Report for Currituck Beach Light-Station (North Carolina) - 1909

General
District: 5th
Inspector: Major W.E. Craighill, CoE, Light-House Engineer.
Location: Currituck Beach on the seacoast of North Carolina, about 34 miles S'ly from Cape Henry light-house & 32.5 miles NNW'ly from Bodie Island light-house.
Date of Report: 03/10/1909
Latitude: 36° 22' 36"
Longitude: 73° 49' 51"
Premises
Site: Purchase.
Date of Reservation:
Date of Deed: 04/30/1873
Date of Permission:
Date of Lease:
Area of the Entire Site: 31 acres.
Area Inclosed: 2.543 acres
Character of Soil: Sandy.
Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: About 800 yards.
Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: Board fence.
Wharf or Landing on Premises: None.
Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: A good road, about 150 yards.
Means to Reach Light Station: By boat.
Distance to Nearest Road: 6 miles, steamboat landing of Norflok & Southern Railroad.
Distance to Post Office: 400 yards.
Distance to Village: About 40 miles.
Facilities for Public Conveyance: Poor. A gasoline mail boat.
Facilities for Private Conveyance:
Means Used for Support of Lantern: Tower.
Number of Separate Lights: 1
First Built or Established: 1875
Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated:
Condition at This Date: Good.
Shape of Tower in Plan: Circular.
Form of Tower: Conical.
Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: 162 feet.
Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: 158 feet.
Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: Shrubbery.
Color of Tower: Red.
Color of Tower/ How Produced: Red brick, unpainted.
Tower Connection: Detached.
Object of Navigation: Seacoast, general.
Building Materials: Brick & iron.
General Description:
Wall Thickness at Base: 5 feet 8 inches.
Wall Thickness at Parapet: 3 feet
Diameter at Base: 28 feet
Diameter at Parapet: 16' 8"
Kind of Stairway and Steps: Seni-circular, iron.
Number of Landings: 9
Size of Glass: 10" x 12"
Number of Windows and Size of Sash: 9
Number of Doors: 4
Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: Piles, grillage & stone. Depth of stone, 6 feet, 9 inches.
Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: Sand.
Soil Susceptibility: By grass & shrubbery.
Miscellaneous Remarks:
Lantern and Fixtures
Order of Lantern: 1st
Shape of Lantern: Polygonal
Diameter to Glass: 12 feet
Diameter in the Clear:
Number of Sides: 16
Type of Bars: Vertical.
Thickness of Bars:
Height Glazed: 9' 10.5"
Number of Plates in Height: 3
Number of Plates Each Side: 3
Thickness of Plates: 3/8"
Size of Plates: Top, 44.75" x 27 7/8"; middle, 39" x 27 7/8"; bottom, 30.75" x 27 7/8"
Number of Storm Panes: None.
Unglazed Side of Lantern: None.
What Bearings:
Construction Material Lantern: Steel & brass.
Construction Material Roof / Cowl: Copper
Ventilator / Cowl: Copper
Lightning Spindle: Copper.
Description of Lightning Rod: Spindle connects with inside crown piece of lantern, with frame work of lantern, with hand rail of stairway through center of tower.
Balustrade: Iron.
Lantern Doors: None.
Floor of Lantern: Iron.
Watchroom Doors: 1, wood, fitted in iron frame.
Parapet Diameter: 12 feet.
Ventilators
Location / Number: Lower part of lantern.
Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: 1 iron
Curtain Hooks / Hanger: Screwed into frame of lantern, but not used. Rollers used instead.


Watchroom
How is Watchroom Fitted: With heating stove, chair, lamp stand, clock & telephone.
How is Relief Called: Telephone.
Where is Call System Led: To dwelling of keeper & of each assistant.
Illuminating Apparatus
Kind of Apparatus: 2.5 hours
Intensity in Candles:
Name of Maker: Sautter, Lemonnier et Cie
Year Made: Not stated.
Marks and Number: None.
Order of Apparatus: 1st
Inside Diameter: 5' 7.5"
Light Characteristic: Fixed white, varied by red flash.
Time of Revolution: 4.5 minutes.
Flash Interval: 90 seconds.
Duration of Flash: 5 seconds.
Arc of Each Fixed Part: 75 degrees
Number of Panels: 10 in top; 10 in bottom; 6 in drum.
Number of Flash Panels: 3
Arc of Each: 45 degrees
Number of Elements in Central Drum: 17
Number of Prisms Above Center Drum: 18
Number of Prisms Below Center Drum: 8
Does Apparatus Revolve?: False
Is There a Revolving Belt?: True
Revolving Panels: 3
How Flash is Produced: By clockwork.
Number of Vertical Elements Panel: 3
Fixed Lens Covered: 43
Pedestal: Iron
Service Table: None.
Draft Tube Description: Copper, 6" in diameter, connects with crown piece, crown piece with connecting tube, & connecting tube with damper tube.
Revolving Machinery: Clockwork, run by cord & weights.
Standby and Description:
Chariot Float or Balls: Chariot
Chariot Description: 8 6" & 16 3" wheels fixed on a steel pedestal in center of watchroom.
Length of Drop Tube: None.
Clock Weight:
Length of Winding Time: 2.5 hours
Drive During Rewind:
Machinery Protection: Under pedestal, inclosed with glass.
Regulated: By weight & governor.
Lens Protection:
How Color is Produced: By ruby glass.
Red Sectors Description:
Where Color Attached: To illuminating apparatur.
Form of Colored Glass: On the outside.
Lamp Description: U. S. mineral oil lamp. 5-wick.
Type of Illuminant: Oil
Number of Spare Lamps: 1
Number of Spare Burners: 3
Candle Power:


Clock Cord Description
Revolving Cord:
Size of Clock Cord:
Length of Clock Cord:
How Led: Through center of tower.
Diameter and Length of Clock Drum:


Vapor Oil Lamp
Number of Wicks or Mantels: 5
Diameter of Outside Wick: 4 inches
Diameter of Mantel:
Diameter of Circum Circle:
Closets and Store Rooms
Tower Closet Use: 1, situated on landing under watchroom, used for spare burners, brass measures, wicks, chimneys, etc.
Oil House Description: About 20 yards south of tower, fitted with shelves.
Oil House Inside Dimension: 10' x 16'
Oil House Construction Material: Iron.
Oil House Capacity: 504 5 gall cans.
Other (Describe): The keeper's storehouse, 100' SW of dwelling is used for a kitchen; 1 of closets attached there to is used for storing paints, oil, etc. Asst's storehouse 100' NE of dwelling is used for various supplies; 2 closets attached are for storing provisions.
Suitability: Dry & suited.
Fog Signal General
Fog Signal Kind: None.
Time to Start:
How Long Will Pressure Last:
Manufacturer:
Year of Manufacture:
Characteristic:
Duplication:
Timing Device:
If whistle, siren, or trumpet, Pressure at Which Blown:
Height Above Water:
Compass Direction:
Location:
Distance and Direction:
Water Supply:
Reached from Lighthouse:
Description of Fog Signal Building:
Pressure And Recording Gauge:
Dwelling
Location: 130 feet west.
Coloring: White.
Construction Materials: Wood.
Number of Rooms: Keeper has 6 rooms, the 2 assistants have 3 each.
Number of Dwellings: 1
Heating Plant:
Number of Keepers: 1 keeper, 2 assistants
Furnished Quarters:
NOT Furnished Quarters:
Outhouses: 2 storehouses & 2 privies.
Outhouse Coloring: White.
Paths and Walks: Brick
Area Inclosed: 2.543 acres, by a board fence.
Area of Garden: About 1/2 acre.
Area Timber or Shrubbery: About 4 acres in shrubbery.
Cultivation Area Available: None.
Area Cultivated: 1/2 acre.
Character of Surroundings: Shifting sand, shrubbery, & marsh.
Stove, Maker:
Stove, Size:
Sink, Maker:
Sink, Size:
Pump, Maker:
Pump, Size:
Lamps:
Water
How Procured: Rain water in cisterns.
Quality: Good.
Quantity: Ample.
Injury Possible: Not liable.
Purity Precaution: Screens over ventilators & pipe.
Tank Capacity: Keeper's 1795; Asst. 3510; situated at each end of dwelling.
Tank Material: Brick
Distilling Apparatus: False
Distilling Manufacturer:
Well Description:
Well Diameter:
Well Lining:
Pump or Bucket:
What Power Used:
Distance from Dwelling:
Healthfulness
General Opinion: Healthy.
Diseases: None due to local conditions.
Prevalency:
Local Causes:
Recommended Improvements: No.
Miscellaneous
Access to Lighthouse:
Distance and Direction: 1,600 feet west
Miscellaneous Remarks: