment by the Tidewater Living History Museum, and puppet shows by the Chicamacomico Lifesaving Station.

Media inquiries may be made to Bruce Roberts broberts2@ec.rr.com or Bett Padgett bett_padgett@mindspring.com or Judy Castleberry castleberry1@comcast.net.

Judy
(Director of Fundraising, OBLHS)

We will be it Corolla that week and I will make it a Point to be there on the 18th.

Planning a Visit to Cape Hatteras Lighthouse? What to expect...

This article appears in the Virginia Pilot today...

http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=58033&ran=81362

Mark Your Calendar for "The Keeper's Weekend" Oct 17th & 18th...Celebrating 200 Years of Light at Cape Hatteras!

Judy

I'll definitely be there....