The new 150 foot tower of the Cape Lookout Lighthouse was lit for the first time on November 1, 1859 and was immediately reported to be visible for nineteen miles. The previous 90 foot lighthouse had been built in 1812 and was so ineffective it was considered to be a hazard rather than help to navigation. The iconic diamond painted 1859 tower still stands and remains in operation as an unmanned light. (By John Osborne)
Source Citation
Francis Ross Holland, America's Lighthouses: An Illustrated History (Mineola, NY: Dover Publications, 1988), 118.
Record Data
Date Certainty
Exact
Type
Science/Technology
