The Lighthouse

Love in the Light-House Service: Letters from Lighthouse Keeper William Shinault Donated to Currituck Beach Lighthouse

By Jane Bailey and Meghan Agresto Acts of love – from sending a heartfelt letter, to preserving those letters for over a century  – have ripple effects. Our lighthouse was recently the recipient of some long-held love, thanks to a generous and preservation-minded donor.  In December 2023, the Outer Banks Conservationists (OBC) received a small … Read more

Sun-sational Photos Captured of the Currituck Beach Lighthouse

Artisans, surfers, photographers and beach bums: those single-mindedly dedicated to their craft flock to the Outer Banks, NC for inspiration and musing. A unique chain of islands, with a history as powerful as the sand and storms that shaped the land itself, provide a dynamic playground for the creative mind to explore. One such artist, … Read more

A Brief History of Currituck Beach Light Station’s Smaller Keeper’s Dwelling

On the grounds of the Currituck Beach Light Station are two homes: a white, two-and-a-half story, 1876 duplex built from plans for a “First Order Dwelling” to house three keepers west of the newly constructed ocean-wise tower with a first-order lens; and a smaller, white, story-and-a-half dwelling built in 1881, much like the original Keepers’ … Read more

What’s in a Photograph? A Second Look at the Oldest Image of the Currituck Beach Lighthouse

What’s in a Photograph? A Second Look at the Oldest Image of the Currituck Beach Lighthouse By: Meghan Agresto, Currituck Beach Lighthouse Site Manager & Historian   Prefer to learn about this with a video? Click here if so. In June 1893, a “government surveyor,” as the lighthouse keeper called him in his journal notes that month , … Read more

A Delayed Letter of Gratitude Opens New Doors in Lighthouse Research

By: Meghan Agresto, Currituck Beach Lighthouse Site Manager & Historian After its illumination in 1875, the Currituck Beach Lighthouse supplied a need “long felt by the commerce of the country” after 56 vessels had gone ashore “in a period of less than twenty-two years.”[1] The tower was considered “one of the most important works constructed … Read more

Why Does the Currituck Beach Lighthouse Need Your Help?

By: Outer Banks Conservationists Staff As we do every so often, the Outer Banks Conservationists (OBC) signed a contract for big preservation work to be done on the Currituck Beach Lighthouse; the work began early in 2020. Since 1999, the International Chimney Corporation, (now called ICC Commonwealth) has helped us with iron, glass and brickwork … Read more

A Winter at Currituck Beach Lighthouse

By Meghan Agresto, Currituck Beach Lighthouse Site Manager Have you ever wondered what lighthouse keepers do in the winter? At the Currituck Beach Lighthouse, Corolla gets sleepy after October. Our lighthouse door is locked, the vacationers are gone, the docents resting, and the lighthouse doesn’t require a supply of oil for its light that’s been … Read more

The Austins

The Austins

From To Illuminate the Dark Space by Jenny Edwards In 1964, the Coast Guard hired Gene Austin to take care of the Currituck Beach Lighthouse. By this time, no one had been living in the keepers’ quarters for more than two decades, but the light continued to operate for the benefit of small ocean and sound … Read more