The Cape Lookout Lighthouse is scheduled to re-open to the public Thursday after a two-year closure.
The 163-foot lighthouse at Cape Lookout National Seashore had been closed since 2008 because of structural troubles. It received nearly $500,000 last year from the federal government for rehabilitation work, reports Barbara Barrett.
U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan traveled to the beach during her Fourth of July congressional break, giving a speech and touring the renovated Cape Lookout Lighthouse. Hagan, along with U.S. Sen. Richard Burr and U.S. Rep. Walter Jones, helped secure the federal money.
"Re-opening this state treasure has great meaning for our families and small businesses, and for the future generations of Americans who will now have the opportunity to experience an incredible North Carolina cultural landmark," Hagan said in her speech last Wednesday.
The Carteret County lighthouse honored its sesquicentennial last year and still guides ships along the Core Banks. The repairs included fixes for the spiral iron staircase and hand railing, and a new guard rail at the outside gallery to protect children.
For information on climbing the lighthouse, go to the National Park Service website.
