Bald Head Island Lighthouse
Why it's listed
Rising about 110 feet above the marshes at the mouth of the Cape Fear River, this octagonal lighthouse on Bald Head Island is the oldest standing lighthouse in North Carolina. Built of stuccoed brick on a sandstone-covered base, its walls taper from about five feet thick at the bottom to three feet at the top. Six windows spiral up the tower, and a sandstone tablet over the entrance names R. Cochran as founder and D. S. Way as builder, 1817. It replaced an earlier lighthouse finished in 1794 that was wrecked during the War of 1812. Congress appropriated $15,000 for the replacement, and Way won the contract with a low bid but lost money on the work. The light was reduced in importance after a new light was built in 1903 and later became an unattended gaslight. The federal government sold the property in 1963. A small brick supply shed stands to the south.
Significance in brief: It is described as the oldest standing lighthouse in North Carolina and is important to the maritime history of the Cape Fear region and Smith Island. The tapering octagonal tower is a distinctive landmark of stark simplicity, built to specifications that still survive. It replaced an earlier 1794 lighthouse that was wrecked during the War of 1812.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 75001242, listed April 28, 1975. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | S of Southport on Smith Island at Bald Head, Southport |
|---|---|
| County | Brunswick County |
| Listed | April 28, 1975 |
| Reference number | 75001242 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | D. S. Way (Daniel S. Way), builder; R. Cochran, founder |
| Areas of significance | Transportation, Architecture, Communications |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as fair, with the property altered and unoccupied; original door, windows and stairs have been replaced, and only the iron skeleton of the lantern remains. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 33.87350, -78.00055 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 75001242.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4286356
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.