The public is invited to the Ocracoke Light Station for a special 200th anniversary event. The event will feature several speeches, activities, a birthday cake and more. Outer Banks Forever, the Seashore’s official philanthropic partner, plans to livestream the event for those who cannot attend. In 1822, the federal government purchased two acres at the south end of Ocracoke Island for $50 as the site for a new lighthouse and support structures. The 75-foot-tall Ocracoke Lighthouse and surrounding buildings were completed in 1823.