Climb the 214 steps to the top of the majestic, red brick lighthouse. First lit on December 1, 1875, the beacon filled the remaining ?dark spot? on the North Carolina coast between Cape Henry and Bodie Island lighthouses. It is the one of only lighthouses in America that still houses its original first-order Fresnel lens. The light continues to flash today at 20-second intervals, serving as a navigational aid. The beacon, which can be seen for 18 nautical miles, comes on at dusk. The Currituck Beach Lighthouse is a member of Currituck Heritage Park, Historic Corolla and the Historic Albemarle Tour.