The ground water levels on the Outer Banks are quite high and, therefore, when they began digging out the pit for the lighthouse foundation, it filled with water about 4 feet down. Since the lighthouse was built before the present-day pile driver was perfected, an interesting problem immediately arose. The Lighthouse Board prepared plans and specifications and construction on the new lighthouse began in October of 1868. At the same time, the tower was retrofitted with a first order Fresnel lens, which used refraction as well as reflection to channel the light, resulting in a stronger beam.īy the 1860s, with the need for extensive repairs, Congress decided to appropriate funds for a new lighthouse. The newly extended tower was then painted red on top of white making the lighthouse more recognizable during the day.
In 1853, following studies made by the Lighthouse Board, it was decided to add 60 feet to the height of the lighthouse, thereby, making the tower 150 feet tall. The first Cape Hatteras lighthouse after improvements
