On December 1, 1875 the beacon of the Currituck Beach Lighthouse filled the remaining "dark spot" on the North Carolina coast between the Cape Henry light to the north and Bodie Island to the south. To distinguish the Currituck Beach Lighthouse from other regional lighthouses, its exterior was left unpainted and gives today's visitor a sense of the multitude of bricks used to form the structure.
The Currituck Beach Lighthouse is known as a first order lighthouse, which means it has the largest of seven Fresnel lens sizes. The original source of light was a U.S. mineral oil lamp consisting of five concentric wicks; the largest was 4 inches in diameter. The Currituck Beach Lighthouse was the last major brick lighthouse built on the Outer Banks.
The lighthouse & museum shop are open daily from Easter through Thanksgiving. Children must be four years old to climb. During periods of high winds or thunderstorms the lighthouse tower may be closed to climbers.