The lighthouse was built to replace an earlier 1798 wooden tower that was destroyed by lightning.
The light is currently automated and monitored by the United States Coast Guard.
The walls of the tower are five feet thick at the base and taper to two feet at the top.
The lighthouse keeper's dwelling, located adjacent to the tower, dates back to 1878.
The structure survived the Great Atlantic Hurricane of 1944 without significant structural damage.
The Ocracoke Lighthouse is the oldest operating lighthouse in North Carolina and the second oldest in the United States. Completed in 1823, the whitewashed, conical structure stands 65 feet tall. Its foundation is constructed from brick and mortar, which was originally coated in a mixture of lime, salt, and water to protect against salt spray. The beacon utilizes a fourth-order Fresnel lens to cast a signal visible for 14 miles out to sea. Unlike many other lighthouses, the tower remains unpainted, retaining its traditional lime-based whitewash exterior. The site is part of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore and is managed by the National Park Service. It serves as a navigational aid for vessels traversing the treacherous Ocracoke Inlet. The interior of the tower is closed to public climbing due to safety and structural integrity concerns.
The grassy clearing directly in front of the tower provides a clear vertical frame of the whitewashed masonry.
Parking is extremely limited at the lighthouse site; consider cycling or walking from the village.
Visit during the shoulder seasons to avoid heavy mosquito activity common in the coastal marshlands.
Bring binoculars to view the lens detail from the base, as the tower interior is not accessible.
Attempting to climb the lighthouse or scaling the fences, both of which are strictly prohibited.
The grounds are accessible year-round, but the interior of the tower is permanently closed to the public.
Maintain respectful distance from the private keeper's house grounds; remain on designated paths.
