Price's Creek Lighthouse

The brick shell, known as Price's Creek Lighthouse, is the only one of eight lighthouses along the Cape Fear River, which were authorized by Congress in 1848, that is still standing. The lights were needed to illuminate the 25-mile stretch of the Cape Fear River between Oak Island and Wilmington. Price's Creek Lighthouse, only 20 feet tall, was the smaller of the two lights at Price's Creek. Two others were built on Oak Island, two at Upper Jettee, and the remaining two at Orton's Point and at Campbell's Island. A lightboat was placed at Horseshoe Shoal, between Price's Creek Lighthouse and Federal Point Lighthouse. During the Civil War, Price's Creek Lighthouse served as a Confederate signal station, aiding blockade runners in navigating the river and being identified to the shore batteries. All these riverlights were destroyed by the Confederates as they lost control of the Cape Fear River. By destroying the lights, they hoped to prevent or impede navigation along the river by Union troops. By the late 1880s, all of the river lights had been replaced by unattended beacons. Price's Creek Lighthouse sits on private property, not accessible to the public. The property owner has repaired the Civil War cannon damage and structural decay, but the lighthouse is still missing its glass and iron lamp top. However, it is visible (about 200 yards away) from the ferry between Fort Fisher and Southport as the ferry approaches the Southport landing.

	PRICE'S CREEK LIGHTHOUSE
	(Photo courtesy of Ed Carr.)

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