Original pen & ink rendering. Located on the southeast corner of Hatteras Island, not far from the town of Buxton, North Carolina. Over two thousand ships have foundered and sunk in the dangerous waters around Diamond Shoals at Cape Hatteras, known as “The Graveyard of the Atlantic.” During the Civil War, the original Cape Hatteras Lighthouse was the center of conflict. The Confederate army wanted to destroy it, while the Union army wanted to protect it. Ultimately, the lighthouse was severely damaged during the course of the war, and the present lighthouse was constructed 1869-70, at a cost of $150,000. The distinctive black and white stripes were added to the lighthouse in 1873.

Back to Lighthouses Gallery