Bodie Island Lighthouse has now been officially designated on the National Historic Register!
It was announced at a press briefing earlier today on the porch of the keeper's home by Dr. Jeffrey Crow, N.C. State Historic Preservation Officer.
This immediately gives us one very important thing... much more protection of the first order Fresnel lens.
The Outer Banks Lighthouse Society considers this a very important step in the preservation of this lens. The Coast Guard would now be subject to review, before the lens could be disposed of.
What is still unanswered is if the Coast Guard will continue to use the lighthouse as an aid to navigation. If they do, then it's possible that the lens would be removed and replaced with modern optics. If that happens, we (OBLHS) will join in a lobby to keep the lens on the grounds of Bodie.
The society has had several independent studies done, and we believe the lens can be repaired without removing it from the lantern room.
Our goal is to restore the lighthouse and have it open for climbing in several years. A big part of our fundraising strategy now is to raise the money needed to accomplish this.
Think about it...in a few years, when you visit the Outer Banks, you will have two tall lighthouse towers that can be climbed within a very short driving distance of each other...Hatteras & Bodie Island!
An article appears in the Outer Banks Sentinel at...
http://www.obsentinel.com/articles/2003/08/01/features/bodie.txt Judy Castleberry
OBLHS Director of Fundraising
