Fresnel lens presentation to be held in Ocracoke on April 28
The Outer Banks Lighthouse Society, utilizing a grant from North Carolina Humanities, will present Joseph Smith as Augustin Fresnel, inventor of the Fresnel lens, Friday, April 28 at 7:30 p.m. at the Ocracoke Community Center, 999 Irvin Garrish Highway. The public is invited to this free event.
From the first lighthouse known to man, the Pharos in Alexandria Egypt (built ~247 BC until 1822), different oils and lighting mechanisms have been used to guide mariners to safety. All were inefficient.
August Fresnel, a Frenchman, worked for years to perfect a type of lens that would magnify light so that it could be seen as far as 21 miles, thus making navigating treacherous waters less hazardous.
Joseph Smith, a Performing Artist of Living History, as Fresnel, will explain his method and how his invention has protected the waters of North Carolina’s coast in general and Ocracoke in particular. Joseph’s presentation will bring history to life and give the Ocracoke community a better understanding and appreciation of Fresnel’s work, and the history of the lighthouse that has served the mariners who have traversed the waters near Ocracoke Island. The presentation and question/answer period will take approximately one hour.
For information, contact Bett Padgett, bett@oblhs.com, 919-264-3075
Outer Banks Lighthouse Society https://www.outerbankslighthousesociety.org/
The purpose of the Outer Banks Lighthouse Society (OBLHS) is to aid in the preservation of the lighthouses and maritime history of North Carolina and to work with the National Park Service and other agencies (both government and non-profit groups) to achieve the safekeeping of the buildings, artifacts, and records of the US Lighthouse Establishment, also later known as the Lighthouse Board, the Bureau of Lighthouses, and the US Lighthouse Service.
Carolina Humanities is a statewide nonprofit and the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Through public humanities programs and grant making, North Carolina Humanities connects North Carolinians with cultural experiences that spur dialogue, deepen human connections, and inspire community. North Carolina Humanities is a statewide nonprofit and the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. To learn more visit www.nchumanities.org. Any views, findings, conclusions, opinions, or recommendations expressed do not necessarily represent those of NC Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities. North Carolina Humanities Press Contact: Melanie Moore Richeson, (704) 687-1520, mmoore@nchumanities.org
