NEWS RELEASE
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
OUTER BANKS GROUP


For Immediate Release
For Information Contact
Robert E. Woody
(252) 473-2111x122

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse
Remains Straight As An Arrow

BUXTON, NC—The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse continues to stand tall and straight after having been moved 2900 feet to a new resting place 1600 feet from the Atlantic Ocean in 1999 to save it from an eroding shoreline.

Debate continues about the height of the structure, often officially listed at 208 feet, a measurement made during the early years of the lighthouse. Recent measurements show that the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse (measured to the top of the spire) stands 210.01 feet above Mean Sea Level, and 198.49 feet above the cut line where the lighthouse was separated from its old foundation. There is a concrete foundation footer (4 feet vertical thickness) and brick foundation (5 feet vertical thickness) below the lighthouse between the cut line and the subterranean soil. This would make the height of the manmade structure from the bottom of the foundation footer to the top of the spire 207.49 feet, of which approximately 10 feet are underground. The focal height of the light beacon is 192.20 feet. It remains the nation’s tallest masonry lighthouse.

The National Park Service, following completion of the light station relocation, continues to have the lighthouse monitored at regular intervals to check for any measurable movement or tilt that may result from the new foundation construction. Seaboard Surveying and Planning, Inc. of Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina has provided the triangulation surveys to measure any variance. Three surveys have been completed (12/27/99, 04/07/00 and 07/06/00) and all fall within measurement repeatability tolerance, ( 1.2 inches radius for a structure as tall as the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse) indicating that there has been no measurable movement of the tower. All three of the triangulation location points at the top have fallen within a calculated center circle with a radius of 0.372 inches (smaller than a quarter). Very tall structures like the Empire State Building may vary as much as several feet at the top.

New coordinates for the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse are Latitude 35° 15’ 01.92560” North and Longitude 75° 31’ 43.74342” West. The original site coordinates for the lighthouse were Latitude 35° 15’ 18.6” North and Longitude 75° 31’ 10.5” West.

The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse remains a popular destination point for Outer Banks visitors this summer following its relocation. Attendance records are being set with as many as 3400 people climbing the lighthouse in one day. The lighthouse is open for entry, dependent upon weather conditions and the availability of volunteers, from 10 AM to 4 PM daily through Labor Day, and from 10 AM to 2 PM daily to Columbus Day when it will be closed for the season.

Entry into the lighthouse is free this year, but the National Park Service is developing a 2001 Lighthouse Fee Implementation Plan which will call for the establishment of entry fees when the lighthouse reopens in 2001. The new fee will be part of the Fee Demonstration Program created by Congress and for which the Outer Banks National Park Service Group was selected to participate. Under the program 80% of collected revenues will remain within the Outer Banks National Park Service Group to operate fee collection activities, improve visitor services, assist natural resource management and cultural preservation programs, and provide for facility maintenance, particularly at the light station. The remaining 20% will be distributed to other national parks throughout the system where user fees are not collected.

Thanks for that worthy piece of information, John. I must admit...I was curious to know whether there was any significant "settlement" with CH since she was "set in place".

Thanks for the above information, John - it's wonderful to know that Cape Hatteras is doing so well after the move and that now Bodie will get some well deserved attention.

Barb

Thanks for the input John. I amy even climb her this week.

Moby

Very interesting, John. Especially since we plan to visit and climb it for the first time this week. No fee either! I'm so excited about seeing all the NC lights.

Donna

Thanks for the writeup - very informative.

Ned

Thanks for the info John.

Rusty