In 1835 the second "major thoroughfare" was cut through the village of Ocracoke. What had previously been only a foot path was widened to accomodate a horse and cart. This road intersected with the island's very first road (what today includes the lighthouse road and school road) near the present-day Deepwater Pottery. From there it continued to the sound shore, where the NPS Visitor Center and Preservation Museum are now.
When the state of North Carolina paved the road around the harbor in the mid-1950's they left the eastern section of this road as a sandy lane. Thinking about all of his kinfolk who lived along this lane, Stacy Howard nailed a sign to one of his trees. It read "East Howard Street."
Nowadays it is only the old time Ocracokers who refer to our sandy lane as "East Howard Street." Most folks simply call it "Howard Street."
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Strolling down Howard Street is like a walk through time...during the day is is lovely to look at the houses...feel the clam shells under your feet..listen to the breeze blowig through the live oak trees. At night it takes on a surreal quality, especially if you have taken one of Philip Howard's ghost walks..shadows jump out at you...and you do walk with one eye looking over your shoulder. But one thing is for certain, on your next visit to Ocracoke, you must walk down Howard Street, be it day or night....it actually could even change your life! Anonymous
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