Happy Holidays!

Village Craftsmen continues to offer fine quality American-made handcrafts even in the winter season. Our store on Howard Street is open Tuesday - Saturday from 11 am until 4 pm. Of course, our on-line store is also open. Our store on Howard Street will be closed December 24 & 25 so we can celebrate Christmas with our families, but will reopen on December 26. We will close for the season on December 31, and  will re-open again mid-March, 2016.

Also, this is our last blog post for 2015. Posts will resume on January 4, 2016. We hope you enjoy reading our blog throughout the year.

Until next year, we wish you all a Happy Winter Solstice (December 22)....

....The Merriest of Christmases (December 25)....

....and all good things in the New Year!

Many thanks to all of our readers and customers for a wonderful 2015. We are looking forward to seeing you all again in 2016!!

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of Capt. Horatio Williams and his schooner, the Paragon. You can read the story here: www.villagecraftsmen.com/news112115.htm.

Spencer's Market

This is our latest post about Ocracoke landmarks named for prominent islanders...Spencer's Market.

Spencer's Market is the location of two eateries, an antique shop, a sunglasses shop, a realty, golf cart rentals, and studio apartments. But who is Spencer?

Not so very long ago, on that corner (NC 12 and School Road), stood the home of islanders Herman (1906-1981) and Flora Burrus (Flossie) (d. 1976) Spencer. Flossie was the daughter of Joseph M. Burrus, keeper of the Ocracoke lighthouse from 1929 to 1946.

Herman was a fisherman and bird carver. For many years Village Craftsmen sold small hand-carved seagulls and pelicans that Herman made.

Herman also had a very dry sense of humor. He came by one afternoon with some birds to sell as we were filling a galvanized tub with water. We stepped inside to look at his carvings. After negotiating about his birds for about 40 minutes (including neighborly chatting), he turned to leave. On his way to the door he off-handedly remarked, "I reckon that galvanized tub is about filled up by now." Of course, it had been overflowing for more than half an hour!

Herman & Flossie Spencer Home (Photo by H. Raup, c. 1975)

The last folks to live in the house were Herman and Flossie's daughter, Gaynelle, and her son, Ricky. Gaynelle is well-known on the island as a baker of delicious fig cakes. She and Ricky also preserve figs that we sell in Village Craftsmen. In addition, Ricky works for the NC Ferry Division and at the Silver Lake Motel.

The house has been moved down the street. Today it is painted red, and houses the Ocracoke Pizza Company.   

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of Capt. Horatio Williams and his schooner, the Paragon. You can read the story here: www.villagecraftsmen.com/news112115.htm.         

Oyster Roast

One of the highlights of being on Ocracoke Island during the winter is the annual Oyster Roast sponsored by the Ocracoke Working Watermen's Association. Typically scheduled for late December (after the Christmas holidays), hundreds of islanders and visitors gather at the Fish House where makeshift plywood tables are piled with steamed, freshly harvested oysters.

Photo Courtesy Ocracoke Island Realty

Boiled shrimp is usually available for those few folks who are not keen on oysters. Van O"Neal often provides his famous fish stew, as well. Of course, there are plenty of hush puppies and, to wash it all down, beer or soft drinks. After you've had your fill, you can stroll down to the Watermen's Exhibit at the Community Square for a decadant dessert.

If you will be on the island later this month, check around the village for the dates of this year's Oyster Roast. You won't want to miss it!

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of Capt. Horatio Williams and his schooner, the Paragon. You can read the story here: www.villagecraftsmen.com/news112115.htm.

Looking to Thee

The Methodist Church was the center of community activity in my grandparents' time. My grandfather, Homer Howard, and my grandmother, Aliph O'Neal Howard, were active members of the congregation. (Click here to read my history of the Ocracoke Methodist Church.)

Grandfather Homer served in the United States Life Saving Service. Returning from beach patrol, he customarily rode his horse down Howard Street. Cousin Blanche remembers listening to him singing as he passed in front of her house. Last month Blanche sang one of the hymns she remembers hearing my grandfather singing (she says he had a beautiful voice). The hymn was "Looking to Thee," written in 1911.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of Capt. Horatio Williams and his schooner, the Paragon. You can read the story here: www.villagecraftsmen.com/news112115.htm.

Alphaeus Philemon Cole

According to Wikipedia, Alphaeus Philemon Cole (July 12, 1876 – November 25, 1988) "was an American artist, engraver and etcher. He was born in Jersey City, New Jersey and died in New York City. ... At the time of his death, at age 112 years and 136 days, Alphaeus was the world's oldest verified living man."

One of Alphaeus Cole's patrons was Ocracoke Island part-time resident Sam Jones, a colorful island character who built Berkley Castle, Berkley Manor, and several other distinctive structures.

According to an article in the October, 2010 issue of Virginia Living magazine, Sam's patronage of Alphaeus Phelemon Cole resulted in a CBS TV national interview with the famous portrait artist. When the interviewer asked Cole about affairs he may have had with his models Sam Jones became incensed and "emerged from backstage brandishing a broom and began swatting the interviewer and the production crew. The interview was unceremoniously aborted."

You can read more about Sam Jones here:  http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news012111.htm.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of Capt. Horatio Williams and his schooner, the Paragon. You can read the story here: www.villagecraftsmen.com/news112115.htm.

Where is This?

The following photo was taken by Henry Raup sometime between 1974 and 1978. I believe these two modest rental cottages were built from lumber salvaged from the old Navy barracks.

Today, this small home (below) sits where the cottage above (left) was located. I believe this home was built around the original cottage, which still remains part of the structure.

Notice how much the landscape has changed. Where once there was just sand, yucca plants and sand spurs, there is now grass and cedars.

Can any of our readers identify where this cottage is?

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of Capt. Horatio Williams and his schooner, the Paragon. You can read the story here: www.villagecraftsmen.com/news112115.htm.

What & Where

Not long ago, as I was biking around the village, I noticed this lonely structure sitting in a now-empty lot. Although island residents and many long-time visitors to Ocracoke will know what this is, I suspect there are some of our readers who will be puzzled.

If you do not recognize this object, you can learn what it is, and see photos of many more, here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news102110.htm.

For those of you who can identify this structure, I wonder if you know where it is located. If you think you know, please leave your answer in a comment.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of Capt. Horatio Williams and his schooner, the Paragon. You can read the story here: www.villagecraftsmen.com/news112115.htm.

Talking Backwards

"It's pretty some [an island expression meaning 'very pretty'] outside today," you might here an islander say. Looking out the window, you notice only rain and wind. It may seem odd, but you immediately understand that the speaker is using irony.

Talking backwards, or speaking in opposites, is a common linguistic usage on the Outer Banks. Walt Wolfram and Jeffrey Reaser comment on this in their book, Talkin' Tar Hell, How our Voices Tell the Story of North Carolina.

On page 120 - 121, Wolfram and Reaser use the adjective "greatest" as an example, by quoting Ann Rose from Harker's Island (Ocracoke Islanders use this word just as they do on Harker's Island). Ann explains that the statement, "That crowd had the greatest time," doesn't necessarily indicate a positive observation. "It coulda been that maybe they were fussing about something and feuding and hollering and screaming and whatever, but 'greatest' means like intensity, you know."

Wolfram and Reaser go on to explain that "talking backwards" and other distinctive linguistic devices help set Outer Bankers apart from the mainland. They promote social solidarity, and promote the preservation of a unique culture.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of Capt. Horatio Williams and his schooner, the Paragon. You can read the story here: www.villagecraftsmen.com/news112115.htm.

Lighthouse-Inspired Poems

Today I share excerpts from four lighthouse-inspired poems (there are many more).

Lead Kindly Light, by John Henry Newman, 1801-1890:

Lead, kindly Light, amid th'encircling gloom;
Lead thou me on!
The night is dark, and I am far from home;
Lead thou me on!

The Lighthouse, by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, 1807-1882:

And as the evening darkens, lo! how bright,
Through the deep purple of the twilight air,
Beams forth the sudden radiance of its light
With strange, unearthly splendor in the glare!

Photo by Lou Ann Homan

Pharos Loquitor, by Sir Walter Scott, 1771-1832:

Far in the bosom of the deep,
O'er these wild shelves my watch I keep;
A ruddy gem of changeful light,
Bound on the dusky brow of night,
 
Let the Lower Lights be Burning, by Philip P. Bliss, 1838-1876:
 
Let the lower lights be burning!
Send a gleam across the wave!
Some poor fainting, struggling seaman
You may rescue, you may save.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of Capt. Horatio Williams and his schooner, the Paragon. You can read the story here: www.villagecraftsmen.com/news112115.htm.

Early Lighthouse Lamps

In past posts I have written about the Fresnel Lens, a technological leap in navigational lighting. A Fresnel Lens, invented in 1822, is a glass dome of prisms and bull's-eyes. Light is concentrated at its center into parallel rays that are intensified with a magnifying glass.

Click here to read more about the Fresnel Lens and the Ocracoke Lighthouse: http://villagecraftsmen.blogspot.com/search?q=fresnel.

But what methods were used to illuminate American lighthouses prior to 1822? Below is a partial list, in chronological order, of various devices and mechanisms:

• Simple pole lights upon which were burned bales of pitch-soaked oakum (loose fiber obtained by untwisting old rope).
• Tallow candles set in chandeliers and enclosed in a lantern room (until the mid-1700s).
• Oil Lamps 
• Simple, open reservoirs filled with oil (whale oil was most highly prized) into which several cotton-rope wicks were placed. 
• Pan lamps: enclosed trays with as many as two dozen wicks. Some lighthouses suspended more than one pan lamp in the lantern room. "Compass lamps" were round.
• Bucket lamps: larger devices that could hold as much as two gallons of oil, with numerous metal spouts into which were threaded thick rope wicks.
• Argand lamps: invented by French physicist, Francois-Pierre Ami Argand, employed a much cleaner burning hollow wick encased in a metal tube, and a glass chimney.
• Reflector lamps: an Argand lamp with an added silver-coated parabolic reflector.
• Winslow Lewis lamps: an Argand lamp modified with a convex, bottle glass magnifier.

For fuel, kerosene replaced whale oil after the Civil War, and Fresnel lenses replaced other devices by the mid-19th century. Fresnel lenses remain the "gold standard" and are still in use in US lighthouses today.

Eventually all lighthouses were electrified. The Ocracoke lighthouse was fitted with a Fresnel lens in 1854, and electrified in 1929.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of Capt. Horatio Williams and his schooner, the Paragon. You can read the story here: www.villagecraftsmen.com/news112115.htm.

Yaupon Tea

Yaupon holly grows wild on Ocracoke Island.

Many of our readers know that islanders have traditionally used the dried leaves, which contain caffeine and theobromine (an alkaloid found in conventional tea and chocolate), to make a local tea substitute.

Native Americans were the first to discover yaupon tea. Some sources identify yaupon tea as the "black drink" used in purification rituals. Because the ceremonies involved vomiting, Europeans gave yaupon its Latin name, Ilex vomitoria. However, yaupon does not have emetic properties unless drunk in great quantities, or in combination with other substances made from roots and herbs, and/or after fasting.

Village Craftsmen often has locally harvested yaupon tea for sale. Try it sometime. It is quite refreshing.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of Capt. Horatio Williams and his schooner, the Paragon. You can read the story here: www.villagecraftsmen.com/news112115.htm.

Island Christmas Events

If you are on the island this week and/or next, be sure to take note of the following special holiday events:

• Saturday, Dec. 5: Ocracoke Preservation Society Historic Homes Open House, 3 to 5 p.m. The historic Emma & Simon O’Neal house, 458 Lighthouse Rd., and the Felix & Sue Fleig House (circa 1950s),107 Live Oak Rd. will be open for viewing.
• Sunday, Dec. 6: 2 p.m. Cookie swap. Ocracoke Community Library. Bring a dozen take a dozen. 
• Monday, Dec. 7: United Methodist Women’s Potluck Dinner, Ocracoke Community Center; 6 p.m. 
• Tuesday, Dec. 8: OPS Wassail Party and Lighting of the Community Tree; 5 to 7 p.m. 

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of Capt. Horatio Williams and his schooner, the Paragon. You can read the story here: www.villagecraftsmen.com/news112115.htm. 

The Great Swash

Wind, waves, tide, time, and humans are constantly shaping and re-shaping the Outer Banks. The Great Swash (35°09'21'N 75°51'30"W) is the name given to an area on Ocracoke (see screenshot below) that half a century ago was rarely dry, almost continually awash with tide.

Not surprisingly, the Great Swash is the site of Old Hatteras Inlet. Today, however, that area has been stabilized by the construction of a barrier dune between NC Highway 12 and the Atlantic Ocean. The casual visitor would not recognize this as an area that was at one time marsh and wetlands.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of Capt. Horatio Williams and his schooner, the Paragon. You can read the story here: www.villagecraftsmen.com/news112115.htm.

Wreck Diving

Numerous vessels have wrecked along the Outer Banks. The web site, http://www.nc-wreckdiving.com/, lists 70 ships that sank in the month of December (between 1818 and 1982), including a half dozen lost at Ocracoke (http://www.nc-wreckdiving.com/calendar/december.html).

Photo courtesy www.nc-wreckdiving.com

As the web site points out, "Bathed by the clear, warm waters of the Gulf Stream, the coast of North Carolina offers some of the best scuba and wreck diving in the United States. Whether interested in sight-seeing, underwater photography, maritime or military history, a technical diver or just beginning, from Cape Hatteras to Cape Fear, the abundant marine life and numerous shipwrecks of North Carolina offer something for scuba divers of all interests and skill levels."

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of Capt. Horatio Williams and his schooner, the Paragon. You can read the story here: www.villagecraftsmen.com/news112115.htm.

Spencer House

Below is a photo taken by National Park Service ranger, Henry Raup, sometime between 1974 and 1978. The house on the left, built ca. 1940, is still standing.

The house on the right, a traditional island "story and a jump," was built in the early 20th century by Andrew Spencer. The last resident was his cousin, Caswell Spencer (1886-1905). The house stood until 1989 when it was demolished. Descendants of the Spencers continue to live in the house on the left.

Can any of our readers identify where this picture was taken?

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of Capt. Horatio Williams and his schooner, the Paragon. You can read the story here: www.villagecraftsmen.com/news112115.htm.

Henry Pigott

Henry Pigott (1896-1971) was one of seven children born on Portsmouth Island to descendants of slaves. His grandmother was a midwife who also fished and tonged for oysters. Henry's sister Lizzie became the village barber; Henry was the "mailman." Henry poled out into Pamlico Sound daily to meet the mailboat Aleta.

Henry Pigott meeting the Mailboat

Henry retrieved the mail for Portsmouth, then passed letters and packages to the captain. He also gave the captain a list of items Portsmouth islanders requested from the store on Ocracoke.

Henry was the last male resident of Portsmouth Island. When he died in 1971 Elma Dixon and Marion Babb, the remaining two residents, reluctantly left their island home. It was the end of an era.

You can read more about Henry Pigott here: http://www.nps.gov/calo/planyourvisit/upload/Henry2000.pdf.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of Capt. Horatio Williams and his schooner, the Paragon. You can read the story here: www.villagecraftsmen.com/news112115.htm.

Happy Thanksgiving

All of us at Village Craftsmen wish you and your family a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Philip, Jude, Jean, & Mona

And we thought you might enjoy this old-time Ocracoke Island recipe for the main course at the Thanksgiving table:

Stewed Wild Goose.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 lb. salt pork
• 1/4 cup flour
• 8 potatoes, halved
• Corn dumplings or drop pastry dumplings
• Cut-up goose
• Salt & pepper
• Pod of red pepper

In a large pot fry out salt pork until light brown; add flour slightly browned, and add cut-up fowl. Add salt, pepper, pod of red pepper, and enough water to cover. Cook until tender, them add potatoes and corn dumplings. Lay dumplings on top or add drop dumplings when nearly done.

-- Recipe by Mrs. Eva Williams (1892-1972)

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of Capt. Horatio Williams and his schooner, the Paragon. You can read the story here: www.villagecraftsmen.com/news112115.htm.

Israel Hands

Earlier this month I posted a link to Capt. Rob Temple's original poem about Israel Hands, second in command to Blackbeard the pirate.

According to Captain Charles Johnson (A General History of the Robberies & Murders of the Most Notorious Pirates, published in 1724):

"[Israel] Hands [the master of Blackbeard's sloop] happened not to be in the fight [with Lt. Robert Maynard in November, 1718, when Blackbeard was killed], but was taken afterwards ashore at Bath Town having been sometime before disabled by Blackbeard, in one of his savage humours, after the following manner. One night drinking in his cabin, with Hands, the pilot, and another man, Blackbeard without any provocation privately draws out a small pair of pistols and cocks them under the table, which, being perceived by the man, he withdrew and went on deck. leaving Hands, the pilot, and the captain together. When the pistols were ready, he blew out the candle, and crossing his hands, discharged them at his company; Hands, the master, was shot through the knee and lamed for life; the other pistol did no execution. Being asked the meaning of this, he only answered, by damning them, that if he did not now and then kill one of them, they would forget who he was."

Such was Blackbeard's management style. If yours is more benign, take heart. Blackbeard's career lasted only about 18 months.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of Capt. Horatio Williams and his schooner, the Paragon. You can read the story here: www.villagecraftsmen.com/news112115.htm.

Oyster War

In January I published an Ocracoke Newsletter about the 1890 Ocracoke Oyster War. It seems the appearance of "oyster pirates" in Pamlico Sound, and the strife over oysters extended to the mainland as well. The following report was published in The Economist (Elizabeth City, NC), Tuesday, May 6, 1890:

"As peaceful as they look to be there is something about oysters that engender strife. A case, originating in oysters, occurred in New Bern on Wednesday in which an oyster patrolman named J.C. THOMAS whose headquarters were at Coinjock, Currituck County, was shot, but not mortally wounded, by Jones SPENCER of Hyde County who recently published an article in the Washington Gazette reflecting upon the character of THOMAS and charging that he was bribed while at his official business at Coinjock..., when SPENCER pulled out a pistol and told THOMAS he would shoot him if he came nearer. THOMAS continued to advance when SPENCER fired and a ball struck his abdomen and lodged in his hip. THOMAS was badly wounded and SPENCER was arrested, bought before Mayor WILLIAMS, waived examination and was placed under a bond of $400 .... THOMAS was a patrolman at the oyster grounds, SPENCER was also a patrolman appointed by Hyde County and was ordered to Coinjock. SPENCER published the results of his investigations and charged corruption upon THOMAS and bribery by non-resident oyster pirates. This led to the difficulty between the two."

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of Capt. Horatio Williams and his schooner Paragon. You can read the story here: www.villagecraftsmen.com/news112115.htm.

The Downfall of Piracy

On November 22, 1718, Oracoke's most notorious part-time resident was killed just off of Springer's Point.

On hearing the news, 12 year old Benjamin Franklin composed a "broadside ballad" commemorating the event. The title of his poem is "The Taking of Teach the Pirate" or "The Downfall of Piracy; being a full and true Account of a desperate and bloody Sea-fight between Lieutenant Maynard, and that noted Pirate Captain Teach, commonly call'd by the Name of Blackbeard; Maynard had fifty Men, thirty five of which were kill'd and wounded in the Action: Teach had twenty one, most of which were kill'd, and the rest carried to Virginia, in order to take their Tryal."

Following is Franklin's ballad, designed to be sung to the tune of "What is greater Joy and Pleasure."

Will you hear of a bloody Battle,
Lately fought upon the Seas,
It will make your Ears to rattle,
And your Admiration cease;
Have you heard of Teach the Rover,
And his Knavery on the Main;
How of Gold he was a Lover,
How he lov'd all ill got Gain.

When the Act of Grace appeared,
Captain Teach with all his Men,
Unto Carolina steered,
Where they kindly us'd him then;
There he marry'd to a Lady,
And gave her five hundred Pound,
But to her he prov'd unsteady,
For he soon march'd of[f] the Ground.

And returned, as I tell you,
To his Robbery as before,
Burning, sinking Ships of value,
Filling them with Purple Gore;
When he was at Carolina,
There the Governor did send,
To the Governor of Virginia,
That he might assistance lend.

Then the Man of War's Commander,
Two small Sloops he fitted out,
Fifty Men he put on board, Sir,
Who resolv'd to stand it out:
The Lieutenant he commanded
Both the Sloops, and you shall hear,
How before he landed,
He suppress'd them without Fear.

Valiant Maynard as he sailed,
Soon the Pirate did espy,
With his Trumpet he then hailed,
And to him they did reply:
Captain Teach is our Commander,
Maynard said, he is the Man,
Whom I am resolv'd to hang Sir,
Let him do the best he can.

Teach reply'd unto Maynard,
You no Quarters here shall see,
But be hang'd on the Main-yard,
You and all your Company;
Maynard said, I none desire,
Of such Knaves as thee and thine,
None I'll give, Teach then replyed,
My Boys, give me a Glass of Wine.

He took the Glass, and drank Damnation,
Unto Maynard and his Crew;
To himself and Generation,
Then the Glass away he threw;
Brave Maynard was resolv'd to have him,
Tho' he'd Cannons nine or ten:
Teach a broadside quickly gave him,
Killing sixteen valiant Men.

Maynard boarded him, and to it
They fell with Sword and Pistol too;
They had Courage, and did show it,
Killing the Pirate's Crew.
Teach and Maynard on the Quarter,
Fought it out most manfully,
Maynard's Sword did cut him shorter,
Losing his Head, he there did die.

Every Sailor fought while he Sir,
Power had to weild [sic] the Sword,
Not a Coward could you see Sir,
Fear was driven from aboard:
Wounded Men on both Sides fell Sir,
'Twas a doleful Sight to see,
Nothing could their Courage quell Sir,
O, they fought courageously.

When the bloody Fight was over,
We're inform'd by a Letter writ,
Teach's Head was made a Cover,
To the Jack Staff of the Ship:
Thus they sailed to Virginia,
And when they the Story told,
How they kill'd the Pirates many,
They'd Applause from young and old.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of Capt. Horatio Williams and his schooner Paragon. You can read the story here: www.villagecraftsmen.com/news112115.htm.

Poem

Nearly every Wednesday evening throughout the summer Capt. Rob Temple entertains folks at the Ocracoke Opry with stories and original poems. Capt. Rob's poem about Israel Hands, second in command to Edward Teach (Blackbeard), is an historically accurate retelling of his story in verse. The poem has been acquired by National Geographic. Below are the first two verses.

A Pirate's Tale: The Story of Israel Hands

I was strolling the lane through Hyde Park in foggy London town

when the cries of a beggar distracted me and caused me to turn around.

Approaching me from out of the mist was a shabbily clad old soul

hobbling along on a wooden leg with the help of a wooden pole.

 

From his deeps set eyes and leathery skin

it was instantly clear to me

that the guy was a tar who had journeyed from a far

and spent most of his life on the sea.

You can listen to Capt. Rob recite the entire poem here: http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2006/07/blackbeard-shipwreck/audio-interactive. Click on "Launch Audio" below Capt. Rob's photo.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of Capt. Horatio Williams and his schooner Paragon. You can read the story here: www.villagecraftsmen.com/news112115.htm.

E.D. & Clara Springer

Many visitors to Ocracoke are familiar with Springer's Point, the last vestige of a maritime forest situated within Ocracoke village. This is where the earliest European settlers made their homes, and from the shore you can look out over Teach's Hole, where Blackbeard was killed in 1718. At one time several houses, a blacksmith shop, horse stables, docks, warehouses, and even a wind-powered grist mill, were situated on the Point.

But why is this area called Springer's Point? Read below for our latest explanation of one more Ocracoke landmark named after a prominent islander.

In the mid-1700s that area on the southwest edge of the village was called Williams' Point. John Williams had purchased it from William Howard in September, 1759. Later, it was sold back to members of the Howard family, and islanders began calling it Howard's Point. It later passed to Daniel Tolson, a prominent islander who is buried on the Point. 

Before her death in 1883, Daniel Tolson's widow, Sidney McWilliams, sold her land and buildings to E. D. and Clara Springer, from South Creek, North Carolina.

E. D. Springer

Although the Springers enjoyed spending time on Ocracoke they never made this their permanent home. In 1923 the elder Springers sold their property to their son, Wallace. He was the last person to live in the old house on the Point, but only for a short while. Wallace, who never married, continued to stay on Ocracoke for some years. Instead of remaining in the old house, he eventually moved in with Mr. Jamie Styron and other island friends. In 1941 Sam Jones purchased Springer’s Point. Wallace Springer died March 13, 1963.

 Sam Jones died in 1977, and is buried at Springer's Point, next to his horse, Ikey D. 

The Point to this day is still called Springer's Point. It is one of several areas on the island named for people who have been part of our history.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of Capt. Horatio Williams and his schooner Paragon. You can read the story here: www.villagecraftsmen.com/news112115.htm.

A Prominent Ocracoke Citizen

From The Tar Heel (Elizabeth City), Friday, March 26, 1909, pg. 3:

"Mr. J[ohn] W[ilson] McWILLIAMS of Ocracoke, was elected to serve Hyde County in the House in 1909 by a majority of 625. He was born in Hyde County on March 10, 1869 and was educated in the public schools of his native county. He is a member of the Methodist church. On May 20, 1889 he was married to Miss Elizabeth WILLIAMS. He is a leading merchant of Ocracoke* and a leading citizen of his district. He served two terms as commissioner of wrecks for Hyde County. Mr. McWILLIAMS was a members of the following committees: Fish & Fisheries, Oyster Interests, Game Laws and Insurance and Institution for the Blind. He was mostly interested in the legislation affecting drainage, game laws and the fish and oyster industries and was prominent in shaping this legislation. Hyde has just cause to be proud of its representative."

*" One of the largest general stores on Ocracoke was that established by John W. McWilliams in the late 1800s. Located down point, on the shore of Cockle Creek, with a view of the harbor from one side, and the lighthouse from the other, the "Department Store," as it came to be called, included several structures joined together. McWilliams traded in groceries, boating supplies, hardware, clothing, and other general merchandise. He even carried a line of furniture. A barber shop sat across the lane. The fierce storm of 1933 did considerable damage to the store, and sometime after John McWilliams’ death the store was abandoned." (from our September, 2006, "Ocracoke Newsletter," http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news092106.htm).

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of Capt. Horatio Williams and his schooner Paragon. You can read the story here: www.villagecraftsmen.com/news112115.htm.

Newsletter

This month's Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of colorful island sea captain, Horatio Williams, and his schooner, Paragon, which Capt. Williams sank at the outbreak of the Civil War to keep her out of the hands of the Yankees and the Confederates.

After the war Capt. Horatio raised her up and put her back in service. You can read the story here: www.villagecraftsmen.com/news112115.htm.

OPS Old House Award

Almost every year since 1989 the Ocracoke Preservation Society has recognized an individual, family, or business that owns a contributing structure in the Ocracoke Historic District, and who has maintained and preserved those architectural features that allowed the structure to be originally identified for placement in the Historic District.

This year, at the Society's fall membership meeting on November 10, the Old House Award was presented to Trudy and Wayne Clark for their recent historic rehabilitation of the Felix & Sue Fleig House on Live Oak Road.

Although this modest, hip-roofed house with a corner recessed porch was built in the 1950s, a century later than many other structures in the Historic District, it is representative of island homes built shortly before the significant changes following the era of modern tourism ushered in by the introduction of state-operated ferries in 1957 and the paving of NC Highway 12.

The restoration project was carried out by island resident, Tom Pahl, of Landmark Building & Design, according to North Carolina State Preservation Standards.

Congratulations to Trudy and Wayne Clark, and to Tom Pahl, for their commitment to historic preservation...and to a fine job of rehabilitation.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of the Wreck of the Banana Boat. You can read it here: www.villagecraftsmen.com/news102115.htm.   

Nest

Ospreys are magnificent birds of prey that nest on the Outer Banks. I recently came across this nest, high in the crotch of a dead tree between Island Creek and Old Hammock Creek. No ospreys were to be seen. I wondered why.

Then I came across the following explanation on the Internet.

According to "Wildlife in North Carolina," September/October, 2012, Volume 76, Number 1, published by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, North Carolina. Department of Conservation and Development, Division of Game and Inland Fisheries, "one of the most successful birds of prey on Earth, ... show [the] incredible behavior of returning to their natal homes. Upon migrating south in the fall, the ospreys that call the Outer Banks home will undertake their journey to Central America at break-neck speeds. Once arriving in places such as Venezuela, that year’s fledglings will then spend the next two years of their lives in the tropics where they mature."

I am learning something new all of the time!

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of the Wreck of the Banana Boat. You can read it here: www.villagecraftsmen.com/news102115.htm.  

A Colorful Island Expression

On Tuesday afternoon I saw Dale. Several months ago he accepted the job as postmaster in a small, remote indigenous village in Alaska, and he is back home for a few days. As usual, he was full of stories...stories of his present village, Unalakleet, and stories of Ocracoke.

Dale and Lisa (she works at the Ocracoke School) have been enjoying remembering and sharing island stories, including a unique island expression that they remember hearing as children: "This is the greatest [greatest just means noteworthy; not necessarily good] time since Puck Ballance was struck by lightning and swallered his tongue!"

Ocracokers certainly do employ colorful language. This expression will probably never make into the Oxford English Dictionary, but feel free to use it as the occasion warrants. Ulysses S. (Puck) Ballance was born January 15, 1882, and died March 17, 1946.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of the Wreck of the Banana Boat. You can read it here: www.villagecraftsmen.com/news102115.htm.

Cultural Heritage Award

Yesterday evening, at the Ocracoke Preservation Society's fall membership meeting, the Society presented its second annual Cultural Heritage Award. Established last year (Earl O'Neal, Jr. was the first recipient), the award is designed to recognize islanders who have made significant contributions to the preservation of Ocracoke Island history, culture, and/or traditions.

Blanche Howard Jolliff & Amy Howard

This year's recipient of the Cultural Heritage Award is Blanche Howard Jolliff. Blanche lives in the house on Howard Street where she was born in December, 1919. For Blanche's entire life she has been interested in remembering and honoring her forebears and other islanders who have had a significant impact on this small, isolated community. 

Blanche has been blessed with a remarkable memory, and a graciousness that has endeared her to everyone who knows her. She is always ready to share history, stories, and memories with family, friends, and off-island visitors. Because of Blanche's treasure trove of memories much of Ocracoke's cultural life and history has been preserved for future generations.

Congratulations, Blanche! Your award is well deserved.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of the Wreck of the Banana Boat. You can read it here: www.villagecraftsmen.com/news102115.htm.

Evidence

Only recently (in the last 12-15 years) have we had deer on Ocracoke. A doe and her fawn darted across Highway 12 one early morning about 10 years ago as I was driving to the Hatteras ferry. But I haven't seen deer since then. I often wonder if deer are still on the island. When I wander around "down below," especially near Parker's Creek, there is no doubt. I made this photo just two weeks ago:

A path with numerous clearly impressed deer tracks ran across the open sandy area between heavily wooded stands of cedars, yaupons, and myrtles. But the deer stayed well hidden. One day I might be lucky and stumble upon a daytime lair.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of the Wreck of the Banana Boat. You can read it here: www.villagecraftsmen.com/news102115.htm.

Ten Thousand Breakfasts

Many of our readers are familiar with Oscar's House Bed & Breakfast, located on NC Highway 12. Many folks also know the proprietor, Ann Ehringhaus. In 2013 Ann published her latest book, Ten Thousand Breakfasts, a 206-page memoir of thirty years operating her business, including photographs, recipes, humor, and  quotations from many of her guests.

If you are looking for holiday gifts or would like some insight into one islander's life journey, for a limited time you can order Ten Thousand Breakfasts directly from Ann Ehringhaus at a considerable discount. Ann has operated Oscar's House Bed and Breakfast on Ocracoke since 1984, and this book is quite a tale of how she changed in order to share her home with now over 14,000 people!  This is a story of spiritual change affecting business change, and offers a lot of humor, some great recipes, and thoughts about sharing space and life with others..  From now until the end of the year Ann is offering her books for $10.00 each (the normal price is $18.00). Shippping is $5.00 for 1-2 books.  Please call Ann at Oscar's at 252-928-1311 or email her at aeocracoke@gmail.com to place your order or to obtain more information.

You can read reviews of Ann's book at http://ocracokeobserver.com/2014/08/02/ann-ehringhaur/ or at http://www.ocracokecurrent.com/76082.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of the Wreck of the Banana Boat. You can read it here: www.villagecraftsmen.com/news102115.htm. 

Thieving Yankees and Low-Life Unworthy Natives!!

In September of 2014 I wrote an Ocracoke Newsletter about "Hatteras, the Seat of NC Government During the Civil War."

I recently came across this interesting article about that time, from the  Charlotte Democrat, dated January 20, 1863 (click on the image for a larger, easier-to-read image):



















Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of the Wreck of the Banana Boat. You can read it here: www.villagecraftsmen.com/news102115.htm.

Tragedy On This Date, 1927

In a comment on a recent post, a reader asked about Ocracokers who have lost their lives at sea. I have learned of more than 40 islanders who were victims of accidents on the water. Following is an article from The Gastonia Daily Gazette, Friday, Nov. 8, 1927, about three Ocracoke fishermen who drowned on November 5, 1927.

"ELIZABETH CITY, Nov. 8 - Trapped by heavy seas in a roaring gale off Ocracoke last Saturday [November 5, 1927], three fisherman lost their lives, and a fourth, able to withstand the buffeting waters, managed to swim ashore to safety. First definite details of the tragedy were received at the coast guard station here today from James H. GARRISH, keeper of the Ocracoke life guard station. The sinking of the craft, the motor boat 2021-T, was witnessed by M.P. GUTHRIE, member of the Ocracoke coast guard crew patrolling the beach Saturday morning. The lone survivor, Joseph GASKINS, was observed wading in the surf near the shore a short time later. He was taken to the coast guard station and the crew set out in a motor boat in an effort to save the others. The body of John P. SPENCER was found floating and by use of a seine, the bodies of William and Ivy O'NEIL [sic] were recovered."

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of the Wreck of the Banana Boat. You can read it here: www.villagecraftsmen.com/news102115.htm. 

More Halloween Photos

I just posted six more Halloween photos sent to me by Sally Beachy. You can see them here:
http://villagecraftsmen.blogspot.com/2015/10/halloween.html.

Another Critter

Last week I made an excursion "down below" (an island expression for the area north of the NPS campground) to hike with friends at "old hammock." One of the island's largest live oaks is growing on an overgrown path there, near the sound.

Old Hammock Oak

To read more about Ocracoke's majestic live oaks click here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news122908.htm.

When we stepped out of the truck we were startled to see, just off the side of the highway, this black snake curled up, enjoying the sunshine.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of the Wreck of the Banana Boat. You can read it here: www.villagecraftsmen.com/news102115.htm. 

Alligator...Again

On Thursday I published a post about alligators in Hyde County and on the Outer Banks. My friend Jim, from Manteo, sent me this recent photo:

And Marie sent me this a link to an article from August 12, about an alligator near the Neuse River in eastern North Carolina:    http://www.newbernsj.com/article/20150812/NEWS/150819660/14880/NEWS

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of the Wreck of the Banana Boat. You can read it here: www.villagecraftsmen.com/news102115.htm.

Pirate Jamboree

Tricorn hats, muskets, cutlasses, feathers, and tankards of grog were in evidence Friday afternoon when pirates invaded Ocracoke! The buccaneers set up a pirate encampment at the Wahab House and at Berkley Manor. Tavern games, piratical gear, and 18th century clothing and artifacts were on display.

The Brigand's Bazaar featured seafaring arts & crafts for sale, with vendors dressed in period costumes.

Roving minstrels strolled village streets, and The Motley Tones entertained residents and visitors with songs, ballads, pub songs and sea shanties from Blackbeard's day. Bawdy songs were reserved for after-hours when the young-uns were in their beds.

Military detachments stood at attention as commands were issued and cannons were fired.

Early afternoon on Saturday the Meka II and the Ada Mae engaged in a battle in Silver Lake Harbor.

Many a piratical tale was told, and historian Kevin Duffus presented a detailed portrait of Capt. Blackbeard's last days and his battle at Ocracoke Inlet with Lt. Robert Maynard of the British Royal Navy on November 22, 1718.

On Sunday morning the pirate and militia crews marched from Blackbeard's Lodge to Springer's Point to remember the final battle.

It was a fun weekend for the re-enactors, visitors, and island residents. If you missed it this year, mark your calendar for 2016. Every year gets better!

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of the Wreck of the Banana Boat. You can read it here: www.villagecraftsmen.com/news102115.htm.

Halloween

Halloween on Ocracoke kicks off with a parade of costumes around the school circle during the school's annual celebration. This photo was taken last week. Elementary students and teen-agers enjoyed dressing up for the day.

This year's celebration also included a hay ride and ghost stories (my daughter Amy, Heather Johnson, and I kept the children on the edge of their hay bales!), as well as games, horse rides, and a climbing wall. Trick or Treating will be Saturday, October 31.

To coincide with Halloween this year, today begins the annual Pirate Jamboree. This is always a rollicking good time for young and old. Hope to see you there. I am hoping to post photos of the 2015 Jamboree next week.

Update, 11/4/15: I am posting several more Ocracoke Halloween photos sent to me by Sally Beachy.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of the Wreck of the Banana Boat. You can read it here: www.villagecraftsmen.com/news102115.htm.

Alligators

I recently came across this short blurb from The Washington Gazette (Washington, Beaufort Co. NC) - Thursday, June 12, 1884; pg. 3; column 4: "It is not generally known that there are alligators in our county, but they are seen occasionally; one was seen at Rose Bay a short while since."

I wondered if any alligators have been seen in eastern North Carolina recently. I found this article from August 3, 2015, on the website, PilotOnline.com:

"Big alligators are showing up frequently where people are in North Carolina.

"A 12-foot monster blocked traffic in March on a back road in Brunswick County, according to news reports. A 9-footer was removed in June from a neighborhood in New Hanover County. A boater spotted a gator swimming in Oregon Inlet in June. A 12-foot veteran of the Dare County swamps was struck and killed on U.S. 64 in May last year....

"Though they haven't been found on Outer Banks beaches, alligators do linger in inland sections of coastal Dare and Hyde counties. And in those spots, they appear to be on the increase...."

The article assures us that "Despite the recent spate of human encounters with gators in North Carolina, biologists stressed that the creatures rarely attack. 'People can peacefully coexist with alligators,' [biologist Jeff] Hall said."

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of the Wreck of the Banana Boat. You can read it here: www.villagecraftsmen.com/news102115.htm. 

An Evening Get-Together

Much like the salons of the 17th & 18th centuries, a small group of islanders and off-island friends gathered this week to share music, poetry, art, dance, and ideas.

An Evening Music Jam at the Soundfront Inn

This is what Wikipedia has to say about a salon: It is "a gathering of people under the roof of an inspiring host, held partly to amuse one another and partly to refine the taste and increase the knowledge of the participants through conversation.... Salons, commonly associated with French literary and philosophical movements of the 17th and 18th centuries, were carried on until recently in urban settings."

A few Ocracoke islanders are continuing the tradition begun here in 1940 with the establishment of the "Island Workshop." You can read about the Island Workshop here:  http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news112908.htm.
Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter, is the story of the 1909 wreck of the steamship Brewster, known to Ocracokers as The Wreck of the Banana Boat. You can read it here: www.villagecraftsmen.com/news102115.htm.

Newsletter

We have recently published our latest Ocracoke Newsletter, the story of the 1909 wreck of the steamship Brewster, known to Ocracokers as The Wreck of the Banana Boat. You can read it here: www.villagecraftsmen.com/news102115.htm.

Bonner Bridge

On this date in 1990 a dredge collided with the Herbert C. Bonner bridge (which spans Oregon inlet) during a storm, causing the collapse of a lengthy segment of the bridge. The accident isolated residents and visitors on Hatteras Island. In order to leave Hatteras thousands of vacationers were forced to take the Hatteras Inlet ferry to Ocracoke and then board a ferry to Swan Quarter or Cedar Island. In short order, Ocracoke Island was flooded with refugees. Ferry lines for vehicles waiting to board the ferries to the mainland stretched down NC 12 as far as the National Park Service campground. Waiting times quickly expanded to days, rather than hours.

The situation developed quickly, with stranded visitors dealing with cold nights, extremely limited accommodations (hundreds of people were forced to sleep in their cars), hunger, and lack of facilities. As soon as Ocracoke islanders realized the extent of the problem, volunteers were organized to care for the stranded motorists. We made sandwiches, and delivered food and beverages to the unfortunate folks. Motel owners and individuals offered free rooms to families with young children or elderly persons.

It took days to evacuate visitors from Hatteras and Ocracoke, and many weeks for emergency construction workers to repair the breach and reconnect the only highway link to the rest of the Outer Banks and the mainland.

You can read more about the accident, with photos, in an article written five years ago in the Island Free Press. Click here to read the article.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of the Wreck of the Banana Boat. You can read it here: www.villagecraftsmen.com/news102115.htm.

Buffaloes

[There were no posts for the last two days because I was out sailing in Pamlico Sound with Capt. Rob and other friends...and I neglected to schedule posts while I was away. But I am back again. I hope you missed me!]

A monument near the National Park Service Visitors Center remembers veterans of the Civil War from Ocracoke and Portsmouth Islands.

Photo courtesy OPS

Although most island soldiers fought for the Confederacy, some joined the Union army. John Carbone, in The Civil War in Coastal North Carolina, writes that "A number of Bankers and other coastal residents joined the two regiments of Union infantry composed of native North Carolinians known as 'buffaloes.' To be sure, not all Outer Bankers supported their invaders. At the same time as some were taking the oath of allegiance and joining the Federal ranks, others were crossing the sounds and enlisting in Confederate units such as the Thirty-third North Carolina Regiment being formed in Hyde county in the autumn of 1861."

Historian David Stick has written that "Whether the Union sentiment, especially on Hatteras Island [and we might add Ocracoke], was of the genuine, inbred type or simply an expedient to make the best of changing conditions, the fact is that many of the Bankers did side with the North."

This month's Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of whale and porpoise fishing on  the Outer Banks. You can read the story here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news082115.htm.

Tree Stumps & Peat

Geologist tell us that, as sea level rises, the Outer Banks islands "leap frog" toward the west. After ocean-side sand is eroded by storm tides it is then carried by the wind across the sand flats and deposited on the sound-side, covering marshland and other vegetation. Eventually, after many years, evidence of this slow migration appears on the ocean beach when remnants of centuries-old sound-side growth is uncovered. The photos below were taken a few days ago. You can see the remains of tree stumps in one picture, and an exposed layer of peat in the other.

This month's Ocracoke Newsletter is a reproduction of a 1960s booklet titled The Great Ocracoke Cat Hunt. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news092115.htm.