Waves from Hurricane Lee reveal 152-year-old piece of buried Outer Banks history

Mark Price
·1 min read

A lost piece of Outer Banks has been revealed by turbulent waves linked to Hurricane Lee, according to the National Park Service.

Brick walls and large building blocks have been found at the edge of the Atlantic near the old Cape Hatteras Lighthouse site, park officials said.

“A portion of fence foundation, built in 1870 and left behind when the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse was moved in 1999, has once again been uncovered,” Cape Hatteras National Seashore reported in a Sept. 15 Facebook post.

Even the Hatteras Lighthouse at Cape Hatteras National Seashore would have had trouble spotting a woman lost, then found, then lost again overnight on Sept. 26, 2020, in thick woods in the Buxton Woods Reserve that borders the National Seashore.
Even the Hatteras Lighthouse at Cape Hatteras National Seashore would have had trouble spotting a woman lost, then found, then lost again overnight on Sept. 26, 2020, in thick woods in the Buxton Woods Reserve that borders the National Seashore.

The 152-year-old brick fence was left behind because it was largely buried in 3 feet of sand when the lighthouse was moved inland to protect it from sea level rise, park officials say.

Some parts remain intact, while large sections have been broken apart by waves, photos show.

The fence last appeared in 2020 and was visible only a week before vanishing again below the sand, officials said.

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, with its unique black and white stripes, dates to 1870 and is considered among the nation’s most iconic East Coast lighthouses. It is operated and protected by the National Park Service.

A portion of fence foundation, built in 1870 and left behind when the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse was moved in 1999, has once again been uncovered.
A portion of fence foundation, built in 1870 and left behind when the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse was moved in 1999, has once again been uncovered.

The fence that surrounded it was finished in 1871 and was part of an elaborate complex that included a home for the lighthouse keeper, McClatchy News reported in 2020. The fence extended 45 feet from the base of the lighthouse, and much of that area is today under water at high tide, park officials say.

Hurricane Lee remains 500 miles off the Outer Banks, but storm winds and rough surf are expected to pound the North Carolina coast through the weekend, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Additional beach erosion is expected and could prove dangerous for park visitors, the National Park Service warns.

Parts of secretive US Cold War site revealed by storm erosion, Outer Banks park says

‘Dramatic’ change transforms island off South Carolina, state learns. What caused it?

Tourists are getting trapped on remote Shark Island off NC’s Outer Banks, park warns