Currituck Beach Lighthouse – Corolla, North Carolina - Atlas Obscura
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Currituck Beach Lighthouse

Corolla, North Carolina

Beautiful Gothic-inspired lighthouse stands out among the run-of-the-mill striped fare on Bodies Island. 

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Some of the 214 steps to the top kcarollo
Currituck's Fresnel lens kcarollo
Currituck Sound
Currituck Beach Lighthouse kcarollo
Currituck Beach Lighthouse
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The Outer Banks are well-known for their black-and-white striped lighthouses at Bodie Island and Hatteras, but in Corolla stands the red-bricked, gothic-inspired Currituck Beach Lighthouse.

The beacon employs a Fresnel lens with a signature interval of 3 seconds on and 17 seconds off.  Unlike its neighbor lights which are operated by the National Park Service, the Currituck lighthouse is privately-funded and operated.

One can climb the 220 stairs (162 feet) inside the shaft to reach the observation deck just below the lens room.  Tours are self-guided and include wall-mounted exhibits describing the history and science of the lighthouse along the steps.  The 360-degree view from the top includes sights in Currituck Heritage Park, Corolla Village, Currituck Sound, and the Outer Banks toward Duck and Southern Shores. 

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Located in the Currituck Heritage Park just off of Route 12 in Corolla

lighthouses beaches architectural oddities architecture
Nearby
Corolla Wild Horses
0.20 miles
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