July 4, 1956

Newspaper reports from 1956 indicate that “the parade feature of the [July 4] program will be omitted this year as a committee of the Civic club wisely decide that with all the construction work going on in the village – the old navy dock, the Park area around the Coast Guard station and the state road building activities, -- all this work will make it impossible for people to participate in a parade feature.”

Nine days after July 4, 1956, the newspaper “... reported that Ocracoke saw the biggest crowd yet for their July 4 celebration, with visitors crowding in from all directions, and many asking for rooms in homes because all vacancies were filled. The ferry ran all day on July 3 and many of the people coming in by car and not knowing the terrain [there was no paved highway (NC12) in 1956, so motorists drove from Hatteras Inlet to Ocracoke village on the beach] found themselves having to be towed out of the sandy beach and helped on their way. Many planes brought visitors from Raleigh and places nearby and all joined with the visitors a number of Hatteras folks and the residents in enjoying the day’s program.

Wahab Hotel (Blackbeard's Lodge) & Airplane

"At the pony penning held at the Berkley Manor Ranch in the morning, only three or four colts were sold as the residents were loath to part with their stock. Sam Jones, owner of the Berkley Manor Ranch, held a square dance at 3 p. m. and gave many prizes to the best dancers, besides serving refreshments to all comers.

"The evening closed with the big square dance, leaving everyone with the memory of a great day."

This month's Ocracoke Newsletter is a delightful story written by Dr. Warren Silverman, who in 1981 became the island's resident physician after forty years without a doctor. The story is about Dr. Silverman's very first Ocracoke patient, island native Maltby Bragg (1904-1985). You can read the story here: https://www.villagecraftsmen.com/my-first-island-patient-by-dr-warren-silverman/.