Ocracoke Lighthouse on Ocracoke Island, North Carolina Sep 20, 2024

Ocracoke Lighthouse on Ocracoke Island, North Carolina

Welcome to Ocracoke Island in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. This secluded island, with 16 miles of beaches, can only be reached by ferry or small plane. The Ocracoke Lighthouse, seen in today"s image, stands out as a notable landmark. The lighthouse celebrated its 200th anniversary in 2023, making it the oldest continuously operating lighthouse in North Carolina. It boasts an 8,000-candlepower light, which can be seen up to 14 miles offshore.

© Chansak Joe/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Sep 20, 2018May we have this dance?
Sep 20, 2019Fall comes to Pando
Sep 20, 2020Celebrating sea otters
Sep 20, 2021Birds of a feather flocking together
Sep 20, 2022Sea Otter Awareness Week
Sep 20, 2023Aqueduct, Arkadia Park, Poland
Sep 20, 2025Oktoberfest begins!

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Nov 23, 2018Let the holiday shopping commence
Sep 23, 2021Last stop before leaving the solar system
Jul 4, 2024Independence Day
Nov 20, 2024World Childrens Day
Dec 9, 2018There’s treasure in them thar hills
Jan 13, 2024Road to Hana, Maui, Hawaii
Mar 6, 2023Icelandic horses, Iceland
Oct 29, 2022Sea Slug Day
Sep 17, 2020Citizenship Day and Constitution Day
Feb 14, 2018Aerial view of a heart-shaped field in Trittau, Germany
Aug 19, 2022National Aviation Day
Jan 25, 2025Porto, Portugal
Jan 19, 2023Sundance Film Festival opens in Park City
Dec 31, 2020Goodbye, 2020!
Dec 14, 2025Audubon Christmas Bird Count
Nov 17, 2025National Take a Hike Day
Apr 29, 2024Fujian Tulou, China
May 16, 2021A magnificent monolith
Feb 21, 2018Innerdalsvatna Lake, near Ålvundeidet, Norway
Nov 21, 2024Lion cubs, South Africa
May 12, 2018It’s World Migratory Bird Day
Oct 6, 2025Anshun Bridge, Chengdu, China
Apr 23, 2024World Book Day
Aug 10, 2018Assembling the Smithsonian
Dec 8, 2022The Cathedral of Florence, Italy
Jul 5, 2024Daintree Rainforest and Noah Beach, Queensland, Australia
Dec 11, 2021Everest s shadow on the Himalayas
Nov 12, 2025Colosseum, Rome, Italy
Feb 28, 2026Oloupena Falls, island of Molokai, Hawaii
Aug 26, 2020Spotted Lake emerges