Newly uncovered issues may delay completion of Cape Hatteras Lighthouse restoration

As intensive work continues to restore the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, new issues have been uncovered near the top of the tower that may delay the completion of the years-long project.

“There is always the potential for unknown conditions to surface during repair projects for historic structures, and the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse project is no exception,” said Mike Barber, Public Affairs Specialist for the Cape Hatteras National Seashore (CHNS) in an email to the Island Free Press.

“The contractor’s work to remove and fix masonry near the gallery decking – the deck that one walks on at the top of the lighthouse – revealed significant corrosion and cracking of most support brackets and an additional structural component that ties the brackets together called a tension ring.”

The degraded condition of these components was previously unknown during the initial phases of the restoration project because they were concealed under layers of bricks.

Currently, structural engineers and historic architects are developing alternative designs and cost estimates to repair the degraded brackets, tension ring, and other associated components.

As of March 29, the extent of work and time involved to address these issues is not yet known.

“It is likely that the work to fix these damages will delay the completion date for the lighthouse repair project, but it’s too soon to forecast a new completion date,” said Barber.

Though the restoration phase began in earnest in February 2024, the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse 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 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.

The contract for the current repairs and restoration work was awarded to Stone and Lime Historic Restoration Services, Inc. on Sept. 25, 2023.

In the past 12 months, progress has been made on improving the landscape, removing the interior and exterior paint, and building new pathways to the site, among many other improvements.

Project updates as of March 2025 include the following:

Fresnel Lens

Behind the scenes and off the island, a historic replica of the lighthouse’s first-order Fresnel lens is being constructed by Dan Spinella of Artworks Florida, who is one of the only people in the world who can restore and replicate a Fresnel lens.

While this is Spinella’s 50th lighthouse project, it is the first time he has created a replica of a first order Fresnel lens – the largest of the eight orders of Fresnel lenses, which was invented in 1819 by French physicist Augustin Fresnel (pronounced Fruh-nel).

Spinella started the venture in 2024 with a prototype, and since then he has been steadily constructing the replica itself, which includes a vast network of moving parts. The approximate 1,000 prisms that magnify the light take roughly an hour each to complete, so there’s still some work to be done before the new Fresnel lens is complete.

A temporary lens was installed in the spring of 2024, and will remain in place until the new Fresnel lens is installed.

Interior and exterior work

Paint has been removed from the entire inside and outside of the lighthouse, and hundreds of metal components are being repaired or recast. In addition, new windows are in fabrication, and significant masonry repair and repainting efforts are underway.

Landscaping

Many new landscape components have been installed, including roughly half of the new concrete and brick pathways, a new arrangement of the keepers’ stones, turf landscaping, and the addition of native vegetation.

In early June 2024, approximately 1,200 to 1,500 new plants were added to the landscape, which are starting to become more noticeable as they enter their second season on the lighthouse grounds. The seedlings included five different native species, like sea oats and bright red Gaillardia flowers (Jobells), and they were added on top of more than 2,000 cubic yards of imported sand, which was dredged from an offshore site close to Avon.

A new fence that will surround the Double Keepers’ Quarters and Primary Keeper’s Quarters is also under construction as work continues to make the entire lighthouse site more attractive and easier to navigate.

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 2025, but may reopen for the 2026 summertime season, depending on any future delays from the recently discovered issues near the top of the tower.
  Once the lighthouse does open for climbing, tickets will only be available electronically, similar to the current Bodie Island Lighthouse ticket purchasing system.