Skip to comments.
Original Hatteras Light Lens Found in Storage
WRAL-TV (Raleigh, NC) & AP ^
| September 19, 2002
| The Associated Press
Posted on 09/19/2002 12:59:18 PM PDT by Constitution Day
Edited on 04/13/2004 2:55:45 AM PDT by Jim Robinson.
[history]
The original lens for the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, long thought lost to war or thieves, has been found in a climate-controlled storage building on Roanoke Island.
The 6,000-pound Fresnel lens is made up of 1,000 pieces of precision glass prisms. Lighthouse lantern rooms using Fresnel lenses captured and concentrated light from the prisms and bounced it through a panel, making the beam blink.
(Excerpt) Read more at wral.com ...
TOPICS: Extended News; Miscellaneous; US: North Carolina
KEYWORDS: investingstocks; northcarolina; oldnorthstate; unhelpful
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20, 21-40, 41-60 next last
To: TomB
For those who have not yet figured it out, a "pharologist" is one who loves and studies lighthouses. Whence the name? It comes from one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World: Pharos, the great lighthouse in Alexandria,Egypt. Built between 300 and 280 BC by Ptolemy I and his son, Ptolemy II. It stood about 450 feet high. It was destroyed in stages by invaders and earthquakes, and was completely gone by the 1300's.
To: Constitution Day
Very cool post and a very great find. Thanks for posting.
To: Constitution Day
That's interesting. I almost bought a fresnel lens 8" x 8" in the stationary store today just because it was a fresnel lens. I believe each prism in the original fresnel lens would have been curved a little rather than flat-faced, a segment of what would have been a huge and really heavy lens if the whole construction were one single piece of glass. The prisms would have to go in a particular place in the frame due to their shape and to get a good lens effect. What was the original light source? A carbon arc or gas lamp?
To: Constitution Day
Thanks for the post. I remember the first time I saw a fresnel lens at a maritime museum, I thought it was so beautiful. I'm glad they have found this one.
24
posted on
09/19/2002 2:56:25 PM PDT
by
pbear8
To: Constitution Day
Jus' a second and let me see what I got down in the basement...
.
.
25
posted on
09/19/2002 3:15:15 PM PDT
by
KC Burke
To: Wild Irish Rogue
There are many lighthouses in the US that are for sale. I am sure there are some pretty cool ones that an older retired couple would restore and make wonderful homes.
To: Constitution Day
It is cool they found another piece of Americana. Just out of curiosity, who has been picking up the storage tab on this thing all this time? Did they know what they were storing all this time?
To: Phantom Lord
Of course there is also the back up light on my beer truck...it's rather large....
.
.
.
28
posted on
09/19/2002 3:20:01 PM PDT
by
KC Burke
To: Constitution Day
Among the unique aspescts of these lenses is that each light on the Atlantic coast had a different number of panels. This was to vary the flashing patterns coming from the light which in turn enabled mariners to determine which location they were looking at.
To: LiteKeeper
I had never heard the word "pharologist" before, but knowing the story of Pharos, I immediately figured it out. ;^)
To: CollegeRepublican
Also a great place to fish...
I used to waterski a lot, but never learned to surf.
To: TomB
Hatteras? That's the one on wheels, isn't it?
It is.
To: Hatteras
Had to take them little glass pieces away from the kids, they almost burned down the house trying to fry bugs!....LOL!
I knew you'd enjoy this post.
CD
To: Constitution Day
It is. A retractable lighthouse. How cool.
Actually, we vacation in Corolla every year but we never managed to get down there when they were moving it. I'd have loved to see it.
34
posted on
09/19/2002 5:38:18 PM PDT
by
TomB
To: Young Werther
They're off in the land of lost socks!
To: TomB
Corolla to Hatteras, now that's a haul.
My family vacations in Nags Head every year.
There was a lot of controversy about moving it, but if they hadn't, it would've eventually fallen into the ocean.
To: sawsalimb
Very cool post and a very great find. Thanks for posting.You're welcome.
I can't post political stuff all the time!
'All work and no play', you know.
To: RightWhale
I think you're right about the construction of the Fresnel lenses, but as to the original light source, no idea.
To: pbear8
You're welcome, and I'm glad too. Will go see it when the museum opens.
To: Captain Beyond
Just out of curiosity, who has been picking up the storage tab on this thing all this time? Did they know what they were storing all this time?I was just down near Roanoke Island on vacation.
Although they're unclear, my guess is that the lens was in some National Park Service building at Fort Raleigh (the "Lost Colony") site.
So, the short answer is that WE have been picking up the storage tab.
Oh well... at least they found it.
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20, 21-40, 41-60 next last
Disclaimer:
Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual
posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its
management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the
exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson