Price Creek Light

Infobox_Lighthouse
name = Price Creek Light


caption =
location =
coordinates = coord|33|56|9|N|77|59|23|W
yearbuilt = 1849
yearlit =
automated =
yeardeactivated = ca. 1860s
foundation =
construction = Brick
shape = Conical
marking =
height = convert|26|ft|m|0
elevation = convert|31|ft|m|0
lens = 8 lamps with convert|18|in|cm|0 reflectors
currentlens =
intensity =
range =
characteristic =
fogsignal =
admiralty =
NGA =
ARLHS = USA-672
USCG = The Price Creek Lighthouse, which is also called the Price's Creek Lighthouse, is an existing structure near Southport, North Carolina. It was one of two range lights at Price Creek in a series of lights to guide ships from Cape Fear to Wilmington, North Carolina.Bansemer, Roger, "Bansemer's Book of Carolina & Georgia Lighthouses", Pineapple Press, Sarasota, FL, 2000, pp. 50-53, ISBN 1-56164-194-4.] Harrison, Tom, and Jones, Ray, "Endangered Lighthouses," Globe Pequot Press, Guildord, CT, 2001, p. 40, ISBN 0-7627-0815-8.] Roberts, Bruce, and Jones, Ray, "Southern Lighthouses: Outer Banks to Cape Florida," 3rd ed., Globe Pequot Press, Guildord, CT, 2002, p. 27, ISBN 0-76274-1243-0.] Zepke, Terrance, "Lighthouse of the Carolinas", Pineapple Press, Sarasota, FL, 2002, pp. 57-60, ISBN 1-56164-148-0.]

History

In 1849, a two-story, brick lightkeeper's house with a wooden lantern was built as one of the lights. During the American Civil War, this served the Confederacy as a signal house to communicate between Fort Fisher and Fort Caswell. This house was destroyed by storms.

The other light was a short conical brick tower originally convert|20|ft|m|0 tall with a base diameter of convert|17|ft|m|0. The light was about convert|25|ft|m|0 above sea level. The bricks had been imported from England. It originally had eight lamps with reflectors with diameters of convert|18|in|cm|0. The tower was later extended to a height of convert|26|ft|m|0. The tower suffered damage from shells during the Civil War. The lantern has been removed.

The surviving lighthouse is at the edge of an Archer Daniels Midland's industrial site on the bank of the Cape Fear River. It can be best viewed from the Southport-Fort Fisher Ferry or from the ferryboat landing at Southport.

References