Augustin Fresnel: Through a New Lens, a Living History Performance
In celebration of the upcoming 150th anniversary of the Currituck Beach Lighthouse (December 1, 1875 – 2025), the Outer Banks Conservationists and The Northern Outer Banks proudly present Joseph Smith, a New York–based living history performer, in two special performances of his one-man play, Augustin Fresnel: Through a New Lens.
Through drama and storytelling, Mr. Smith brings to life Augustin Fresnel (1788 – 1827)—the French physicist and civil engineer whose invention of the Fresnel lens transformed maritime navigation by dramatically extending the brightness and range of lighthouses around the world. The original first-order Fresnel lens installed in the Currituck Beach Lighthouse in 1875 remains one of the last of its kind still an active aid to navigation.
