Ken McAlpine is a writer who lives in California. In the fall of 2004 he visited Ocracoke as he was traveling up the East Coast. Ken was collecting stories for his first book, Off Season, Discovering America on Winter's Shore. Chapter 8, "The World According to O'cockers," tells of his time on the island. If you haven't read it, I suggest you go to your local bookstore or your library and get a copy.
Ken has never forgotten the palpable sense of community he discovered on Ocracoke. In a recent on-line article he recounts his experience at an island Thanksgiving weekend concert a decade ago. You can read his article here: http://www.kcet.org/updaily/socal_focus/commentary/west-is-eden/my-town-your-town-our-towns-community-lives-in-america.html.
Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter documents the day telephones came to the island. The article includes
images of Ocracoke's first telephone directory which lists a total of
63 subscribers. You can read the Newsletter here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news022114.htm.
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The sense of community in Ocracoke is just as strong as ever. Without it y'all cannot survive.
ReplyDeleteAs we mainlanders go about our harried self important lives we look forward to get away from it all to our favorite vacation destination. Yet, once there, do we really take the time to truly unwind and fully absorb the ambiance of our temporary surroundings and acquire an appreciation for what makes a place so special?
My father once visited Ocracoke for a fishing trip in the 70's and came back telling how unique the island was. He never returned.
On my first visit to OI in 1993, I had the fortune of meeting a unique and special group of friends. It is because of these wonderful people that I came back a second and third time. Due to these subsequent visits I was slowly able to learn of the community and culture which thrives so strongly and have been back many times.
Due to employment and economic situations, I was unable to return last year and likely will not be able to return this year. My heart yearns to once again tread the sandy soils of Ocracoke.
Oh yea, I'm sick and ---- tired of this winter and wish that it was warm enough for my hummingbirds to come home!
You can't make this stuff up. People without a sense of community are in some ways incomplete. My little daughter, who turns 14 today, has never been to Ocracoke. She can't wait to go and neither can I. My ancestors have lived on the island since the early 1700s. It's is in my blood and in the blood of my children. Hopefully, we will return to live there some day soon. Until then, the visits will have to do.
ReplyDeleteBob MacKinnon