Looks like the horizontal move is underway!

Check the two view web-cams:
http://www.nps.gov/caha/livecam.htm

Yes, *she* is! How exciting, hope she stays horizontal, looks like some weather coming in.

The WRAL-TV web site has lots of good information, photos, and audio clips on the move:

http://www.wral-tv.com/news/wral/5newsfocus/1999/0310-lighthouse-move/

Here's the written story:
Nation's Tallest Lighthouse Moves

.c The Associated Press

By ESTES THOMPSON

BUXTON, N.C. (AP) - Propped up on rollers in a technique borrowed from the ancients, the historic, 208-foot Cape Hatteras Lighthouse began its inch-by-inch journey to a safer spot inland Thursday, away from the crashing breakers of the Atlantic.

With a nudge from seven hydraulic jacks, the nation's tallest lighthouse silently moved 5 inches on the first push shortly after 3 p.m. Cheers went up from those who gathered in a steady rain to watch.

``It rolled a lot easier than we thought,'' said Jerry Matyiko of Expert House Movers of Virginia Beach, Va., a project subcontractor. The contractors moved it 10 feet, 4 inches on Thursday.

Threatened with destruction by the encroaching sea, the beloved, white-and-black barber-pole-striped landmark is being moved 2,900 feet inland, a trip that will take four to six weeks at a pace of up to 200 feet a day. The 4,800-ton brick tower is set to reopen next Memorial Day weekend.

``This is a major milestone in this project to preserve a piece of America's heritage,'' said Bob Reynolds, superintendent of Cape Hatteras National Seashore. ``For many people, lighthouses in general and this lighthouse in particular is a symbol of people's romance with the ocean.''

The lighthouse once guided ships in the treacherous waters off Cape Hatteras, known as the Graveyard of the Atlantic. But with the advent of electronic and satellite navigation, the beacon is seldom used. In preparation for the move, the light was extinguished March 1 for the first time since 1950.

Before the move began, Terry Jennette Ponton of Philadelphia, granddaughter of the lighthouse's last full-time keeper, was permitted by National Park Service rangers to take a look around. She took a piece of foundation granite and some brick as mementos.

``I know it's not the last time, but it's the last time in this place. It was bittersweet,'' she said. ``She's a graceful lady and she needs to be in a safe place. I wish her well.''

The Park Service is spending $10 million to move the lighthouse because it sits just 150 feet from the Atlantic, and the waves are getting closer all the time. When it was built, it was 1,600 feet away from the surf. It is moving 2,900 linear feet, but because of the curving shoreline, it will once more be 1,600 feet from the sea.

The move was bitterly contested by many on Hatteras Island and elsewhere who feared the lighthouse would fall or become seriously cracked. They wanted the Park Service to instead construct jetties to catch sand and build up the beach in front of the lighthouse.

The Dare County Board of Commissioners sued to try to stop the move, but a judge refused to stand in the way. A citizens opposition group, Save Cape Hatteras Lighthouse Committee, gave up about the same time.

``I think it's a tragedy for the state,'' said chairman Hugh Morton.

The move employs both high technology and brute force.

Earlier this year, workers cut the lighthouse away from its foundation and raised it on hydraulic jacks onto beams and rollers. The lighthouse will move an average of only an inch or two a minute, with frequent stops for adjustments. Every 100 feet or so, the rollers the lighthouse has passed over will be picked up and put in front of it.

Dozens of sensors attached to the structure will measure tilt, expansion, temperature and vibration. Should a sensor detect a problem, all movement will halt.

The main contractor, International Chimney Corp. of Buffalo, N.Y., said it has moved lighthouses and other large structures without mishap.

Project manager Joe Jakubik said the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is extremely well-constructed. During much of the move, he said, he will be underneath it, making sure there are no problems. ``That's how confident I am'' in its stability, he said.

Jakubic said the lighthouse will move so slowly that ``you actually have to line up the lighthouse with an object in the foreground to know it's moving.'' The occasional screech of the rollers also will signal movement.

The public can watch it happen on the Internet at witntv.com, courtesy of WITN-TV's ``lighthouse cam,'' which produces an image every two minutes.

Kevin McCave, 43, of Buxton, one of the opponents of the move, rode his bicycle to the lighthouse to watch. ``I don't believe the lighthouse was meant to stand forever,'' he said. ``Once it moves, a lot of the history is gone.''

In the meantime, McCave and his girlfriend are selling T-shirts commemorating the move. The price: $10.

AP-NY-06-17-99 1936EDT

"the lightkeeper'

---

"....Kevin McCave, 43, of Buxton, one of the opponents of the move, rode his bicycle to the lighthouse to watch. ``I don't believe the lighthouse was meant to stand forever,'' he said. ``Once it moves, a lot of the history is gone.''

In the meantime, McCave and his girlfriend are selling T-shirts commemorating the move. The price: $10...."

---

ROFLMAO!!! Is this a great country or what?

---

Rod Watson
_{[This message has been edited by Rod Watson (edited 07-12-99).]}

Mombo,

Don't we want the light to stay vertical? To me horizontal would imply that there has been a significant 'oops' somewhere along the line.

Dave

Yep, Vertical is what we want!!!!

Better email those "Expert House Movers" and make sure they understand -- "Keep the pointy end UP!"

-------------------------------------------

Isn't it amazing, that all across the country, and around the world, we can surf on over and see two "almost live" images of this fantastic feat of engineering.

A project undertaken to save for generations not yet born a symbol of a time generations ago.

A time past when our ancestors navigated vast oceans with the stars and a clock and found their way around dangers or towards safe harbor because of a focused and amplified beam of light generated by whale oil or kerosene?

Lest we ever think that these accomplishments of past generations were somehow less than our GPS navigation systems today, consider the bravery it took to trust your life and the cargo on your ship to the dedication of lightkeepers around the world to...

Keeping the flame

I was lucky enough to be here on Ocracoke for my annual beach vacation this week (it was planned on when my sister could join our family NOT on the anticipated move date). I had been following the web page for news of the move. It been rainy for the past 2-3 days here (and not conducive to sunning and playing in the ocean) so I got on the ferry and ventured up to Hatteras this afternoon to see the moving site...not really expecting to be an actual eye-witness to the first movements! I arrived at 2:25PM and I spoke with a park ranger who indicated that they were about to move it any minute. I was surprised there wasn't as huge a crowd as I expected and I got up real close to the fence and waited. They came back about 15 minutes later and said there would be a 20 minute delay. The weather was lousy and we were getting soaking wet but I decided to wait it out until 3:15. Well about 3:05 a major person involved in the move (who I recognized from pictures in the local papers here...but I can't remember his name) came back and said they had moved the lighthouse 4 inches. Obviously the move was so small that we couldn't discern it but still everyone cheered. It surprised me that there were actually men in the lighthouse as it was being moved. On my way back to Ocracoke, I has to buy an "I Saw the Lighthouse Move" T-shirt as a souvenir. I also bought a copy of the wonderful book Cheryl and Bruce Roberts have written about the move. I feel really lucky to have been a "witness" to the event.

John

So many people have worked so hard as volunteers for so long to save this historic beacon. Especially Cheryl and Bruce Roberts and the Outer Banks Lighthouse Society. Finally that effort has paid off. It's happening and we're witnesses to history. My goodness this is exciting!

------------------
Keepin' the flame

Makes a Tar Heel proud..It is exciting and downright awesome. I even have some high school students who aren't usually impressed with anything to read the Associated Press article in our Tampa Tribune this morning. Same one John posted here.

Thanks to all who had an influence in getting it moved. Bruce and Cheryl especially....
Derith

Oops, horizontal move of the vertical object!

Very well said Sean. I feel like a real loner here in my home town. No matter who I try to talk to about the big event all seem to have the same attitude. I have not had 1 person yet agree with me on the move. They all say the same thing, "What a waste of money" and "Why don't they just tear it down and build a new one". I even had one idiot tell me, "They don't even need lighthouses any more why don't they just get rid of them". I guess I should expect this from a town where people gather at the local diner to talk about how high the corn will be on the fourth of July and that the person next door just got another hog or bull and everyone wants to see it.

Digger,



Maybe if Hatteras is still at least "knee high by the 4th" it will gain some notice in your part of the country.

Maybe if you tell the folks out there that she stands one hundred times knee-high, year 'round, they will admire her.

And just think how far a 'Sooooo eeeeee' would carry from that top of that tower. One could call in the hogs from six surrounding counties!

Sometimes you just have to put things into the vernacular to be understood.

From where Hatteras is larger than Elvis and like him, still lives,

------------------
-Art

You need to move to Indy, Digger. We had stories about the Hatteras move on most of our newscasts since Wednesday, at WISH TV8. I have several new recruits (lighthouse lovers) in the newsroom now. I have my autoship sent to work, that way it isn't sitting out home on the front steps and I have to have a showing each time I get a new lighthouse delivered. We can see past the corn here in Indy, even though surrounded by it. Of course the difference probably is, we do have a lighthouse on the top of Methodist Hospital, way above the corn tassels.

WackoPaul '
Keep the Flame

I had also heard the contractor said that by Friday afternoon the had moved the lighthouse 80 some feet, they would have moved it farther faster except just before they began moving it a motorhome towing a car with it's left turn signal on pulled out in front of the lighthouse and they had to follow it and that there wasn't enough room to pass on the narrow road.

Maybe I've got the answer.

Paint their silo black and white, duct-tape a pig to the roof, stick a lightbuld in it's mouth and then drag it to the other side of town. I think that would get their attention!

[This message has been edited by Gravedigger (edited 06-19-99).]

Maybe the folks in N.C. don't appreciate moving Cape Hatteras but everyone I have talked to in Orlando does. I have a mini replica of Cape Hatteras at my desk and everyone who sees it stops to look at it. They all ask, "Is this the one they're moving, Cape Hatteras?" It makes wonderful conversation and everyone is very interested in the move. I do work with engineers, so that explains some interest, but mostly they're interested in the preservation of the lighthouse.

Joanne

Just speaking as a native born "Tar Heel", and also one who used to live on the Outer Banks, I couldn't be happier to see Hatteras moved away from danger. Even though the light was a great sight on the very edge, I worried about every Hurricane or NorEaster that came through. But in a few mounths I will not have to worry near as much.

[This message has been edited by Weasel58 (edited 06-20-99).]

On Friday morning nearly all my coworkers were positive and excited about the Cape Hatteras move. They had lots of questions like how tall is it, how much does it weigh, how long will it take, plans if a hurricane shows up, etc. so I'm taking the excellent, informative Hatteras move book by the Roberts to the office Monday for everyone to see.

------------------
Keepin' the flame

I try as hard as I can to not put anyone down or say bad things about fellow human beings but..........................................

There are few individuals out there (Kevin and Diggers "neighbors") who ............
(sorry folks I just couldn't say it.) I don't want to offend anyone, that's what America is all about (freedom of speech).

However..................................

I can't fathom how any one would want to see a piece of American history topple into the sea or be torn down. It is our duty to preserve as much of our history as we possibly can for future generations.

Wether it is a lighthouse or not it's history and with out a history what happens to the future.

God Bless all the people who dedicate themselves in the restoration and preservation of all of Americas historic structures.
[This message has been edited by Mike Seewald (edited 06-21-99).]

[This message has been edited by Mike Seewald (edited 06-21-99).]

Well, I guess not all people see the value of historical objects. My grandmother, who was from Sicily, could not stand to look at the Coliseum in Rome. Every time she saw a picture of it, she wished they would tear down that broken-down, old building and put up a nice new one. Twenty years later, it still makes me smile and luckily grandma never got her wish.

Rumor has it that Kevin McCave of Buxton is leading a movement to move the Cape Hatteras Light back to it's original spot right after he sells the rest of his T-shirts. New T-shirts have already been designed for the move back to the water's edge.

Bob

Bob, same thought entered my mind. Guess his stance against the move wasn't strong enough to *not* make money on it.

Kathy


[This message has been edited by Al and Kathy (edited 06-21-99).]

On the NCTV (public television) station this evening I heard that as of noon today, 6/21/1999, Cape Hatteras lighthouse had been moved about 140 of the 2900 feet it's scheduled to go. Still saying four to six weeks until it's on the new foundation.

Rick

Out here in California, people don't seem to know that there is a lighthouse at Cape Hatteras. I saw one article on it in the paper. I have been wearing Cape Hatteras earrings since the day it began it's move, hoping that *someone* might bring up the subject of Hatteras or lighthouses. Some have, usually asking if I have been to the one "with all the steps" (Pt. Reyes-over 300 steps down to the lighthouse.) Most don't know were Cape Hatteras is. They don't know about the move until I tell them. Yesterday I told a girl in a store that the lighthouse was being moved. "Today?" she asked. I replied "Yes, today, last week, next week...in fact it will take 4-6 weeks to move it back from the ocean." She was amazed. I don't understand why more people aren't aware of the move. I live near San Francisco Bay. There should be a greater sense of maritime history, but there isn't. Lighthouses seem to be some kind of abstract thing to most people. "You collect what? Oh, I saw one once." Or "there aren't any around here, are there?" Gee, it's San Francisco Bay Area!!!! Of course we have them!!!

So I understand your comments, Digger. Only it's not corn and hogs here. It's designer this and BMW/SAAB/Volvo that. Go figure.

Sorry for the rant. Now I'll go read more forums and get in a better mood again.

Out in California, people don't know that ANYTHING exists east of the Rockies. Well maybe they KNOW, but they could care less. No, maybe they care, or maybe they're clueless.

John,

In today's world, many who live away from the coast or within the big city are very limited in their perception of the world around them. Not just a problem in California. There is no reality within their minds, and with that, national history and land marks do not exist.

Moby

Sure makes me grateful that I live in a region where history, heritage and landmark preservation seem to be a way of life. Lots of people are interested, lots of local and statewide activity to preserve our landmarks.

------------------
Keepin' the flame

Cape Hatteras is on the move!

Every time I talk to someone that know I collect lighthouses, they tell me that the Cape Hatteras lighthouse is being moved, and have I seen the article in the St. Louis Post Dispatch. If my friends are asking about the article they want to know how the light is being moved? How long will it take? And will it be safe to climb again?

Any information that I can give them is always appreciated. Many of them tell me that they are planning to visit the lighthouse after it is moved.

One of the best web sites I've found on this topic is http://www.unc.edu/depts/cmse/science/Hatteras.html as noted in an earlier post.

The quick answers:
a.) Very carefully
b.) Scheduled relighting Memorial Day weekend 2000
c.) Most assuredly



------------------
Keepin' the flame

Hey Lamar - that was a GREAT site! Thanks.

John

Lamar,
Agreeing with John that the web site you sent us to was a great one.

I made reservations to stay in Buxton for the relighting next May. My school system is obliging since school will be out the Thurs. before Memorial Day.
Derith

Lamar

Great site. Thanks for the info.

Judy

Here's another update from Cheryl Roberts OBLHS:



Thanks, Cheryl! For keeping us all informed and thanks, Bruce for the great aerial photos!!

But most of all, thanks to all with the Outer Banks Lighthouse Society for pushing ahead with the move to save Cape Hatteras!!

[This message has been edited by JChidester (edited 06-30-99).]

Got another update today from Cheryl with a great photo:

Cape Hatteras lighthouse has reached it's new location. An article in today's Charlotte Observer mentions little of the opposition that existed to the move. It does talk about the monetary windfall that the interest in the move has brought to the local economy. You can read it here:

http://www.charlotte.com/observer/local/pub/044665.htm

Enjoy,
Rick