WayfarrowOcracoke Light
Lighthouse · Hyde County, North Carolina
Ocracoke Light is a lighthouse in Hyde County, North Carolina. North Carolina has 18 lighthouses on record at Wayfarrow.
It was built in 1823, in the first half of the 19th century, making it the 3rd oldest of the 10 in North Carolina with a recorded construction date; the tower stands about 75 feet tall (7th tallest of 8 measured in North Carolina); its light sits 75 feet above the water; the light characteristic is recorded as F W (a steady light), with a range of about 15 nautical miles; it guards Pamlico Sound.
Status check, 2026-11: The 1798 date in the record belongs to the earlier Shell Castle lighthouse, which was replaced. The current brick tower was finished in 1823, first lit in 1824 and is North Carolina's oldest lighthouse still in service. Ocracoke Light is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It stands at 35.1090° N, 75.9861° W.
Key facts
| Current structure built | 1823 |
|---|---|
| Tower height | 75 ft |
| Focal height | 75 ft |
| Light characteristic | F W |
| Range | 15 nautical miles |
| Body of water | Pamlico Sound |
| Heritage designation | National Register of Historic Places listed place |
| National Register | Listed |
| Coordinates | 35.10897, -75.98606 |
Nearby places
- Portsmouthghost town · Carteret County · 5.2 mi
- Cape Hatteras Lighthouselighthouse · Dare County · 27.6 mi
- Cape Hatteras Lightlighthouse · Dare County · 27.6 mi
- Diamond Shoal Lightlighthouse · North Carolina · 39.1 mi
- Diamond Cityghost town · Carteret County · 45 mi
- Cape Lookout Lighthouselighthouse · Carteret County · 45.4 mi
- Wayfarrow status check (web sources) — Checked for current status (facts)
- Wayfarrow status check (web sources) — Checked for current status (facts)
- Wayfarrow status check (web sources) — Checked for current status (facts)
- Wikidata — Wikidata item (CC0)
- National Register of Historic Places — National Register of Historic Places record (public-domain)
- Wikidata — Wikipedia article (linked as a source; text not used) (CC0)
Facts marked "approximately" carry an uncertain date in the source. Text on this page is generated from the sources above; no encyclopedia prose is copied. Last updated 2026-11-05.