Report for Bodie Island Light Station (North Carolina) - 1909

General
District: 5th
Inspector: Major W. E. Craighill, CoE, Light-House Engineer.
Location: Bodie Island, Seacoast of North Carolina, 3/4 mile from Atlantic Ocean, 3/8 mile from Roanoke Sount.
Date of Report: 03/08/1909
Latitude: 35° 49' 07"
Longitude: 75° 33' 49"
Premises
Site: Purchase.
Date of Reservation:
Date of Deed: 06/15/1871
Date of Permission:
Date of Lease:
Area of the Entire Site: 15 acres.
Area Inclosed: 1.92 acres.
Character of Soil: Sandy.
Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: 3/4 mile to Atlantic Ocean.
Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: Board fence.
Wharf or Landing on Premises: No wharf, landing west 3/8 mile.
Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: None.
Means to Reach Light Station: Boat.
Distance to Nearest Road: Steamboat landing. Manteo, 12 miles.
Distance to Post Office: 6 miles.
Distance to Village: 12 miles.
Facilities for Public Conveyance: None.
Facilities for Private Conveyance: By boat from Manteo, 12 miles.
Means Used for Support of Lantern: Tower.
Number of Separate Lights: 1
First Built or Established: 1848
Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: 1872
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: 156 feet.
Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: Sky.
Color of Tower: Black & white, horizontal bands.
Color of Tower/ How Produced: By paint.
Tower Connection: Detached.
Object of Navigation: Seacoast, general.
Building Materials: Brick & stone.
General Description:
Wall Thickness at Base: 5' 8"
Wall Thickness at Parapet: 3'
Diameter at Base: 28 feet
Diameter at Parapet: 16' 8"
Kind of Stairway and Steps: Semi-circular, iron.
Number of Landings: 9
Size of Glass: 10" x 12"
Number of Windows and Size of Sash: 15
Number of Doors: 6
Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: Granite, 6 feet.
Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: Sand & marsh.
Soil Susceptibility: No.
Miscellaneous Remarks: Attempts have been made to grow shrubbery, but the salt tides destroyed it in every instance.
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: 10 feet
Number of Plates in Height: 3
Number of Plates Each Side: 3
Thickness of Plates: 3/8"
Size of Plates: Top, 44 5/8" 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: Iron & copper.
Construction Material Roof / Cowl: Copper.
Ventilator / Cowl: Copper.
Lightning Spindle: Copper, platinum point.
Description of Lightning Rod: Connects with iiron work of lantern at top, which acts as conductor to bottom of tower. Rod connects with bottom of steps & runs under plagging to well in center of base.
Balustrade: Iron.
Lantern Doors: Double, swings outside, iron.
Floor of Lantern: Iron.
Watchroom Doors: None.
Parapet Diameter: 12 feet.
Ventilators
Location / Number: Lower part of lantern.
Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: 2, iron.
Curtain Hooks / Hanger: With rollers at top of sash.


Watchroom
How is Watchroom Fitted: With shelves & receptacle for spare lamp which is used as service table.
How is Relief Called: None.
Where is Call System Led:
Illuminating Apparatus
Kind of Apparatus:
Intensity in Candles:
Name of Maker: Barbier & Fenestre
Year Made: 1871
Marks and Number: No marks, only numbers at joints.
Order of Apparatus: 1st
Inside Diameter: 6' 9/16"
Light Characteristic: Fixed white.
Time of Revolution:
Flash Interval:
Duration of Flash:
Arc of Each Fixed Part:
Number of Panels: 8
Number of Flash Panels:
Arc of Each:
Number of Elements in Central Drum:
Number of Prisms Above Center Drum: 18
Number of Prisms Below Center Drum: 8
Does Apparatus Revolve?: False
Is There a Revolving Belt?: False
Revolving Panels:
How Flash is Produced:
Number of Vertical Elements Panel:
Fixed Lens Covered:
Pedestal: Iron.
Service Table: Receptacle for spare lamp & fixtures serves for service table, it is constructed of wood.
Draft Tube Description: It is iron, 4" in diameter, connected with damper tube at top of lens, upper end being inserted in bottom of ventilator ball.
Revolving Machinery:
Standby and Description:
Chariot Float or Balls:
Chariot Description:
Length of Drop Tube:
Clock Weight:
Length of Winding Time:
Drive During Rewind:
Machinery Protection:
Regulated:
Lens Protection:
How Color is Produced:
Red Sectors Description:
Where Color Attached:
Form of Colored Glass:
Lamp Description: "Funck" float, 5-wick
Type of Illuminant:
Number of Spare Lamps: 1
Number of Spare Burners: 3
Candle Power:


Vapor Oil Lamp
Number of Wicks or Mantels: 5
Diameter of Outside Wick: 4"
Diameter of Mantel:
Diameter of Circum Circle:
Closets and Store Rooms
Tower Closet Use: In base of tower.
Oil House Description: 50' southeast of tower.
Oil House Inside Dimension: 10' x 16'
Oil House Construction Material: Brick & iron.
Oil House Capacity: 504 5-gallon cans.
Other (Describe): 2 storerooms; constructed of wood; 1 used by keeper, 60' west of dwelling; the other by assistants, 60' east of dwelling.
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: 150 feet southwest.
Coloring: White.
Construction Materials: Brick; shingle roof, wood floors, plastered inside.
Number of Rooms: 10
Number of Dwellings:
Heating Plant:
Number of Keepers: The keeper & his 2 assistants occupy the double dwelling.
Furnished Quarters:
NOT Furnished Quarters:
Outhouses: 2 storehouses, 1 stable, 1 chicken-house, & 2 water-closets.
Outhouse Coloring: White.
Paths and Walks: From tower to front gate, brick; from dwelling to all outhouse, board walks.
Area Inclosed: 1.92 acres, by board fence.
Area of Garden: About 1 acre.
Area Timber or Shrubbery: None.
Cultivation Area Available: None.
Area Cultivated: About 1 acre for garden, but unprofitable.
Character of Surroundings: Marsh & sand.
Stove, Maker:
Stove, Size:
Sink, Maker:
Sink, Size:
Pump, Maker:
Pump, Size:
Lamps:
Water
How Procured: Rain water incisterns, caught from roofs of dwellings.
Quality: Good.
Quantity: Yes.
Injury Possible: Not liable.
Purity Precaution: None, but is always excellent.
Tank Capacity: About 2,500 gallons each.
Tank Material: Constructed of brick. 1 at southeast end of dwelling used by keeper, 2 at northwest used by assistants. Fitted with water & dirt-proof covers
Distilling Apparatus: False
Distilling Manufacturer:
Well Description:
Well Diameter:
Well Lining:
Pump or Bucket:
What Power Used:
Distance from Dwelling:
Healthfulness
General Opinion: Very healthy.
Diseases: None the result of location.
Prevalency:
Local Causes:
Recommended Improvements: No.
Miscellaneous
Access to Lighthouse: About 1/2 the way from landing to station is low & very muddy, as it is covered with water at almost every flood tide. The other half is sandy, covered with coarse grass.
Distance and Direction: About 1/2 mile west.
Miscellaneous Remarks: