Scaffolding around the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is complete; Paint removal is next
The scaffolding installation around the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is complete, and paves the way for the next steps in an 18-month restoration project that began in earnest at the start of 2024.
The scaffolding project, (which was performed by subcontractor Scaffold Resource), took 60 days to install with a team of 10 people, and more than 10,000 pieces of material were required for the job. According to an update from the Cape Hatteras National Seashore (CHNS), it takes the average worker 12 minutes to go from the bottom to the top of the 200-foot-tall scaffolding tower.
Now that the scaffolding is complete, paint stripping will begin on May 13 on the exterior cast iron components of the lighthouse, and will then move to the interior cast components.
Though there have been many noticeable changes in the past several months, the lighthouse restoration project has been in the works for a long time, with public hearings and proposals initially held in 2021 to identify the best paths forward. The contract for the current repairs and restoration work was awarded to Stone and Lime Historic Restoration Services, Inc. on Sept. 25, 2023.
The items that need to be addressed stem from the results of a 2014 Comprehensive Condition Assessment Report and a 2016 Historic Structure Report, and the National Park Service has had funding for the massive $19.2 million project in reserve for years.
A punch list of work that will be performed in the next 18 months includes the following:
- Fresnel Lens replica – Near the end of the restoration project, a replica of a rotating first-order Fresnel lens, with a LED light source, will be installed and activated inside the lighthouse’s lantern room. The new LED lens will include a fabricated pedestal, working clockwork, and a replica counterweight system. A temporary beacon is in place until the new replica lens is completed.
- Repainting – The exterior and interior of the Lighthouse will have new, durable paint applied.
- Restoring the ironwork – Over the last 150 years, the salt air has greatly impacted the intricate ironwork of the lighthouse. This is most noticeable in the lantern room, on the watch deck, in the window structures, and on the stairs. The restoration project will repair the iron where possible, and provide for accurate recasting where ironwork has to be replaced.
- Restoring missing and defining features – Window pediments (ornamental structures above the windows) are no longer present, although there are marks of where these fixtures used to be located. These will be restored, along with a replica of the metal ornamental fence surrounding the lighthouse.
- Landscape enhancements – This project will improve pedestrian flow on the surrounding grounds by creating and expanding walkways to seven feet wide, improving viewsheds, and providing expanded historical interpretation along the paths. The defining fence along the principal and double keepers’ quarters will also be restored, and the 36 Keepers’ Stones, (which were previously stationed at Old Lighthouse Beach in Buxton), will be relocated along the path to allow for better interpretation and enjoyment.
What to expect in the months ahead
- The lighthouse site will remain open to the public for the duration of the project, although there will be marked-off areas on the grounds where construction activities are ongoing.
- The lighthouse will NOT be open for climbing in the summer of 2024, but will hopefully reopen for the 2026 summertime season. Once the lighthouse does open for climbing, tickets will only be available electronically, similar to the current Bodie Island Lighthouse ticket-purchasing system.
- The public can keep tabs on the progress and details of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse restoration project on the CHNS website.