Statement of Significance (as of designation - August 6, 1998):
Cape Hatteras is a prominent projection on North Carolina's famous OuterBanks--the long, low stretches of sandy beaches that protect the state's mainland, but that have been the bane of existence for mariners for centuries. Protection was provided at the "Graveyard of the Atlantic," as the cape has been known for years, in 1803 when the first lighthouse was built. In 1854, it was heightened to 150 feet, and in 1870, the current brick tower was erected. Its height of 208 feet makes it the tallest lighthouse in the nation, and its well-known black and white spiral bands, its daymark, make it a prominent landmark during daylight hours. In addition to the lighthouse, supporting structures--including the oil house and both the principal and assistant keeper's dwellings--also survive. All are popular daytime visitor attractions at the Cape Hatteras National Seashore, but at night the lighthouse continues to serve its prime purpose, guiding navigators around the cape.

Condition:
Many of the 240 cast iron stair treads and risers in the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse (1870) have cracks. The 1986 structural analysis of the lighthouse found a pattern of deterioration that is directly related to the construction.