The National Park Service will celebrate lighthouses at Cape Hatteras National Seashore with special programs on Wed., Aug. 7, 2013.  Lighthouse Day has, historically, been proclaimed as a day of national observance on Aug 7.  The Lighthouse Act of Aug. 7, 1789 established the Federal Government's role in the construction, maintenance, and repair of these unique structures. 

Lighthouses, whose solitary beacons have guided countless ships through perils of fog and darkness, are a cherished part of our Nation's heritage.  Often isolated and repeatedly tested by the ravages of storm and sea, lighthouses are monuments to the courage and determination of the people who built them and the keepers who have maintained them.  Cape Hatteras National Seashore protects and preserves three lighthouses: the Bodie Island Lighthouse, the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, and Ocracoke Lighthouse.

Special events scheduled for the day include programs at Cape Hatteras and Bodie Island lights, as well as this program on Ocracoke:

6 p.m. – The Oldest Lighthouse: The Ocracoke Lighthouse is the oldest continuously operating lighthouse in North Carolina.  Learn how this tower is truly part of the Ocracoke community and get a peak inside the base of the tower.  Meet at the Ocracoke Lighthouse—parking is very limited, it is recommended that you walk, bike, or be dropped off at the site (30 minutes).