Oak Island Lighthouse
Why it's listed
Rising 153 feet above a knoll on Oak Island, this lighthouse was built in 1957 and first lit on May 15, 1958. It guides ships toward the Cape Fear River and the port of Wilmington, opposite the channel from Bald Head Island. The tower is monolithic reinforced concrete with walls eight inches thick, raised on 24 concrete-filled steel pilings. Its black, white and gray bands are mixed into the concrete rather than painted. Builders used a slip-form method, pouring continuously for about six days, and two Marine Corps helicopters lifted the aluminum lantern into place. The light was adapted from World War II aircraft spotlights and was the brightest in the United States until 1962. It was the last lighthouse built in North Carolina and the last reinforced concrete tower in the country. The Coast Guard keeps the light and navigation equipment, while the Town of Caswell Beach owns the tower and grounds.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues national significance under Criterion C in engineering as the last reinforced concrete lighthouse tower built in the United States, and under Criterion A in maritime history. It was the last lighthouse built in North Carolina and the next-to-last coastal lighthouse in the country. When activated in 1958 it was the brightest lighthouse in the United States and second brightest in the world.
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 07000293, listed April 5, 2007. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 300A Caswell Beach Rd., N of NC 133, Caswell Beach |
|---|---|
| County | Brunswick County |
| Listed | April 5, 2007 |
| Reference number | 07000293 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1958 |
| Architect / builder | Brinkley Construction Company, W. F. & Son (builder) |
| Architectural style | Other - lighthouse |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Engineering |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still an active aid to navigation maintained by the Coast Guard; the lighthouse parcel was transferred to the Town of Caswell Beach in 2004, and the lights now operate 24 hours a day. |
| Acreage | 5.7 |
| Coordinates | 33.89276, -78.03491 (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.
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 07000293.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4286387
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.