Historic Brunswick lighthouse to get long-awaited restoration work
It has been a long time coming, but restoration work will soon begin on the Bald Head Island Lighthouse.
The project will address storm damage from Hurricane Florence. Here’s what you need to know.
How will the restoration work be funded?
The work is funded through a grant from the National Park Service. The funds are part of the Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act of 2019, which included $47.8 million in Historic Preservation Fund monies to be distributed to state and tribal historic preservation offices located within areas receiving major disaster declarations from FEMA.
The North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office awarded $9,172,500 in federal grant funding to 22 historic preservation projects in 18 counties to provide recovery assistance for historic properties damaged by hurricanes Florence and Michael. To be eligible, the properties had to be listed or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places.
The Old Baldy Foundation, Inc. received a $750,000 grant.
Did any other local places benefit from these grants?
Two other projects in the Wilmington area received funding through this grant, including $219,735 to the Bellamy Mansion in Wilmington and $748,150 to Shelter Neck (Carolina Industrial School).
When will work on Old Baldy begin?
Chris Webb, executive director of the Old Baldy Foundation, explained they applied for these grants during the COVID-19 pandemic and learned they were a recipient in January 2021, but it has taken a while to get things in order due to lighthouse’s different structural needs.
What will the project entail?
The project will include interior masonry and exterior stucco repairs, replacing a historic railing, and conducting an archaeological study around the base of the lighthouse.
Webb explained for many years, an earthen berm has surrounded the base of the lighthouse, but it hasn’t been very effective at protecting the base. A look back in the archives revealed photos of the lighthouse with a glacis wall.
“At some point in time, that was removed,” Webb said.
The wall was replaced by the earthen berm in the late 1990s, which Webb said hasn’t been effective at protecting the base of the lighthouse. At this point, the Old Baldy Foundation cannot replace the glacis wall. Because the lighthouse is a state historic site, an archaeological study must be conducted first.
“What we have to do is determine when it was built and how it was built,” Webb said.
The study will help them do that.
When will the work begin?
Webb said the work is expected to begin on Oct. 1, and while it’s expected to conclude around April 15, 2024, that date is dependent on several factors, including weather. Some closures are possible when the project is underway, and Webb said those planning to visit the lighthouse should call or check social media before to ensure it is open.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Old Baldy in Brunswick to undergo restoration project
