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| Kevin Duffus |
ASHEBORO –
Popular historian and author Kevin Duffus will return to the Asheboro Public
Library with the tale of how he found the lost original lens of the Cape
Hatteras Lighthouse — a national treasure — at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 23.
The
French-manufactured 1803 Fresnel (pronounced fer-NEL) lens was missing for 140
years. One of the first made for a U.S. lighthouse, it was displayed at the
1853 World’s Fair in New York City. During the Civil War, the
12-foot tall, 6,000-pound bronze and glass optic was removed by Confederate authorities, and was lost.
12-foot tall, 6,000-pound bronze and glass optic was removed by Confederate authorities, and was lost.
Duffus
chronicled his successful search for the lens, which also unearthed a wealth of
lighthouse lore and reached into his own family history, in his book The
Lost Light: The Mystery of the Missing Cape Hatteras Fresnel Lens,
published in 2003.
An
award-winning author, researcher and filmmaker, Duffus has made significant
discoveries about North Carolina history, starting at age 17 when he found a
Confederate gunboat sunken in a river near his home, and extending to
groundbreaking conclusions about Blackbeard and his treasure.
His
appearance, part of the Road Scholar series, is made possible by funding from
the North Carolina Humanities Council, a statewide non-profit and affiliate of
the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Friends of the Library.
The library is located at 201 Worth Street. For further information, call 336-318-6803.
The library is located at 201 Worth Street. For further information, call 336-318-6803.
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