Sadly, those lessons have gone unheeded by the rapid coastal development of the past 50 years. Neal explains that the Cape Hatteras lighthouse, currently the subject of national media attention as engineers move the entire structure back from the eroded coast, is a microcosm of national shoreline policy. The lighthouse was built in 1870 and first threatened by erosion in the 1930s. In 1980, when the light was almost lost to a storm, the National Park Service began to focus on saving the lighthouse rather than saving the beach. He calls the series, so far featuring the shorelines of 19 states, basic science for people who own property on or near shorelines.
People have a strong identity with lighthouses, almost a romantic view.
That's why they want to keep them where they are and not move them. I'm not so much interested in this case as a controversy as I am in using it as an example. Neal says most attempts to save beaches and shoreline structures have been short-term. The initial response to build seawalls was short-term, and ironically, usually led to losing more beach. A seawall prevents the beach from migrating so you actually lose the beach when water comes against the wall.