Roanoke River Lighthouse

Edenton visitors who haven't explored this northern corner of the Inner Banks in a few years may be surprised to find a new, stunning structure perched above the open sound-facing waters of Edenton Harbor. This remarkable site is the Roanoke River Lighthouse, a stunning coastal structure that dates back well over a century, and is believed to be the last still-standing example of a rectangular frame and screw pile lighthouse in the United States.

Nearing the end of its renovations, with historic relics and period-appropriate antiques being supplied from the neighboring Barker House, the Roanoke River Lighthouse can currently be enjoyed by anyone taking a stroll along or adjacent to the open sound waters, and promises to be one of Edenton's most famous and visited attractions in the years to come.

The Roanoke River Lighthouse has an interesting history that goes from prominence to obscurity and back. In the 1700s and early 1800s, the Inner Banks of North Carolina was a valuable region, as it served as a gateway of sorts for traders, shippers and merchants from all over the world to access inland regions via rivers and sounds that stemmed from the Atlantic Ocean. The small town of Plymouth, NC was no exception, as the community was located at both the edge of the Albemarle Sound and the mouth of the Roanoke River, a 410+ mile long river that ran all the way to the mountains of Virginia.

Because of the heavy amount of maritime traffic that ensued, and the relative unpredictability of hurricanes and summer storms, the US Congress commissioned a new lighthouse along the borders of the Albemarle Sound to guide ships travelling to and from the small town of Plymouth in 1831, and the original lightship in the area was completed by 1835.The first lightship that was built along the mouth of the river did not survive the Civil War, as Confederate soldiers would scuttle the structure in 1861 in an unsuccessful attempt to prevent Union troops from advancing up the river.

This first lighthouse was replaced by a second and third structure with equally limited lifespans, as the second Roanoke River Lighthouse was ruined by a fire in 1885, and its replacement was then hit by a rare freeze in January of 1886, and was rendered damaged beyond repair.

Just months later, work began on the still-standing Roanoke River Lighthouse, and this newest sentry along the river was lit in February of 1887. Considering that this was the third structure built in a two-year timeframe, there was not a lot of initial hope for the new lighthouse - a screw-pile structure of an atypical design, with two stories instead of one, and a lamp situated on a tower that peeked out over the roof.

Nevertheless, the final Roanoke River Lighthouse withstood the elements, and provided guidance for mariners until 1941, when the lighthouse was inevitably decommissioned due to both the advancement of maritime technology, and the limited amount of traffic that now passed through the soundfront region.

The lighthouse remained vacant and unoccupied for the next ten years or so until a local waterman, Elijah Tate, purchased the structure from the Coast Guard for $10. Tate in turn sold the lighthouse to a local tugboat operator, Emmett Wiggins, who successfully moved the structure to a small plot of land adjacent to Filbert's Creek, just west of the small town of Edenton.

Essentially, the former lighthouse and essential guide for hundreds of mariners was transformed into a private residence, and remained Wiggin's home from 1960 until his death in 1995. Plymouth officials inquired about purchasing the property, but could not meet the $1 million price tag asked by Wiggins' heirs, and the property essentially sat in Edenton, slowly deteriorating from a general lack of use and occupancy. When Hurricane Isabel raged through the region in 2003, the lighthouse miraculously survived, but barley, and as several similar historic lighthouses in the region did not fare so well, the structure suddenly became the last screw-pile lighthouse in existence in the state of North Carolina.

In 2007, the lighthouse was finally purchased for the sum of $225,000, (in addition to a $75,000 moving fee), by the Edenton Historical Commission, and at this point, the structure was in sorry shape. Shutters were missing, the elements had done their fair share of damage, and vegetation was growing all over the structure like spider webs. Nevertheless, the lighthouse was successfully moved to its new home overlooking Edenton Bay, and luckily, the State of North Carolina stepped in with a $1.2 million dollar grant to restore the structure to its former glory.

The process to restore the lighthouse to its original mint condition is a long and arduous one, and a task that is simply still ongoing, but eventually, the lighthouse will be opened up to the public for tours. Interior renovations began in 2014, but the outside is more or less complete, and visitors can now marvel at the brand-new looking structure hovering above the water - a "new" structure that is, in fact, close to 150 years old.

As a veritable work in progress, visitors are encouraged to stop by the site often and see what new work has been completed. A fantastic come-back tale, this historic landmark, once seemingly lost and forgotten, has gained a newfound prestige and is being brought back to life as a remarkable example of the Inner Banks' instrumental role in maritime and American history.

Today, Edenton tour-goers strolling along the waterfront can watch history in the making, and can look forward to the day in the not-too-distant future when the Roanoke River Lighthouse will open its doors to the public. Be sure and bring a camera, and this is a local waterfront site that is inspiring, historic, and certainly worthy of remembering.