Wednesday, January 08, 2014

Portsmouth Island Gallery

Last week Lou Ann and I accompanied folks to Portsmouth Island for the annual Christmas Bird Count. We aren't serious birders...and we didn't count any birds...but we did help Dave Frum rescue a Carolina Wren that was trapped in the Methodist Church. And later in the afternoon, back on Ocracoke, we helped locate the snowy owl that was hanging out at the South Point.

Lou Ann and I mostly spent our time wandering around Portsmouth village. Below are a few photos I took. It was a sunny day with the temperature in the low 50s...and no mosquitoes! It was perfect.

Henry Pigott's House

Approaching the Village

Inside the Washington Roberts House

Lath & Plaster

Early 1800s Graves

The Dennis Mason House

The Methodist Church

A Carpet of Lichens

The Schoolhouse







































































































































Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is a 1921 letter written by a former slave, Harrison Williams, to Ocracoke native, Martha Ann Howard Wahab. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news112113.htm.

13 comments:

  1. I love Portsmouth... but not the mosquitoes :-)

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  2. What I remember most from Portsmouth Island are the grave markers of two naval officers somewhat off the beaten path. They were so young and so far from home and it's easy to imagine that what they saw on the island are very much the same surroundings that we view today. It's a real sense of place and of history.

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    1. Bill, the graves you mention are the two in the photograph above. Ellen Marie Fulcher Cloud writes about them here: http://friendsofportsmouthisland.org/fopi/category/history/

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  3. Anonymous9:17 AM

    When will some enterprising soul provide blueprints for those structures on PI. The classic details, the exteriors are sublime. Is there any information on the builder carpenter or Sears & Roebuck house kit number??? A calendar of images captured on PI would sell in a heart beat. Or a flagpole to fly a flag then sell it -- as raised and flown on PI this day in history-- or on OI for that matter this would make a great souvenir what enterprising soul would take that on what youngster could raise money to donate or profit from his endeavors of entreprenuSHIP. DD

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  4. Philip, thank you for your always interesting posts. Our family is planning to come to OI early in March during Spring break. Do you know if there will be someone around who can take us to visit PI? We would love to explore it without Mosquitos. Also, the photo yesterday, of the pelicans on the island, is that Beacon island? Thank you, Mary.

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    1. Mary, contact Rudy or Donald Austin (http://www.portsmouthnc.com/) about transportation to Portsmouth. Yesterday's photo was taken from the Cedar Island ferry. That is just the spoil island near the sunken dredge Lehigh; it is not Beacon Island.

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  5. Julie S.9:32 PM

    Glad you are back! Wonder if you know if the OP Quilt Raffle had been held? I purchased tickets and had my fingers crossed!

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    1. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but yes, the quilt raffle was held. If it's any consolation, I didn't win the quilt either!

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  6. Anonymous11:32 PM

    Beautiful photos, Philip. The one of the Methodist church surrounded by trees and undergrowth looks like a painting. What gems. Thanks for sharing, as always.

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  7. Anonymous7:50 AM

    Nice pictures of P.I. NC Mainlander would like to go on such a day as you and Lou Ann recently enjoyed. On behalf of the little wren you rescued in the church, THANKS!

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  8. Julie S8:36 AM

    Thanks for the quilt raffle update. I'll just have to try again! Thanks also for the beautiful photos esp of Portsmouth and the owls.

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  9. It was the perfect day to go to P.I. We had a picnic, took photos, and just rambled around. We did see a blue heron which was added to the bird count!

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