Bodie Lighthouse

Bodie Island Lighthouse

As part of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore on North Carolina's Outer Banks and a few miles south of Nags Head, Bodie Island Lighthouse welcomes visitors. This structure was built in 1872. The one built in 1847 was abandoned in 1859 because of a faulty foundation, and it's location is now under water. Another one was built that same year, but it was destroyed in 1861 by retreating Confederate troops who were afraid the Yankees would use it as a lookout tower.

Renovations were started on the current lighthouse in 2009, but some other issues and Hurricane Irene interrupted it in 2011. The work was resumed in 2012 and completed in 2013, allowing visitors to climb up into the lighthouse.

Hatteras Lighthouse

Perhaps because of its more famous neighbor, the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, sometimes Bodie gets skipped. At times it almost seems to be in the taller lighthouse's shadow. Bodie is shorter, and its black and white stripes run horizontally instead of diagonally, like the ones on Hatteras. However, in my opinion one can never see too many lighthouses, and Bodie is certainly worth a visit.

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