The brick lighthouse was constructed in the 1790s and was an important step for trade along the Virginia and Maryland coasts, as it made the Chesapeake Bay easier and safer to navigate.

East Hardy Elementary School celebrates a recent accomplishment of reaching lighthouse status one of the highest recognitions in the Leader In Me program.

Before 1875, ships sailing by the North Carolina coast faced a 40-mile "blind spot" between Bodie Island and Virginia's Cape Henry. Then, the Currituck Beach Lighthouse in Corolla was created.