Oak island lighthouse steps

Since the late 1700s, four lighthouses have warned mariners of the dangerous Frying Pan Shoals, while simultaneously guiding ships to the entrance of the Cape Fear River leading to the Port of Wilmington.

The first three lighthouses were built on Smith Island (now Bald Head).

In 1795, the initial lighthouse (Bald Head Light) was constructed on the island’s southwest point and was quickly threatened by erosion. It was pulled down in 1813.

 

In 1817, a new lighthouse, “Old Baldy,” was constructed for $15,915.45 on a ten-acre site.

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Still the oldest standing lighthouse in North Carolina, the octagonal brick and plaster tower stands 110 feet tall. Over the years an array of lamps and reflectors were used as a signal, including a “fourth-order” Fresnel lens.

Old Baldy suffered from three conditions: too short, too dim, and too far inland. It was deactivated in 1903 upon completion of the Cape Fear Lighthouse. While no longer an active lighthouse, Old Baldy is open for visitors to