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Cape Hatteras National Seashore
Park Statistics

Visitation

There are several reporting systems and studies that document visitation statistics at Cape Hatteras National Seashore:

Acreage

Cape Hatteras National Seashore encompasses 24,470 acres. Nearby Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, within the authorized Seashore boundary, is 5,880 acres.

Designations

Cape Hatteras National Seashore is our nation's first national seashore.

Establishment

Cape Hatteras National Seashore was authorized by Congress on August 17, 1937 and established on January 12, 1953.

This artist's rendering shows the U.S.S. Monitor foundering in a storm off of Cape Hatteras in December 1862.  

Did You Know?
The U.S.S. Monitor sank off Cape Hatteras during a storm in December 1862. The wreck's location was a mystery until 1973 when a research vessel found the ship 16 miles off the cape in 230 feet of water. In 1975, the Monitor was named the nation’s first National Marine Sanctuary.

Last Updated: October 14, 2008 at 14:47 EST