Currituck Beach, NC. (photo by Mark Isham)
On December 1, 1875 the beacon of the Currituck Beach Lighthouse filled the
remaining "dark spot" on the North Carolina coast between the Cape
Henry light to the north and Bodie Island to the south.
To distinguish the Currituck Beach Lighthouse from other regional lighthouses,
its exterior was left unpainted and gives today's visitor a sense of the
multitude of bricks used to form the structure. The lighthouse was automated in
1939 when the United States Coast Guard assumed the duties of the Bureau of
Lighthouses. At 158 feet, the night beacon still flashes every 20 seconds to
warn ships hugging the chain of barrier islands along the North Carolina coast.