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Below: On their way to the Lighthouse, the two RV Gypsies took a quick look at the 4-wheel-drive beach. But of course their car is not a 4WD so they could not drive on the beach. |
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Below: Several views of Currituck Beach Lighthouse, which is 162 feet tall. The Currituck Beach Light is located on the Outer Banks in Corolla, North Carolina. The Currituck Beach Light was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 15, 1973. |
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 On December 1, 1875, the Currituck Beach Light was completed, located between Cape Henry Light and Bodie Island. Unlike its fellows, Currituck Beach Light was not painted, leaving its brick facade visible. In 1939, the lighthouse was automated following a merger of the United States Coast Guard with the Bureau of Lighthouses.
The Outer Banks Conservationists (OBC) performed much of the reconstruction and refurbishing work since 1980 through private funding and volunteer work. Since 1991 visitors have been allowed to climb the original 220 steps to the outdoor gallery. (However, on the date the two RV Gypsies were here, the lighthouse climb was closed due to the Corona Virus. The two RV Gypsies wore their masks whenever they were around people, but removed the masks for photos).
Access to the lens room is never permitted as the first order lens is not only the original lens, but it is still a functioning one. The light comes on every night and shines from 158 feet at 20-second intervals to warn ships hugging the chain of barrier islands along the coast.
In 2003, the Federal Government granted OBC the title to the lighthouse itself. The Coast Guard approved OBC's ownership proposal over that of an application submitted by Currituck County (the county in which the lighthouse is located). Through state and federal legislative maneuvering, the county sued OBC to try to acquire the property. The case was finally settled in 2006. OBC remains the owner of the Currituck Beach Lighthouse
Above quote from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Currituck_Beach_Light |
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Below: The two RV Gypsies in front of the Currituck Beach Light House |
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Below: Lee Duquette saw a goat wandering around the Lighthouse and decided to pet it. |
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Below: The gift shop. It was one of the few gift shops open on this trip due to the Corona Virus. They did require masks and limited how many people could be in the building at the same time. |
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Below: The church |
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Below: the Whalehead Club and Wildlife Center was closed due to the virus, but the two RV Gypsies enjoyed walking around the area after enjoying their outdoor picnic lunch. |
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Below: Live Oak trees and their beautiful limb formations |
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Currituck Sound |
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Currituck Island Bridge |
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Below: Whalehead : Set on 39 pristine acres along the Currituck Sound in Historic Corolla, the Whalehead is a beautifully restored 1920s-era Art Nouveau-style mansion listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
With its bold yellow paint, copper roof, and mahogany doors, the Whalehead provides a fascinating period?in Outer Banks history. Nearly every inch of the home has been carefully restored to the way it looked when Edward Collings Knight Jr. and his wife, Marie Louise, first opened the doors as a lavish hunting retreat in 1925.
The wealthy Knights spent their winters here hunting, relaxing and entertaining. Today, stepping inside is to step back into another time and place. Restored in 1992 to its original glory, the Whalehead is usually open year-round for tours. However, on the date the Two RV Gypsies were here, Whalehead was not open due to the Corona Virus. |
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Unrelated Note: The two RV Gypsies tried to book a Segway tour in Corolla. Their website said nobody over the age of 64 could book their Segway tour and there was also a weight restriction. But the Two RV Gypsies stopped at the Segway office to check and the office was closed. |
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