Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Fire House

The dedication of our new Fire House took place Sunday afternoon. A crowd of folks showed up to listen to a few short speeches (the best one was by our fire chief, Albert O'Neal -- "We couldn't have done this with you all. Thank you!"), and for the unveiling of the bronze dedication plaque. There was time to tour the facility...and to partake of homemade goodies. Here are a few photos.

Neighbors gather to listen to the Presentations














Many Folks arrived on Bikes

Tommy & Julia Hutcherson

The Dedication Plaque

Turn-out Gear

Our Shiny Red Firetrucks













































































Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of traveling to the island on Frazier Peele's ferry in 1951. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news042114.htm.

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Portsmouth

The theme of this past weekend's Homecoming on Portsmouth Island was a celebration of the 100 year old Methodist Church. Because of a recent minor back injury I decided not to risk the boat ride over. However, my friend, Jim, from Manteo, went. It was a beautiful day with clear skies, a gentle breeze...and very few mosquitoes. Nearly 500 people were in attendance. Jim graciously offered some of his photos for me to share with our readers. Click on any one to view a larger image.

Washington Roberts House

US Life Saving Station Dormitory

Henry Pigott's Skiff (Surfboat in Background)
Island Cemetery

Opening of W. Roberts House

Interior, W. Roberts House

View Through a Window

View of Doctor's Creek from Henry's Kitchen

Dinner on the Grounds (Methodist Church in Background)

Pot Luck Dinner Fare!

























































































































































Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of traveling to the island on Frazier Peele's ferry in 1951. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news042114.htm.

Monday, April 28, 2014

Annie Lou Gaskill Gaskins Exhibit

This Wednesday, April 30, the Ocracoke Preservation Society will be honoring the family of Annie Lou Gaskill Gaskins with a special exhibit from 4 - 6 pm.

Annie Lou is the grand-daughter of Ocracoke native, William D. ("Captain Bill") Gaskill (1869-1935) and Annie Belle fulcher (1879-1941), also of Ocracoke.


Capt. Bill Gaskill














Capt. Bill was lost at sea in 1935. Captain Bill and Miss Annie owned the Pamlico Inn. The Inn was destroyed in the 1944 hurricane.

The Pamlico Inn











Come out to the museum on Wednesday to chat with Annie Lou and her extended Ocracoke Island family. Snacks will be served.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of traveling to the island on Frazier Peele's ferry in 1951. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news042114.htm.

Sunday, April 27, 2014

Sandals

Amy stopped by Saturday morning. "What are those sandals doing over there in the corner of your yard?" she asked.




















"Oh, Katie was walking by last night, on her way to Zillie's," I said. "She wanted to go barefooted, and asked if she could leave her sandals here. Of course, I said she could. So Katie plopped her footwear over the fence, and continued on her way."

After giving Amy the explanation, I thought...what a unique place this is. It is not every community where neighbors leave their shoes in your yard so they can enjoy walking barefooted to meet friends and enjoy a glass of wine.

Who knows, the sandals may still be in my yard the next time you walk down Lawton Lane, a subtle symbol of a great community.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of traveling to the island on Frazier Peele's ferry in 1951. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news042114.htm.

Saturday, April 26, 2014

Old Jerry

I wrote about Old Jerry several days ago. Here is another story about the banker pony, Old Jerry, from Jean Day's book, Banker Ponies, an Endangered Species:

"Jerry was quite a character. He liked the ladies' straw hats. Not to wear -- but to eat. One day when a lady from the big city lost her bonnet, she finally found it. The only problem was that Old Jerry had eaten half of it."

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of traveling to the island on Frazier Peele's ferry in 1951. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news042114.htm.

Friday, April 25, 2014

Bristol or Bath

"Edward Teach was a Bristol man born, but had sailed some time out of Jamaica in privateers, in the late French war; yet though he had often distinguished himself for his uncommon boldness and personal courage, he was never raised to any command, till he went a-pirating, which I think was at the latter end of the year 1716, when Captain Benjamin Hornigold put him into a sloop that he had made prize of, and with whom he continued in consortship till a little while before Hornigold surrendered."

So begins Capt. Charles Johnson's chapter, "The Life of Captain Teach," in his 1724 book, A General History of the Robberies & Murders of the Most Notorious Pirates.

Blackbeard the Pirate, 1725 image



















Kevin Duffus, author of the 2008 book, The Last Days of Black Beard the Pirate, disputes Capt. Johnson with these words: "Imagine -- not anywhere among the voluminous records, including a 1698 Bristol census, nor millions of words written about the infamous bearded pirate, is there a single, conclusive, definitive shred of evidence that Edward Thatch or Teach came from Bristol."

Later in his book, Duffus writes that "we have a preponderance of circumstantial evidence which strongly suggests that Black Beard was James Beard's son -- Edward Beard, who likely was born around 1690 in South Carolina...." According to Duffus, Capt. James Beard soon settled in Bath Town, North Carolina, and owned a plantation adjacent to Tobias Knight, secretary of the government of North Carolina under Governor Charles Eden. If "Black Beard" grew up in Bath that would explain many otherwise puzzling details of his last days, including the pirate's close connection with Tobias Knight and Governor Eden.

So...was Blackbeard's hometown Bristol, England or Bath, North Carolina?  We may never know for sure, but Kevin Duffus may convince you to choose Bath. Read his excellent book to learn more.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of traveling to the island on Frazier Peele's ferry in 1951. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news042114.htm.

Thursday, April 24, 2014

Ione

While crossing Hatteras Inlet you may have noticed several pilings on the north end of Ocracoke Island. These are all that remain of the US Coast Guard Station that once stood there. Because of erosion and encroaching surf, the station was abandoned in the early 1950s.

Hatteras Inlet USCG Station, 1953













On September 9, 1955 Hurricane Ione dealt the fatal blow to the station. Most of the building collapsed into the raging surf. Eventually everything washed away except the few pilings that are visible today.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of traveling to the island on Frazier Peele's ferry in 1951. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news042114.htm.

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

OPS Auction, Race, Homecoming & Dedication

There are several events taking place on Ocracoke this coming weekend. 

On Friday, April 25, the Ocracoke Preservation Society will hold its first-ever auction of various items collected over the years. Items to be auctioned will include duplicates of books, postcards, "State" magazines, and other donations earmarked for fund-raising opportunities...as well as many miscellaneous items. The auction begins at 3 pm. Ocracoke student artwork will also be for sale.

On the following day, Saturday, April 26, the Ocracoke Community Radio WOVV, Ocracoke School Athletic Boosters Club and the Ocracoke Community Park will sponsor the Third Annual Ocracoke Island 10k/5k and 1 Mile Family Fun Run.

Also on Saturday morning, island enthusiasts will gather at the docks to cross the inlet for the bi-annual Portsmouth Island Homecoming. Historic houses and other buildings, including the Life Saving Station, the Post Office and the Schoolhouse, will be open for viewing. Other events are planned, including a pot luck dinner on the grounds.

On Sunday, April 27, at 2:00 pm, the Ocracoke Volunteer Fire Department will dedicate our new Fire Station. Although there are still a few minor things to do before the new station is completed, members of the fire department invite you to join them for the official dedication.

Ocracoke Fire Station, 2014











Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of traveling to the island on Frazier Peele's ferry in 1951. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news042114.htm.

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

The Devil on the Deck

Most of our readers are probably familiar with numerous stories about Blackbeard -- the braided, ribbon-bedecked beard; the lighted fuses under his hat; his final battle (and beheading) at Ocracoke in 1718; etc. -- but I wonder if many of our readers know this story, as told by Capt. Charles Johnson in 1724:

"Those of his crew who were taken alive [after the final battle], told a story which may appear a little incredible, however we think it will not be fair to omit it since we had it from their own mouths. Once upon a cruize [sic], they found out that they had a man on board more than their crew, such a one was seen several days amongst them, sometimes below, and sometimes upon deck, yet no man in the ship could give an account of who he was, or from whence he came, but that he disappeared a little before they were cast away in their great ship; but, it seems, they verily believed it was the Devil."

Blackbeard's Flag















Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of traveling to the island on Frazier Peele's ferry in 1951. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news042114.htm.

Monday, April 21, 2014

From Philadelphia to Ocracoke, 1951

Last summer, at the Wednesday night Ocracoke Opry, I often told the story of crossing Hatteras Inlet on Frazier Peele's ferry in 1951. I recently wrote the story and published it on our website. It is this month's Ocracoke Newsletter. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news042114.htm.

Sunday, April 20, 2014

Easter

Happy Easter to all of our friends on the island...and off!

(We hope your weather is more spring-like than here. We've had rain, wind, and chilly weather for several days...but the rain should be tapering off tomorrow, with clear skies and sunshine by mid-week.)

Enjoy this season of renewal and rejuvenation!

Saturday, April 19, 2014

Banker Ponies

In September, 2013 I wrote about Beeswax, "one of the best polo ponies in America," who was brought to Ocracoke to interbreed with the local horses. There are, of course, many other stories about our banker ponies -- including their origins, use by the US Life Saving Service, and mounts for the mid-1950s Boy Scout Troop.

Jean Day, in her book Banker Ponies, an Endangered Species, relates this amusing story:

"In 1939 there were 50 to 100 ponies on Ocracoke, about half of them wild, the others broken for riding.

"Big Ike O'Neal of Ocracoke sold some of his horses, including one he called 'Old Jerry' to someone on Portsmouth Island. Imagine Big Ike's surprise when two days later, he saw Old Jerry on a high sand dune at Ocracoke munching sea oats. To do this, Jerry had swum a mile and a half across the inlet where tidal current fought the ocean swell.

"He just wanted to go home."

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is a reprint of a 1948 article about the Mail Boat Aleta, "Boat Hauls Mail, More." You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news032114.htm.

Friday, April 18, 2014

The Value of a Pirate

How much did Alexander Spotswood, Governor of Virginia, offer as bounty for the capture of the lowliest member of Blackbeard's crew?

A buck an ear!

Seriously, the following rewards were offered by Governor Spotswood in November, 1718 to "every Person or Persons" who "shall take any Pyrate, or Pyrates, on the Sea or Land, or in case of Resistance, shall kill any such Pyrate, or Pyrates between the Degrees of thirty four, and thirty nine, of Northern Latitude, & within one hundred Leagues of the Continent of Virginia, or within the Provinces of Virginia or North Carolina":
  • For every private Man taken on Board a Pyrate ship, Sloop, or Vessel....£10
  • For every "inferior officer"....£15
  • For every Lieutenant, Master, or Quartermaster, Boatswain, or Carpenter....£20
  • For every Commander of a Pyrate Ship, Sloop, or Vessel [except, see next]....£40
  • For Edward Teach, commonly called Captain Teach, or Blackbeard....£100
This was pursuant to a Proclamation "Given at our Council Chamber at Williamsburgh, this 24th Day of November, 1718, in the fifth Year of his Majesty's Reign. GOD SAVE THE KING. A. Spotswood"

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is a reprint of a 1948 article about the Mail Boat Aleta, "Boat Hauls Mail, More." You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news032114.htm.

Thursday, April 17, 2014

Water Table

Yesterday a reader left this question in the comments section: " Any insights into ground water on Ocracoke? Clearly it would vary by location/elevation, but in the area of the Village Craftsmen, for instance, how far down can you dig before you hit ground water?"

In 2008 Lou Ann wrote a humorous article about me installing a pitcher pump behind my house. The article will illustrate what it takes to tap into island ground water. You can read that article here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news062908.htm.

At the end of the article I added this geology note:

Ocracoke, like the rest of the Outer Banks, is low and narrow.  As rain falls on these barrier islands water filters through the sandy soil. What does not run off into the Atlantic Ocean or Pamlico Sound flows below the surface where it mingles with underlying sediments that are saturated with salty ocean water. Although some intermixing occurs, fresh water is less dense than salt water, and forms a floating lens above the salt-laden water.

The boundary between the fresh and salt water layers varies with the tides and rainfall, but Ocracoke nearly always maintains a fresh water lens that is about 10 - 15 feet thick, and which lies about 4 - 5 feet below the surface.
[Ground water can be] clear and sweet-smellingthough [it] is sometimes darker with an odor. In any case it is always perfect for watering plants or rinsing off after a day at the beach. And a well point and pump can be installed here in less than a day!

Out latest Ocracoke Newsletter is a reprint of a 1948 article about the Mail Boat Aleta, "Boat Hauls Mail, More." You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news032114.htm.

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Burying the Dead

In his book, Paradise Lost, An Oral History of Portsmouth Island, James E. White, III has this to say about island burials:

"Lionel Gilgo [1915-1983] lived on the Island long enough to see and experience numerous burials on the Island first hand. 'At low tide, the water was about two and a half feet deep when you dig. Now here on this hill you might dig three feet. Up around the cemetery you can't go over three feet. If you do, you're going to come to water. We had to bury them and stand on the casket.'"

Portsmouth Island Graves
















Lionel Gilgo goes on the say about one burial that "Four of us had to stand on the casket to keep it down in the hole until we don't get enough sand piled on top of it to hold it down. And then it washed out partially.... That's another thing that caused some people to leave here. They detested that. They didn't want to be buried in that water."

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is a reprint of a 1948 article about the Mail Boat Aleta, "Boat Hauls Mail, More." You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news032114.htm.

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Leonard Bryant, 1960

The following notice was published in the Raleigh News & Observer, November 22, 1960:

White Friends Hold Last Rites for Negro Man

Ocracoke -- Leonard Bryant, 82, a member of the only Negro family on Ocracoke, died last week.

Funeral services were conducted Nov. 16 in the Methodist Church, of which he had been a member and sexton for many years. Since there is no segregation in the church, he had taken communion with the white members during that time. All pallbearers at the funeral were white.

He was buried in the unsegregated community cemetery.

Bryant came to Ocracoke at the age of 19 to help the late George Credle run the old Ponder Hotel. He lived alone in a home adjacent to that of other members of his family; his wife, who has been ill, has been living with a daughter in Winston-Salem.

Survivors include a son, Julius, and two daughters, Mildred and Muse Bryant, all of Ocracoke, and other children, in addition to his wife.

----------------------------------

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is a reprint of a 1948 article about the Mail Boat Aleta, "Boat Hauls Mail, More." You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news032114.htm.



Monday, April 14, 2014

The Sound of Sound

Walt Wolfram and Natalie Schilling-Estes, in their book Hoi Toide on the Outer Banks, have this to say about the sound of "sound":

"Despite the fact that the hoi toide sound seems to capture everyone's attention when they talk about the [Ocracoke Island] brogue, there are a number of other distinctive vowel sounds that more subtly act to set the brogue apart from other dialects of American English. One of these is the Ocracoke pronunciation of ow, as in town or sound, as more of an ay as in say, so that town sounds like tain and sound like saind."

They go on to say that "what we hear in these words isn't exactly an ay, just as what we hear in i-words isn't really oy. Rather the Ocracoke ow is actually two sounds spoken quickly together, just like the i sound. To pronounce the ow like an islander, you need to say eh as in bet, followed by ee as in beet. Thus sound comes out sounding like s-eh-ee-nd...-- almost like saind,...but not quite."

Wolfram and Shilling-Estes conclude that "The ow sound provides us with direct evidence that Ocracoke English is not the language of Shakespeare -- but it's certainly not the language of mainland America, either."

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is a reprint of a 1948 article about the Mail Boat Aleta, "Boat Hauls Mail, More." You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news032114.htm.

Sunday, April 13, 2014

Coal

Every now and again a lump of coal washes up on the beach at Ocracoke. If you find some you might wonder where it came from.















Most likely the coal was originally cargo or fuel on a schooner or steamboat that wrecked offshore. The steamboat Home was a coal-fired vessel that wrecked in 1837. The George W. Wells was a collier, and one of the largest schooners ever built. She wrecked in 1913.

A lump of coal may not seem very interesting, but it is a reminder of a grand seafaring tradition, tragedy offshore, and the bravery and courage of members of the US Life Saving Service.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is a reprint of a 1948 article about the Mail Boat Aleta, "Boat Hauls Mail, More." You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news032114.htm.

Saturday, April 12, 2014

Clam Digger, Flounder Gigger

Native islander, Marcus Lawson, has started a new enterprise on Ocracoke.

Called "Clam Digger Flounder Gigger," this is a great way for visitors to experience Ocracoke Island. It is authentic, definitely not a typical tourist offering.








This is how Marcus describes his venture on facebook (https://www.facebook.com/clamdigger.floundergigger):

"While visiting Ocracoke Island, North Carolina, signing up for an excursion with Clam Digger & Flounder Gigger Charters can be a great way to explore the surrounding waters.

"Get to know the Pamlico Sound on a 24 foot Carolina Skiff, complete with all the equipment you will need to gather clams and to gig flounder. Then you can enjoy fresh local seafood and boast of your fishing skills.

"Call for reservations (252-921-0279) and further information on the fun you and your family can have."

You can also contact Marcus at clamdiggerfloundergigger@gmail.com.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is a reprint of a 1948 article about the Mail Boat Aleta, "Boat Hauls Mail, More." You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news032114.htm.

 

Friday, April 11, 2014

Willys Station Wagon

For years I have wanted a Willys station wagon. It is unlikely that I will ever get one. Recently, as I was looking through vintage Ocracoke Island photos I realized how many of these trucks are in the old pictures. Of course, they were the perfect vehicle for managing the island's sandy lanes.

This is the old store, Big Ike's Store. It stood where Captain's Landing is today. It was also the Post Office. The truck belonged to Carlton Kelly who lived in the large house with the widow's walk that backs up to Howard Street.




















If I can't own one of these vehicles, at least I can relive childhood memories every time I look at these old pictures.

Out latest Ocracoke Newsletter is a reprint of a 1948 article about the Mail Boat Aleta, "Boat Hauls Mail, More." You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news032114.htm.

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Crazy Guy on a Bike

The people you meet on Ocracoke!

My son-in-law, Fiddler David, was on tour with Molasses Creek recently. He returned home Monday on the Cedar Island ferry. Crossing the sound, David met Mark, a 49 year old cyclist from Germany who has been on the road for three years. We invited Mark for supper Monday night & Tuesday night. What an interesting guy.

Mark with his "naked" bike


















Mark worked at a VW plant back in Germany. One day he just decided that the sedentary life was not for him. So he got on his bike and started pedaling. I am not sure about everywhere he has been, but he told stories about Europe, New Zealand, and the United States. Mark has covered more than 21,000 miles on his bicycle.

Mark has no long-range goal. He simply decides as he travels. I joked that he was like Yogi Berra who said, "When you come to a fork in the road, take it."

Mark posted this 7:43 minute video on his website (www.crazyguyonabike.com/mid):



Mark is something of a philosopher. We talked about freedom...the freedom of biking around the world without an itinerary...and the freedom of the settled life (not worrying about finding a place to sleep every night).

He posted this quotation by Victor Frankl on his website:

"The more a person concerns himself with pleasure, the more it recedes.
The more he pursues happiness, the more it eludes him.
To understand this, we have to overcome the popular misconception that happiness is one of man's Basic wants.
What he actually wants is a cause that allows him to be happy. Once a cause has been established,
the feeling of happiness will appear of its own accord. To the extent, however,
that man aims at happiness directly, he loses sight of established cause,
and the feeling of happiness will collapse in itself. In other words, happiness is a by-product
and cannot be approached directly".
-Victor Frankl-

Here is the original quotation, auf Deutsch:

"Je mehr er [der Mensch] nach Glück jagt, um so mehr verjagt er es auch schon.
Um dies zu verstehen, brauchen wir nur das Vorurteil zu überwinden,
daß der Mensch im Grund darauf aus sei, glücklich zu sein;
was er in Wirklichkeit will, ist nämlich, einen Grund dazu zu haben.
Und hat er einmal einen Grund dazu, dann stellt sich das Glücksgefühl
von selbst ein. In dem Maße hingegen, in dem er das Glücksgefühl direkt anpeilt,
verliert er den Grund, den er dazu haben mag, aus den Augen,
und das Glücksgefühl selbst sackt in sich zusammen.
Mit anderen Wort, Glück muß er-folgen und kann nicht er-zielt werden".

Mark left the island this morning. Happy Trails!

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is a reprint of a 1948 article about the Mail Boat Aleta, "Boat Hauls Mail, More." You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news032114.htm.

Wednesday, April 09, 2014

Oregon Inlet

Oregon? Inlet...what does the inlet between the Nags Head peninsula and  Hatteras Island have to do with Oregon?

The Territory of Oregon existed from 1848 until it was admitted to the Union and became the state of Oregon in 1859.

Oregon Inlet was opened by a violent hurricane in 1846, two years before the Territory of Oregon was established, and 13 years before Oregon became a state.

According to Roger E. Kammerer, in Recollections of Pitt County, "In [1846*], a number of businessmen in Edgecombe County purchased a steamer in Baltimore, the Oregon, to run as a passenger and freight boat between Tarboro and Washington. It was the first vessel to use a new inlet cut by a hurricane in [1846*], known as Oregon Inlet. The Oregon ran on the Tar and Roanoke Rivers until it failed early as a financial venture and was sold at public auction in Washington, North Carolina on October 6, 1849. It was used later as a freight and excursion boat to Hyde County and Ocracoke. (p. 31)"

*Kammerer writes 1848, but the inlet opened in 1846.

David Stick, in his book The Outer Banks of North Carolina, identifies the vessel as "the side-wheeler Oregon, owned by William H. Willard."

After a brief search of the Internet I discovered that no one seems to know the origin or the word "Oregon," and I was unable to learn why Mr. Willard named his steamship the Oregon.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is a reprint of a 1948 article about the Mail Boat Aleta, "Boat Hauls Mail, More." You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news032114.htm.


Tuesday, April 08, 2014

The Five Harmaniacs

Ocracoke Island natives, Walter and Edgar Howard, made a name for themselves on the vaudeville stage in New York and other cities. Edgar played banjo, and Walter played guitar, harmonica, jug, ukulele and washboard. Walter was also a vocalist.

The following clipping (courtesy Walter Howard, Jr.) was from 1926, when Walter was a member of the cowboy band, "The Five Harmaniacs."

















The caption under the photo reads "Above are some of the special artists who will take part in the 'Loew Midnight Frolic' Monday night from station WBRC [Birmingham, Alabama]. They are top, the Five Harmaniacs and bottom two funsters from the Batcheler-Jamieson Revue. These numbers with other Loew artists will make up the feature for the special program."

Walter Howard is on the right. The other members of his band were Jerry Adams, Wayne Durand, Ned Nestor, and Clyde Shugart.

You can read more about the Five Harmaniacs here: http://www.redhotjazz.com/5harmaniacs.html.

Out latest Ocracoke Newsletter is a reprint of a 1948 article about the Mail Boat Aleta, "Boat Hauls Mail, More." You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news032114.htm.

Monday, April 07, 2014

Boston Globe Article

Amy just sent me a link to an article that was published in the Boston Globe two days ago.

The article, titled "Ocracoke Island Tends to Tourists, Bows to History," was written by Diane Daniel.

Miss Daniel has this to say about the Village Craftsmen: "Had I not followed signs to the splendid Village Craftsmen, one of several high-quality shops selling artisans’ wares, I wouldn’t have discovered Howard Street. Just off the main road around the harbor, the half-mile sandy lane shaded with live oaks passes some of the village’s oldest houses, from the 1800s."

Later in the article the author stops by the Ocracoke Preservation Museum and chats with Amy. She also visits the Ocracoke Seafood Company, bikes around the village, kayaks in the Sound, and strolls down to Springer's Point. You can read the article here: http://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/travel/2014/04/05/memorable-encounters-ocracoke-island/W3N1Bz0FfX2QBLM3pKtr5I/story.html.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is a reprint of a 1948 article about the Mail Boat Aleta, "Boat Hauls Mail, More." You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news032114.htm.

Sunday, April 06, 2014

Raleigh

This is a portrait of Sir Walter Raleigh. I can't imagine being so bedecked...even for a sitting for an artist.




















I've been told that the elaborate Elizabethan collars were as much practical as decorative. Someone said they were designed to deflect lice. When a louse fell out of one's hair, it landed in the folds of the collar and rolled out, away from the body. That could be true. Do any of our readers know?

Out latest Ocracoke Newsletter is a reprint of a 1948 article about the Mail Boat Aleta, "Boat Hauls Mail, More." You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news032114.htm.

Saturday, April 05, 2014

Roots

I recently finished reading Whisper of the River by Ferrol Sams. This southern novel is an entertaining romp through the college career of young Porter ("Sambo") Osbourne, Jr. Sambo is quite the prankster, but he is intelligent, and has been Raised Right. Through luck and cunning, this young, naive country boy manages to make his four years at Willingham College in Macon a rollicking adventure, and in the process grow up.

Late in the book Sambo has a father/son conversation. Talk turns to "home," their insular, rural community in the fictional county of Brewton, far removed from the big city. Sambo's daddy opines that he would "never be able to live happily in a place where I didn't recognize every name on all the tombstones and know which ones were mine."

Wooden Marker for Tilmon W. O'Neal

















Tombstone for Failing Howard




















Many folks on Ocracoke can identify with Mr. Osbourne.

Out latest Ocracoke Newsletter is a reprint of a 1948 article about the Mail Boat Aleta, "Boat Hauls Mail, More." You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news032114.htm.

Friday, April 04, 2014

Where Are They Now?

On April Fool's morning I sat down at my computer to see if I had any comments on my post about drone lifeguards. After I was finished reading I raised my eyes and glanced out my window. I saw the top of a head at the base of my front steps.

This is what I saw when I opened my door.















My new friends remained in my yard all day, but they mysteriously wandered off during the night. I am told they paid a visit to Kenny Ballance. By morning they had found their way to the coffee shop, but rumor has it they departed last night around 10 pm.


















My guess is that they are still on the island, hoping to find a kind soul to take them in. If you see them, please report their whereabouts to the authorities...or just leave a comment.

Out latest Ocracoke Newsletter is a reprint of a 1948 article about the Mail Boat Aleta, "Boat Hauls Mail, More." You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news032114.htm.

Thursday, April 03, 2014

Pamlico Sound

Several days ago a reader asked this question: "Where did the name Pamlico come from?"

Of course, Pamlico Sound is the name of the lagoon or estuary that is separated from the Atlantic Ocean by the chain of barrier islands called the Outer Banks. It is approximately 80 miles long and 30 miles wide, making it the largest lagoon on the east coast of the United States.

NASA Photo of Pamlico Sound















The Pamlico River, formed by the confluence of the Tar River and Tranters Creek, is a tidal river in eastern North Carolina that flows into Pamlico Sound.

Following are the various spellings I located on a dozen early maps (mapmakers' names in parentheses):

Pamxlico River, 1657 (Comberford)
Pemptico [River], 1672 (Ogilby)
Pamticoe Sound, 1733 (Moseley)
Pamticoe River, 1770 (Collet)
Pamticoe Sound, 1775 (Mouzon)
Pamtico Sound, 1808 (Price-Strother)
Pamplico Sound, 1833 (Mac Rae-Brazier)
Pamplico Sound, 1861 (Colton)
Pamlico Sound, 1861 (Bachman)
Pamplico Sound, 1865 (US Coast Survey)
Pamlico Sound, 1882 (Kerr-Cain)
Pamlico Sound, 1896 (Post Route Map)

Roger L. Payne, in his book Place Names of the Outer Banks, lists one other spelling, Pamticough, and writes that "the lagoon is named for the Pamlico or Paquiac Indians who inhabited its shores...."

Payne adds, "Paquiac is the Algonquian word for shallow area and actually referred to Pamlico Sound but was misapplied by early mapmakers [to 'portions of Hatteras and Pea islands']."

Out latest Ocracoke Newsletter is a reprint of a 1948 article about the Mail Boat Aleta, "Boat Hauls Mail, More." You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news032114.htm.

Wednesday, April 02, 2014

Ruth Bromhall

Many of our readers know Jude Brown, long-time manager of Village Craftsmen. She typically works in the back office, choosing and ordering craft items, paying bills, managing employees, and taking care of various other details of the business. Occasionally she works at the counter, waiting on customers.

On Thursday, March 20, Jude's mother, Ruth Bromhall, died after many months of age-related complications. Ruth was 93 years old. She was born on January 31, 1921 in Niagara Falls, NY.

Ruth Bromhall



















Ruth was in the inaugural class of volunteers at Peninsula General Hospital, Salisbury, Maryland, where she served for over twenty-five years, touching many lives. Jude and her extended family remember Ruth as their beloved mom, the center and grounding of their lives, always game for family adventures, known for her reassuring and easy smile and wink, her expertise at doing crossword puzzles, and for her great spaghetti sauce.

She will be missed by family and friends.

Tuesday, April 01, 2014

Latest News Re. Lifeguards

Many of our readers have heard that the Park Service had made a decision to de-fund lifeguards in 2014. As a result of intense lobbying by Ocracoke Island residents and visitors, the Superintendent of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore has agreed to re-instate lifeguards on our beach. But islanders are as puzzled as they are delighted.

The decision is not exactly what Ocracokers were expecting. Because of budget cuts, the NPS is unable to fund conventional lifeguards. However, new technology will allow the Park to use UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles, aka "drones"). Drones have already been tested in Iran, and have been employed successfully as airborne lifeguards, locating distressed swimmers using thermal cameras and dropping life preservers to swimmers.

The good news is that drones are not only less expensive than human lifeguards, but they can be employed for longer periods and can patrol larger areas. Visiting teenagers will surely be less enthusiastic with the decision, however!

Click on the photo below (or on this link: http://rtsideas.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=7:pars-test-at-caspian-sea&Itemid=468&lang=en) to read more about the Iranian company that developed the battery powered drone lifeguards.

http://rtsideas.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=7:pars-test-at-caspian-sea&Itemid=468&lang=en
Drone Lifeguard on the Caspian Sea














For more information about the use of drones in the Cape Hatteras National Seashore, please click here.