CAPE HATTERAS  --This year marks two decades since the controversial inland move of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. A a special event to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse move on will take place July 1, 2019. The free event will start at 9:30 am near the lighthouse.

The 20th anniversary of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse move celebration on July 1st will include speeches, a question and answer session with expert panelists, artifacts from the lighthouse move, expanded interpretive ranger talks, activities for children, and free lighthouse climbing. The Outer Banks Lighthouse Society and Outer Banks Forever are partnering with Cape Hatteras National Seashore to make this event memorable for visitors and the local community.

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse started its epic “move of the century” journey on June 17, 1999. After the lighthouse was lifted, the tower moved 2,900 feet over the course of 23 days to its current location. The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, sentinel of the perilous Diamond Shoals, where the Gulf Stream meets the Labrador Current, witness to the tragic sinking and triumphant rescues claimed by the "Graveyard of the Atlantic," resumed its duties on November 13, 1999 and continues to do so to this day.

In addition to the lighthouse move celebration, park rangers will present daily interpretive lighthouse move programs beginning May 3 and continuing through October 14. From June 17 through July 9 (the anniversary of the 23 day lighthouse move), expanded interpretive programming will take place on the grounds of Cape Hatteras Light Station.