Price Creek Light

The Price Creek Lighthouse, also known as the Price's Creek Lighthouse, is a structure located near Southport, North Carolina. It was one of two range lights at Price Creek in a series of lights to guide ships from Cape Fear to Wilmington, North Carolina.[1][2][3][4]

Price Creek Light
LocationSouthport, North Carolina
Coordinates33°56′9″N 77°59′23″W
Tower
Constructed1849
ConstructionBrick
Height26 feet (7.9 m)
ShapeConical
Light
Deactivatedca. 1860s
Focal height31 feet (9.4 m)
Lens8 lamps with 18-inch (460 mm) reflectors

History

In 1849, a two-story, brick lightkeeper's house with a wooden lantern was built as one of the lights. During the American Civil War, this served the Confederacy as a signal house to communicate between Fort Fisher and Fort Caswell. This house was destroyed by storms.[4]

The second range light is a conical brick tower originally 20 feet (6 m) tall with a base diameter of 17 feet (5 m). The light was approximately 25 feet (8 m) above sea level. The bricks had been imported from England. It originally had eight lamps with reflectors measuring 18 inches (46 cm) in diameter.[1] The tower was later extended to a height of 26 feet (8 m), but suffered damage from shells during the Civil War. The lantern has been removed.[4]

The surviving range light is located at the edge of Archer Daniels Midland's industrial site on the bank of the Cape Fear River. It is currently in private hands, but can be best viewed from the Southport-Fort Fisher ferry or from the ferryboat landing at Southport.[1][4]

Pictures

References
  1. Bansemer, Roger, Bansemer's Book of Carolina & Georgia Lighthouses, Pineapple Press, Sarasota, FL, 2000, pp. 50-53, ISBN 1-56164-194-4.
  2. Harrison, Tom, and Jones, Ray, Endangered Lighthouses, Globe Pequot Press, Guildord, CT, 2001, p. 40, ISBN 0-7627-0815-8.
  3. Roberts, Bruce, and Jones, Ray, Southern Lighthouses: Outer Banks to Cape Florida, 3rd ed., Globe Pequot Press, Guildord, CT, 2002, p. 27, ISBN 0-7627-1243-0.
  4. Zepke, Terrance, Lighthouse of the Carolinas, Pineapple Press, Sarasota, FL, 2002, pp. 57-60, ISBN 1-56164-148-0.
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