In 1871 the US Weather Bureau established the first coastal observation station in North Carolina at Wilmington. A station at Cape Hatteras was established three years later. Over the next decade stations were set up in a number of other locations along the coast.
No weather station was ever built on Ocracoke. Before telephones and other advances in communications, announcements of impending storms were delivered to the island in sealed tubes dropped from airplanes.
In 1901, for just over $5,000, the US Weather Bureau built a new station on Hatteras Island. It was commissioned on New Years Day, 1902, and operated until 1946.
Only three original weather stations remain in the United States. The Hatteras station in the only one that has been restored to its original condition. The station was reopened in 2007 and today is operated as a Welcome Center. The Center is located in Hatteras Village, next to Burrus' Red & White Grocery, and is open March - December from 9 am to 5 pm (closed Thanksgiving Day & Christmas Day). For more information call 877-629-4386 or 252-986-2203.
Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of Ocracoker, Kelly O'Neal, and the 1951 revolution in Siam (Thailand). You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news012910.htm
Very Interesting commissioned On New years day, to me that means news Years day was not a holiday?? hmm I wonder when new Years day became such a BIG deal???
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