Posted on August 24, 2021
This update on the work at the Currituck Beach Lighthouse, which first started shining 145 years ago, was provided by the nonprofit Outer Banks Conservationists on Aug. 20.
ICC-Commonwealth, which handles the restoration and preservation of historic structures, has returned to the Currituck Beach Lighthouse to complete long-awaited work that like so many other things, was disrupted by the COVID pandemic.
Last spring, ICC came to Corolla to restore the lower iron belt courses of the 145-year-old lighthouse and to remove cast-iron pieces of the roof-supporting cornice system for recasting. They left in March of that year with the cornice pieces, brackets, and headers that were in the best shape (from the southwest side of the lighthouse) and sent them off to a foundry in Richmond.
They planned to return within six weeks with both the original and newly recast pieces to replace and/or repair the system that connects the copper roof to the lantern glass. As COVID-19 began its spread, ICC’s return – and the entire project – was delayed.
ICC returned in July and has begun work on the cornice. They will replace all 16 roof cornice pieces and ladder bars, 10 of the support brackets, and seven of the headers. Next, they will finalize repairs to the lantern wall that surrounds the Currituck Beach Lighthouse’s original first order Fresnel lens by isolating dissimilar metals around the glass windows. In years past they have isolated the metals only around those windows that had cracked due to rust caused by iron touching bronze; this year they will complete the job.
Before ICC returned, Outer Banks Conservationists added one more project to its contract: repairing the cast-iron jambs of the tower’s five tall windows, replacing the rusted wrought-iron battens of the first window with stainless steel, isolating dissimilar metals there, and mending wooden window casings
Sponge Jet technology, a reusable abrasive surface-preparation system, will be used to remove rust and paint from the original roof pieces and window battens.
ICC-Commonwealth (then International Chimney Corporation) is renowned for having successfully moved the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in 1999. This is its fourth major project at the Currituck Beach Lighthouse.
