The original Ocracoke Light Station, built in 1823, consisted of the lighthouse tower, as well as a small, one and a half story lighthouse keeper’s house. Additional buildings have been added over the years, including an oil house, coal shed, and storage shed. A kitchen and dining room were added to the lighthouse keeper’s quarters. The light station is located in the middle of modern day Ocracoke.
The lighthouse, constructed of brick with a mortar surface, is whitewashed. Originally, a wooden spiral staircase led from the base of the tower to the lens room. However, in 1950 the wooden staircase was torn out and replaced with a steel spiral staircase. The lens room contains twelve glass trapezoidal lens panes, as well as a dome and finial of cast iron. The lantern originally consisted of a valve lamp with reflectors.
In 1938, the oil lamp was replaced with an electric bulb. This power light was visible for fourteen miles out to sea. Except for the changes to the light, as well as minor repairs and additions, the lighthouse itself appears as it did in 1823.
In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Ocracoke Inlet was the primary port for ocean-going ships that were headed to the northern parts of coastal North Carolina, creating the need for a functioning light station.
The Ocracoke Light Station has a long and rich history. Throughout its life, townspeople would take shelter from bad storms on the high ground of the lighthouse quarters. During World War II, the U.S. Coast Guard conducted round-the-clock watches from the lighthouse. The lighthouse is still in use by the U.S. Coast Guard, although the property is currently under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service.