Cape Hatteras National Seashore
On our vacation to the Outer Banks of North Carolina, we visited the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. This site was established in 1953 as the first national seashore in the United States Cape Hatteras protects more than 70 miles of barrier island coastline.
Rising above the landscape is the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse which was completed in 1870. It’s bold black and white spiral stripes stand at 198 feet, making it the tallest brick lighthouse in the United States. Its powerful beam once guided ships safely past the shoals that extend far out to sea.
The lighthouse’s story mirrors the dynamic nature of Cape Hatteras. As the shoreline eroded the ocean crept close to its foundation. In 1999, engineers took on the feat of moving the entire lighthouse nearly 3,000 feet inland to preserve it. We appreciate the commitment to preserving history in the face of natural change.
Cape Hatteras, with its shifting sands and strong ocean currents, reminds me that history is not frozen in time, that it moves, shifts and adapts.
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