![]() ![]() You'll visit a once thriving sea village, and hear the stories of the lighthouse and community.ģ. Visit the Portsmouth Village Historic Site and take a tour. Whether that be the short variety, 15-20 minutes from Harkers Island, or the longer, 3.5 hour ride from Beaufort, you'll already be starting on a national seashore vacation via water.Ģ. One thing for almost certain, a visit to Cape Lookout National Seashore is bound to get you on or in the water, if only because if you wander outside the two mainland visitor centers, you're gonna have to take a boat to get there. And you might even decide to take a swim, fish, or just plain have safe and careful water fun.ġ. Yes, it is a bit of a trek to get there, with the ferry ride and limited access by vehicles, but a camping night or beach day, whether you like any of that history or not, is always a welcome addition to any vacation. We've probably shortchanged the main reason you'll come to Cape Lookout, and that's to take advantage of the wide and wonderful beaches. They are wild and should be viewed, if visiting, with caution. Legend says that the horses on Shackleford Banks are descendents of Spanish stallions lost in a shipwreck. One of the unique opportunities at Cape Lookout is the opportunity to see horses in the wild. You can visit Portsmouth Village by using the Ocracoke ferry. Some of the buildings are open to visit during the summer season when tours are available. At Portsmouth Village, there are twenty-one remaining buildings, including twelve dwellings, one which serves as the Visitor Center, a church, Post Office/General Store, a Life Saving Station, and others. Since 1976, the Cape Lookout National Seashore has been home to horses, the Lighthouse, the remaining structures at both Portsmouth Village and Cape Lookout Village, and visitors. Photo above: George Riley Willis House, Portsmouth, Date Unknown, Scott Taylor, Historic American Buildings Survey. When the National Seashore was established in 1976, two hundred and fifty acres were set aside to tell the Portsmouth story. One hundred years after that, in 1971, the village was completely abandoned. By the time the Civil War occurred, forcing many residents to flee inland and never return, the village had receded to predominantly a fishing village, replaced by the railroad and other inlets with deeper waters. For one hundred years, it would be a "lightering" village, where cargo from larger ships was transferred to smaller vessels that could make it through the Ocracoke Inlet shallows. Portsmouth Village has been around since 1753, becoming one of the largest cities on the Outer Banks. On April 2, 1864, Confederates attempted to blow up the lighthouse, but it was only damaged, not destroyed. During the Civil War, the Confederates removed the beacons, but when the Union won the battle at Fort Macon in 1863, they reinstalled the light. The original lighthouse remained as keeper's quarters until 1868. It rose one hundred and sixty-three feet, towering above the first at ninety-six feet. It lasted until 1859, when the second taller lighthouse, which is the structure that remains, was constructed. Congress authorized it in 1804, but the first lighthouse, made of wood, wouldn't be built until 1812. It was determined early on that a lighthouse would be needed at Cape Lookout. Plenty of thunderstorms in the summer and high temperatures, and hurricanes do visit all along the eastern seaboard at times of the year. Reservations required.īest described as changeable, you should never be too far away from a weather forecast and always pay attention to conditions. Must be 44 inches tall to climb.Įvening at the Cape Program (Once per month in summer) - $28 per person, including ferry fee. Lighthouse Climb - Adults $8.00, Children (12 and under) $4.00. Harkers Island to Cape Lookout Light House or Shackleford Banks in 2017 was $17 Adults (Round Trip), $10 children (11 and under), $7 pets. You are allowed to enter the seashore in your own craft, either boat, canoe, or kayak, but must file a float plan.įerry Service - Price varies with location. The only places to access the park without a boat ride are the two mainland Visitor Centers, Harkers Island and Beaufort. ![]() Source: NPS 2022 Visitor Report, Rank among 387 ranked units.Ģ5,173 acres (Federal) 28,243 acres (Total).Įntrance Fee - Free. ![]()
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