CAPE HATTERAS LIGHTHOUSE RELOCATION By Cheryl Shelton-Roberts
The Lighthouse News Edited from Vol. V no 2 Summer 1999 The
first move was one-and one-half-inches up. On Saturday, June 5,
1999, at 11:30 am, the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse had been raised
by the unified hydraulic jacking system so workers could begin
removing the shoring towers. The shoring towers, four steel
posts that are cross-braced for lateral support, have bolstered
the 1870 tower since the granite foundation removal began in
January. One hundred hydraulic jacks handled the job of raising
the tower in one-foot increments. As height was gained, shoring
towers were disassembled. Oak cribbing took over the Atlas-like
job of supporting the lighthouse. Absence of the shoring towers
marked a milestone in the move process, leading to the load
transfer of the lighthouse to the transport system. The
transport system consists of the main beams with their built-in
hydraulic jacks, roll beams, encased Hilman rollers, and push
jacks. As each lift was gain