Lighthouse Station 1812

During the Colonial period, and even well into the first half of the 20th century, roads were few in number and poor in quality in North Carolina, making them essentially useless for commercial transportation. The railroad came along in the 1850's, but didn't become a significant part of commercial transportation until well after the Civil War. Thus, shipping was the key element of commercial transportation in the United States for almost 300 years.

Sailing vessels, and later steam and diesel powered vessels, that plied the waters of the East Coast tried stay as close as possible to shore. But, at North Carolina, this was difficult because the northern half of the coast ran Northwest/ Southeast, while the coastline south of Cape Hatteras ran Northeast/Southwest. Thus, vessels traveling north or south, had to turn at Cape Hatteras. Additionally, the three capes along North Carolina's shore each had treacherous shoals that extend outward for 10-20 miles…Frying Pan Shoals at Cape Fear, Diamond Shoals at Cape Hatteras, and Lookout Shoals at Cape Lookout.

The first Cape Lookout Lighthouse was authorized in 1804 and completed in 1812 at a cost of $20,678.54. This lighthouse consisted of an inner brick central stairwell and granite staircase enclosed by an octagonal outer wood tower covered in wood shakes and painted with large horizontal red and white stripes. The 96 foot high tower was constructed on a tall sand dune just southeast of the current lighthouse and its light was 104 feet above sea level.

A "keeper's quarters" was built at the same time as the 1812 lighthouse, southeast of the tower on another sand dune. This small house (about 800 square feet) served the keeper, and later two assistant keepers, for over 60 years until it fell into such disrepair that a new building was required. The 1812 keeper quarters was still standing at the turn of the 20th century, but disappeared soon thereafter. (Part of the brick foundation is still visible on a dune just east of the 1812 lighthouse site.)

From the beginning, seamen complained that this lighthouse was inadequate…the light itself wasn't bright enough and the tower was too low for the light not to be blocked by the morning and evening coastal haze. In 1856, a first order Fresnel lens utilizing a "wick and chimney" lamp with five (5) wicks was installed in the 1812 Cape Lookout Lighthouse in an attempt to strengthen the light and stop complaints from mariners. Though the light was much better, the tower itself was simply not tall enough to pierce the fog banks and ocean haze that constantly enshrouded the light.

With the old lighthouse performing poorly and in need of extensive repairs, the Lighthouse Board took action to replace it with a new, taller one. In 1857, Congress appropriated $45,000 to build a new lighthouse and construction started that year.

For many years after 1859, the abandoned 1812 lighthouse continued to stand. Official records still listed it late into the 19th century, but an 1893 photograph shows that the 1812 lighthouse was no longer standing. Today, brick shards and part of the foundation mark the tower's location.