13 bedrooms, 9 full and 2 half baths, over 6000 square feet, 3.54 acres
Situated on over 10 acres of property in the 4-wheeldrive area, “The Three Authors” is truly a one-of-a-kind investment opportunity. This sprawling oceanfront compound boasts 3 event homes featuring a total of 45 bedrooms, 37 baths, and 6 half baths. There are multiple pool areas, gourmet kitchens, gaming areas, theatre rooms, elevators, and wet bars. Advanced features include gigabit fiber optic internet and a reverse osmosis water treatment system for superior quality water. Visitors can sit on one of the many decks enjoying views of the ocean or watching the Spanish Mustangs roam throughout the property.
2022 and 2023 rentals totaled $2,450,000.
THE HEMINGWAY
14 bedrooms, 13 full and 2 half baths, almost 8000 square feet, 3.57 acres
TWAIN
18 bedrooms, 15 full and 2 half baths, almost 11,000 square feet, 3.64 acres
MARK
ABOUT THE COVER: Twins Nyx and Moira Furr settle in for a sunset at Jockey’s Ridge’s newly unveiled Mountains-to-Sea Trail Eastern Terminus Monument. Photo by Cory Godwin.
THIS PAGE: Photos courtesy of the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau (top) and Cory Godwin (middle and bottom).
What’s in your bag?
YOU’VE UNDOUBTEDLY, FROM TIME TO TIME, come across one of those lighthearted questionnaires or celebrity interviews that professes to investigate the everyday items people carry around, and what those items express about said person’s values, preoccupations, or even simply their general quirks.
It’s not an exercise that’s intended to be very deep for the most part, but it can elicit a few chuckles when it involves something particularly outlandish. The famously suspicious surrealist artist Salvador Dali, for instance, reportedly never left home without a piece of Spanish driftwood – and maybe even a rhinoceros horn – to ward off evil spirits.
Eccentricities aside, this topic came up somewhat more pragmatically when the two of us were planning our own respective family trips this past winter (ear drops were a clear winner, ditto on motion sickness remedies). But something a mutual friend said in passing, gave us both pause. “The best thing you can pack,” she said sagely, “is patience.”
It instantly felt both obvious and life-altering. We all know that delays are inevitable somewhere along the line, whether they arise en route (to anywhere, really) or they pop up when faced with an absurdly long checkout line. If you can mentally pack your patience ahead of time, however, you might just be able to avoid remembering that cherished holiday/family picnic/dinner celebration as nothing more than a series of small frustrations.
Funnily enough, it turns out there’s actually a German word that captures the essence of this idea quite nicely: vorfreude – which loosely translates to “the anticipation of joy.”
According to happiness experts, cultivating a sense of anticipatory joy is perhaps the biggest key not only to having a wonderfully relaxing vacation, but also to having a happy life overall. Not to be confused with toxic positivity – in which you pretend to be fine at all times while inwardly seething – the trick to creating a mindset for vorfreude lies in looking forward to a wide variety of everyday things more pleasantly.
Case in point: It can be relatively easy to have warm feelings over an upcoming trip to an exotic island, but what about that weekly grocery store run? If you’re already going through a detailed list of all the inconveniences you’ll likely encounter before you even start the car, then those checkout lines will almost certainly seem maddening no matter what.
Could looking on the bright side set you up for some disappointment, though? Possibly. But, as those same experts point out, worrying ahead of time only means that you may very well suffer a negative experience twice. And, even if the end result isn’t as picture-perfect as you’d hoped, studies show that people who approach things more optimistically also tend to rebound quicker if things do go a bit haywire.
So maybe there is a deeper value to taking stock of the contents in our baggage (mentally, if not physically) that will allow us to appreciate this summer season, and many others to come, with more grace, fortitude – and, yes, patience – while we all navigate the busy joys of life unfolding.
As always, we hope you enjoy this issue!
Editor Publisher
PUBLISHERS
Adam & Cathy Baldwin
EDITOR
Amelia Boldaji
ART DIRECTOR
Dave Rollins
CONTRIBUTORS
Cathy Baldwin
Emmy Benton
Amelia Boldaji
Cory Godwin
Steve Hanf
Catherine Kozak
Maggie McNinch
Willow Rea
Casey Robertson
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Dylan Bush
SALES MANAGER
Helen Furr
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
Faith Turek
The North Beach Sun is published quarterly by Access Media Group. All works contained herein are the property of the North Beach Sun
The views expressed in the articles contained herein do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, editor or Access Media Group. The published material, advertisements, editorials and all other content is published in good faith. Access Media Group and North Beach Sun cannot guarantee and accepts no liability for any loss or damage of any kind caused by errors, omissions or the accuracy of claims made by advertisers.
editor@northbeachsun.com
Artist Willow Rea’s “Aviation Park” (acrylic on wood).
The "Local Hub" of creativity that the community can turn to for guidance and inspiration.
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but first...
CONSPIRACY EDITION
Photocopies of some declassified reports from 1948-1950 detailing Project Nutmeg (provided by the Outer Banks History Center).
Atomic Ambitions
BEACHES…AND BOMBS? While whispers of secret nuclear testing sites were all the rage post-World War II, at least a handful of local conspiracy theorists were vindicated when a number of declassified government documents surfaced during the 1970s. According to a report written by noted meteorologist and Navy Captain Howard B. Hutchinson in 1948 under the code name Project Nutmeg, Hatteras Island was singled out as one of the best candidates for a stateside nuclear test zone because he deemed it “practically uninhabited” – despite the fact that he had never personally visited the area.
Hutchinson went on to theorize – somewhat dubiously – that a combination of prevailing westerly wind patterns and the Gulf Stream would make short work of any real radioactive risks to the coastal Carolinas. Luckily, the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission disagreed with his findings – sparing future generations of Outer Banks beachgoers a need for donning lead-lined swimsuits.
Guessing Games
THOUGH THERE’S SEEMINGLY LITTLE that connects the Outer Banks with covert CIA logistics, a strangely small 1970s U.S. court case could suggest otherwise. As documented in several old articles published by The Washington Post, a former CIA employee named Edwin Gibbons Moore II was put on trial – and later found guilty of – attempting to sell classified government documents to the Soviet Union.
During the 1977 proceedings, Moore (who pleaded innocent of espionage by reason of insanity) testified that he was fired from the CIA in 1963 after he was convicted of arson when an unnamed hotel he owned in Nags Head burned down – though he was reinstated at the agency once he was later acquitted of those initial charges in 1967.
Per Moore’s testimony, that was no coincidence – the CIA had larger plans to use his remote Outer Banks hotel as a top-secret safe haven for Cuban defectors and refugees from the Bay of Pigs invasion, and the suspicious fire occurred while he was undergoing CIA-led training to manage the property as a front for the organization’s clandestine operations.
The truth? It may still be out there.
Raise a Toast
LEGENDS ABOUND about the notorious 18th-century pirate Blackbeard – particularly on Ocracoke Island where he was infamously beheaded in 1718. As a deterrent to other would-be scourges of the sea, his head was reportedly mounted on a pike before being presented to then-governor of Colonial Virginia, Alexander Spotswood – though some say that wasn’t quite the end of the story.
Whether that gruesome trophy was intercepted en route to Virginia or acquired after the fact, many have speculated that the top half of Blackbeard’s skull was ultimately transformed into a silver-plated goblet by an industrious tavern owner who regularly dared his customers to drink from it. Some even maintain that the artifact eventually made its way back to Ocracoke where a secret society used it to serve up a powerful concoction of corn whiskey, which they used to routinely toast to the death of Spotswood more than 200 years later.
Lee Harvey Oswald died before anyone was able to confirm that he had spent time in Nags Head. Rumor has it he was very good at frisbee.
town report
What’s happening in your town? Here’s a report from all over the Outer Banks.
COMPILED BY CATHERINE KOZAK
Currituck County
On March 19, the North Carolina Court of Appeals ruled that Currituck County improperly spent as much as $40 million in occupancy tax revenue over 15 years on police, fire and other emergency services instead of tourism-related expenditures as is dictated by state law. At a board of commissioners meeting on April 1, County Attorney Megan Morgan said they will seek a discretionary review from the NC Supreme Court, and the board said it is also looking into legislative options. The ruling reversed the county’s win in a 2021 lower court decision, which was responding to a lawsuit filed by the Corolla Civic Association in 2019.
In other actions, the board voted unanimously at the same meeting to appoint Assistant County Manager Rebecca Gay to serve as interim county manager, with an accompanying pay raise of $3,000 a month, while it continues to search for a permanent manager. Previous county manager and attorney Ike McRee submitted his resignation on February 26 after months of discord with board members over his contract renewal. McRee’s departure became effective on April 1.
Duck
Balloons at the beach, and anywhere else within its municipal borders, were banned by the Duck Town Council during its April 3 meeting. The unanimous vote approved an ordinance that makes it illegal for any person or entity to knowingly release “any type of balloon inflated with a liquid, air or gas” within town limits. Balloons are hazardous to animals, especially birds and turtles, which can mistake them for food. Town
Manager Drew Havens told the council that the ordinance, which is similar to bans passed in other beach towns such as Surf City and Wrightsville Beach, is the first ordinance outlawing balloons on the Outer Banks.
Southern Shores
A proposal for a second year of monitoring the beach to measure the performance of a recent beach nourishment project was approved by the Southern Shores Town Council during its April 9 meeting. The $34,882 monitoring project, to be performed by contractor Coastal Protection Engineering of NC, includes data acquisition, analysis, and a subsequent updating of the town’s beach maintenance plan. The first year of monitoring by the same firm cost $33,475.
According to town documents, the 2022-2023 beach nourishment project added about 1,048,400 cubic yards of sand to the beach. Monitoring will involve a collection of topographic and bathymetric data along sections of the shoreline between 11th Avenue and Sea Bass Circle to track volumetric changes and the shoreline position. Information gathered by annual beach monitoring of the nourishment project is also meant to be used in applications for potential Federal Emergency Management Agency assistance after storms.
Kitty Hawk
A special-use permit to build a new emergency medical services station on land fronting U.S. Route 158 was approved on April 1 by the Kitty Hawk Town Council. The application, submitted
by Dare County, also includes a fire bay for the town to use during storms and other necessary circumstances. The proposed station will be located at 4907 and 4911 Putter Lane. Work on the project is expected to start this summer.
Kill Devil Hills
The size of cluster homes and cottage court structures in Kill Devil Hills were each reduced from a maximum of 2,500 square feet to 1,800 square feet in Ocean Impact Residential and Commercial zones when the Kill Devil Hills Board of Commissioners approved these amendments on March 27. The board also agreed to require a 20-foot separation between dwellings, but pools and parking areas will be permitted.
Assistant Planning Director Cameron Ray told the board that the goal is to keep these housing choices as a “feasible development tool for the community, but also to reel in some of the unforeseen effects of the current ordinance requirements.”
Nags Head
A new beach flag warning system will be flying this summer in Nags Head, with the town’s ocean rescue division implementing guidelines that are better aligned with international and national standards.
The system broadens the decades-old flag notifications used by lifeguarding agencies around the world to warn swimmers of hazardous conditions and regulated areas, as well as to identify safer swim locations, the town explained in an April press release. By developing new international guidelines for warning flags, the goal of the International Life Saving Federation was to help ensure global consistency, improve universal understanding, and enhance the effectiveness of the flags.
Lifeguards, working in conjunction with Dare County’s Love the Beach, Respect the Ocean project and the National Weather Service’s rip current forecasting, will post flags at Nags Head beach
accesses to indicate risk conditions from Memorial Day weekend though October 15. Flag definitions are: yellow, which indicates a medium hazard, with moderate surf and/or conditions; red, which signifies a high hazard, with rough conditions such as strong surf and/or currents; and double red, which means that the water is closed to public use, and ocean swimming is not permitted unless assisted by a surfboard or a body board and fins.
Manteo
On March 19, a primary care medical practice in Manteo broke ground on a new expansion project that will double the size of its existing facility to 7,500 square feet. The Outer Banks Health Family Medicine practice, which serves 3,600 patients, is the organization’s second largest practice on the Outer Banks, behind its Kitty Hawk location. The new building’s entrance, which will face Amanda Street, will be built with enhanced accessibility, and offer eight exam rooms alongside a dedicated telebehavioral room.
Dare County
Dare Early College in Manteo could open as soon as August 2025, according to an announcement in April by Dare County Schools Superintendent Steve Basnight. The program intends to offer a high school diploma to students who complete the state standards for high school graduation, and acceptance into the program does not depend on grades. Students would be eligible to enroll starting in ninth grade in order to earn college credits for taking college-level courses while also earning high school credits. Degree possibilities in partnership with the College of The Albemarle include an associate degree in arts, an associate degree in science, and/ or a career certification. The program is available to, among others, young people from low socio-economic backgrounds, English language learners, minorities and those at risk of dropping out of another high school.
+ Top producing agent in Duck for 2023
+ Over $230M in sales since 2020
+ Average sale price over $1M + Top 1% of all Outer Banks agents + A combined 35 years of experience
business briefs
COMPILED BY CATHERINE KOZAK
Fifty Years and Counting
In 1974, a man named Olin Finch opened a small store on the beach road in Nags Head at Milepost 10.5 to sell thoughtfully crafted handwoven hammocks. Nine years later, he sold the startup business he dubbed Nags Head Hammocks to his former employees Chuck and Susan Sineath. Soon afterwards, the Sineaths bought a house and some adjacent land along U.S. Route 158, which allowed them to eventually expand in 1995 and move the business to a more central setting on the bypass – where it still sits to this day.
In 2003, the couple sold Nags Head Hammocks to Hatteras Hammocks (now The Hammocks Source, which was founded in 1971 by Walter Perkins Jr. in Greenville, NC), but they left behind a legacy. Over their two decades of ownership, the Sineaths founded two new locations in Corolla and Duck – the latter of which was built by none other than Olin Finch, who had gone on to become a distinguished custom homebuilder.
Today, Nags Head Hammocks continues to produce its all-American handcrafted hammocks and rope swings – which are two of its biggest sellers – as well as newer styles that include a popular line of handmade Durawood chairs. With items sold exclusively through their website and their three physical Outer Banks locations, staff members say they constantly hear from customers who are still enjoying purchases they made 30, or even 40, years ago.
“Over the years, our reputation as outdoor furniture experts has grown immensely,” adds Ryan Williams, Nags Head Hammocks’ retail operations manager. “We are very well-known up and down the East Coast as a company you can trust to provide the best customer service, the most comfortable outdoor furniture, and the most durable quality products anywhere.”
The original Nags Head Hammocks store at milepost 10.5 on the beach road, sometime around 1980 (top). Chuck and Susan Sineath at the Duck store in 1998 (above). Photos courtesy of Nags Head Hammocks.
Frugal Fun on the Outer Banks
In an analysis published this past March by the travel blog Optimos Travel, the Outer Banks was listed as the least expensive top-10 travel destination in the U.S. “We ranked the Outer Banks as the least expensive destination, where the allure of the Atlantic meets affordability,” Optimos Travel stated in a press release published by the site.
The report found that with the lowest accommodation costs starting at $91.44, meal costs hovering around $60, and various attractions totaling an estimated $11.27, the daily cost per person is approximately $177, making a week-long stay possible at about $1,237 per person. The second least expensive destination on the Optimos Travel list was Charleston, West Virginia.
New Fishing Center at its Prime Old Location
After serving Outer Banks mariners for 70 years on the northwest end of Oregon Inlet, the Oregon Inlet Fishing Center has been completely updated and rebuilt under new management. Newly reopened this past spring, the Oregon Inlet Fishing Marina LLC – which is co-owned by Russ and Steve King under a 20-year lease with the National Park Service – modernized the marina with 17-foot bulkheads, in-slip fueling at each of the center’s 60 slips, and a new fueling station for other vehicles.
But the resilient two-story 10,000-square-foot fishing center building is the site’s most dramatic change. Besides being equipped with a metal roof that can withstand 150-mile-per-hour winds and standing on pilings that situate it 11 feet above ground, the center now hosts a first-floor restaurant called the Sea Chef Dockside Kitchen, which offers a full menu of local seafood favorites, salads and burgers, as well as “tackle box” meals for visitors to grab before heading offshore. On the second floor, a new event/conference room is also available for larger gatherings, with an open-air deck that provides a full panoramic view from ocean to sound.
Gliding Into a Half Century
This past April, Kitty Hawk Kites announced a season of celebrations in recognition of its 50th year in business. According to a company press release, founder John Harris was inspired to start the business in 1974 after he discovered the sport of hang gliding, and he began by teaching hang gliding lessons and selling t-shirts out of a small shop across the street from Jockey’s Ridge. Fifty years later, that original idea has grown into a string of 28 retail and outdoor recreation stores with locations found in many areas along the East Coast. The company’s hometown anniversary celebrations will include its annual Rogallo Kite Festival, a free event which will be held on June 14 and 15 at Jockey’s Ridge State Park.
market snapshot
As the real estate market is still feeling the chill of high mortgage rates, the Outer Banks Association of Realtors sees some welcomed good news in the continued climb of inventory, according to its March MLS Statistical Report.
Data revealed a 14% increase in active residential activity inventory in February and 58% in March of 2024 compared to the same months in 2023. Active lots/land inventory also edged up 1% in March 2024 over the previous month, and 1% over March 2023.
Other noteworthy trends were the residential median sale price of single-family detached homes, which climbed 7% from the same period last year, while the median sale prices of condominiums were up 12%, according to the report. Residential sales for 2024, on the other hand, decreased 9% compared to 2023, single-family detached home sales dipped 6%, and condominium sales were down by 16%
OBX Legacy Home Sales
NORTH CAROLINA IS A STATE THAT HAS IT ALL. Varied geography, rich history, natural beauty and diverse people. And, with the creation of a simple footpath that spans 1,175 miles across the full length of the state – from the Great Smoky Mountains to Jockey’s Ridge – hikers can experience just about everything this region has to offer.
The idea of a trail extending the width of the state was first proposed in 1977 by NC’s Secretary of Natural Resources and Community Development Howard Lee with encouragement from state recreation employee Jim Hallsey.
They envisioned the Mountains-to-Sea Trail (MST) being at least “450 miles in length,” in order to give, “a real feel for the sights, sounds and people of this state,” as Lee stated during a speech 47 years ago. With help from the state and thousands of volunteers, hikers and other trail supporters, their dream – and those two visions – were certainly realized.
Climbing both the tallest mountain peak in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the highest sand dune in the Eastern United States, the MST takes approximately 2,112,000 footsteps to complete.
It passes through four national parks and two national wildlife refuges, meanders through three national forests, and includes two ferry rides.
On the opposite edge of North Carolina from the trail’s westernmost point at Clingmans Dome, a new MST Eastern Terminus Monument was also unveiled this past fall at the base of Jockey’s Ridge State Park. Ben Jones, the designer and builder of the monument, used dock pilings to create it because he felt they were symbolic of the Outer Banks.
The physical marker represents different things for different people: the beginning of an exciting adventure for fresh, eager hikers; the light at the end of the tunnel for tired travelers close to the finish line; or simply a thing that’s fun to crawl on for kids visiting on daytrips with their parents.
Along with state funding, the monument was made possible through a joint partnership between Jockey’s Ridge
State Park and the Friends of the MST – which is a nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing together communities and volunteers to advocate for the trail. In 2022, 1,100-plus volunteers worked more than 44,000 hours to build and maintain the trail, from crafting directional signs along western sections of the route to acting as “trail angels” by offering showers, meals and temporary lodging to hikers.
The volunteers make it possible, and the hikers make it popular. Thousands of people hike, bike and paddle portions of the MST each year, and around 185 people have officially completed its full length.
Brent Laurenz, executive director of the Friends of the MST, probably put it best during his speech at the eastern terminus’ unveiling event: “One of the exciting things about the Mountains-to-Sea Trail is that, from the beginning, it was designed to not just connect the state’s natural beauty, but to also connect communities and people along the way.”
SEA THE WAY
PHOTO BY CORY GODWIN
STORY BY MAGGIE M c NINCH
truly on the water
Photos by Cory Godwin Story by Steve Hanf
GARY DUNSTAN CAN’T HELP BUT SMILE as he describes a topic that comes up fairly frequently.
“We’ll be out somewhere and someone’ll say, ‘Well, I’ve got a house on the water in Duck,’ or, ‘I’ve got a house on the water in Southern Shores,’” he recounts, laughing as he winds up to his standard punchline. “‘Oh really? You don’t have a house on the water. I’ve got a house on the water.’”
While plenty of folks enjoy homes on ocean and sound lots that are, in fact, next to the water and certainly look out over the water, Gary is one of the few folks in Dare County who actually has a house on the water. His can’t-miss cottage sits above the Roanoke Sound on Soundside Road in Nags Head, just south of Jockey’s Ridge State Park.
“I’m real proud of this place, and I’m very happy to call it home,” Gary explains good-naturedly. “I’ve had it since 2014, and I’ve had 10 of the best years of my life here.”
On paper, the beach box wouldn’t necessarily turn many heads. It’s about 1,300 square feet, with three bedrooms and only one bathroom. Characteristically Outer Banks hardwood floors and wooden paneling are featured throughout, plus a remodeled kitchen, but – like many local homes built in the ‘60s – it’s short on closet space.
None of that matters, though, as you stride down the 200-foot boardwalk leading to the home’s front door while waves gently lap the shoreline below. Or when you’re sitting in the house’s breakfast nook watching birds and boats glide by before enjoying another glorious sunset from the hot tub on the back deck.
Location, location, location. Near as Gary can tell, the house at the other end of his road is the only other one in Dare County that remains structurally above water, and that neighboring home had to be rebuilt after a hurricane.
Gary has no worries about his house suffering a similar fate, though, because he knows its history. In 1960, his uncle Forrest Dunstan built it, and, at 67, Gary has uniquely fond memories of playing there with his cousins before Forrest sold the property around 1968. The Virginia attorney who purchased the property – Jeff Brown – enjoyed it for nearly 50 years before putting it on the market once again.
“I’ve always had some interest in the cottage,” Gary says. “Whenever I’d come back here, I’d tell everybody that was with me, ‘That used to be my uncle’s place.’ I’ve always thought about the times I had here as a kid and how much I’d like to have that back.”
After a career in real estate and construction, Gary knew he’d have to get the house inspected before buying it. But he also had to tick off one other box before putting in an offer: What about his two cousins, Forrest’s children? Would they want to buy their old summer home?
Larry Dunstan and Lynne Fassler both live in Duck now, but in 2014 when Gary first approached them with the idea, Lynne was still living in Arizona, and Larry – the oldest of the trio – wasn’t particularly keen on the potential challenges of owning the house again. Both cousins did, however, enthusiastically agree that it would be great to have the home back in the family – and the reunions that have occurred since then have been memorable.
“Larry and I [just sit and] talk about all the things we used to do over here,” Lynne says. “And Gary just loves to hear all that stuff.”
Originally, Forrest was an attorney in Elizabeth City who spent weekends at the cottage, while Larry and Lynne lived there all summer with their mom and various friends joining in the fun. There was no air conditioning, no phone, no dishwasher – just endless excitement with the water, literally, right outside their back door.
They skied and fished and crabbed, often eating a meal caught right off their home’s porch. Lynne remembers her father lugging a watermelon all the way down the pier every Friday evening, while Larry recalls the woman who lived across the street singing and playing piano, the sound of which carried crystal-clear across the water if the wind was blowing just right.
When their dad decided to sell the house, the then-teenagers were crushed.
“Of course, we were disappointed, but you know, he’d been the commanderin-chief [of our family], so we had to go along with what he decided to do,” Larry explains. “I think my mother kind of got tired of it. I don’t think my mother enjoyed it as much as my father, myself and my sister.”
When the home was built in 1960, there were two others nearby that also stretched into the sound, but the Dunstan home is the only one of them that remains. In large part, Larry attributes this to the fact that Forrest insisted on using quality pilings like those utilized by Jennette’s Pier at the time, and Saint Clair Basnight –father of Dare County political legend Marc Basnight – helped secure those special creosote pilings from Virginia.
From Gary Dunstan’s breakfast nook to his wide-open back deck (both pictured above), the views of the Roanoke Sound from his Nags Head home are unparalleled.
The Dunstans say the house has been battered by storms only a couple times since, including an instance when a neighbor reported record-breaking soundside waves crashing over the house. In 2011, Hurricane Irene knocked out the back windows and tore the decks off the home – and, in 2016, Hurricane Matthew offered a surprise for Gary and his late wife, Paula, when the water came up quickly and flooded all three of their vehicles in the home’s garage just off Soundside Road – but the structure itself weathered the storm remarkably well.
“This house is really pretty tight,” Gary says. “You can’t hear the wind [inside]; you can’t hear anything. In the 10 years I’ve owned it, water has only come across the deck a couple of times.”
When a new gas fireplace was installed, Gary even thought about wintering in the home one year, but that proved to be a mistake. The house itself was plenty warm, but the sewage lines running under the long walkway to the septic tank on land froze and caused…well, “A pretty crappy mess,” he says with a rueful smile. “I haven’t stayed here a winter since.”
The endless summer days on the water more than make up for that, though. Gary, his girlfriend Shannon, and their 16-year-old dog Vegas, love soaking up the scenery with Roanoke Island Festival Park, Fort Raleigh National Park and locally renowned Banana Island visible just across the sound. Their deck is also prime viewing for the Fourth of July fireworks in Manteo, and sometimes music from The Lost Colony floats over on the breeze straight to their dock.
When they can tear themselves away from the remarkable seascapes, new household projects fill their days. The kitchen was fully updated a few years ago, and now includes a picturesque breakfast nook with a view you’d only want to leave to see from outside on the back porch. A bar for entertaining guests was also recently added to a corner of the living room – and that one lonely bathroom is even in the process of getting a long-overdue remodel.
The outside looks shipshape as well, with its dark blue paint and bright yellow shutters – and that’s a good thing for many. Shannon likes to joke that it’s the mostphotographed house on the Outer Banks as visitors and locals alike post sunset photos nearly every day on social media with their frames set on this unique piece of real estate…which isn’t really just a piece of real estate at all, is it?
“We continue to see what needs to be done and improve it a little bit every year,” Gary says. “The maintenance is probably a lot more than it would be with an ordinary property, but we wouldn’t trade it for anything.”
Location, location, location…whether outside or indoors, one of the last Outer Banks houses left standing out over the water is an architectural gem, boasting plenty of windows to capture the surrounding seascapes from every angle.
LOOKING CLOSELY
In an age of automated data, Dare
County's Geographical Information
System (GIS) relies on local folks to help users make the most of the service.
BY STEVE HANF
come to you with,” Clay adds. “Maps are used for all types of planning, discussion, debate…it really is as wide as your imagination.”
Clay had a fondness for maps as a child and ended up studying both computer science and geography at Radford University in Virginia, paving the way for a smooth transition into the GIS field. He’s been with Dare County nearly eight years now.
department can pinpoint new equipment requirements and determine where they need to be placed. Clay has worked on both of those specific projects, and he’s in the process of prepping a map that can produce hazardous swimming advisories near Cape Point.
EVEN THOUGH WE MIGHT KNOW where we’re going, we always seem to have directions running in the background. Even when we’ve lived in a neighborhood forever, we can want to discover just one other thing about what makes it tick.
Once upon a time, area maps were those big, bulky road atlases that often languished in trunks and never seemed to fold together quite right. Now, maps of all sorts are near-endlessly available at our fingertips on phones and computers, and the professionals who work in Geographical Information System (GIS) offices are the ones we have to thank for that.
Even if we have almost no idea, really, what it is that GIS folks do.
“When I tell people what I do for a living, they have no clue what it is at all. I get that a lot,” says Dare County GIS Specialist Kristen Stilson. “We’re kind of like Google Maps, except not a giant team – it’s a scaled-down version.”
While that explanation often brings at least a vague nod of understanding to the work Kristen, fellow GIS Specialist Clay Grant and GIS Coordinator Greg Ball do, what actually happens in the information technology wing of the Dare County Administration Building in Manteo is still a bit of a mystery for most.
“A lot of people don’t even think about things like Google Maps – what’s involved in making it, and gathering all the different layers in it,” Kristen explains.
“The interesting thing about GIS is that you never know what type of spatial problems someone might
Kristen, on the other hand, didn’t exactly follow that typical roadmap. After growing up in Manteo and Currituck, she headed to Elizabeth City State University to do what appears to come naturally to lots of beach kids: marine science. But she also loved rocks and studied geology. Then came the surprise opportunity to minor in GIS thanks to a scholarship from the Department of Homeland Security.
After graduation, Kristen found out about a Dare County GIS job from a friend and landed her role in 2017. Interviewing for the position turned out to be a great decision – eventually.
“When I was doing GIS in school, it was mostly on GIS software, whereas my job here focuses on websites and coding. I only took one coding class in college, so it was pretty terrifying when I first started. I was like, ‘I have no idea if I can even do this at all,’” she recalls with a laugh. “But they let me take time to do tutorials and lessons, and I caught on pretty quickly, so that worked out.”
The famed Dare County Parcel Data Map, of course, lets anyone look up any piece of property – for working reference only and not legal purposes, as the pop-up window cautions whenever you start a search. It’s a centralized source for browsing land lots, and people can access links to any Outer Banks address showing the current property record, tax bill, tax certification and any other land transfer records.
“The Parcel Data Map is by far our most popular map,” Kristen says. “We’re getting close to a half-million hits a year on that one, especially when we have a storm and people need reentry passes.
“The biggest users are real estate agents and people just looking around their neighborhood. ‘Spying,’” she adds humorously, “is the second most-popular use, and if [for example], a utility company wants a permit to run a pipe somewhere or to install a satellite dish, they can pull up our map to see if they can do it.”
The map with the most traffic after the Parcel Data Map is the one that identifies all the duck blinds in the county.
While the trio that makes up Dare County’s GIS division often work together collaboratively, they each have individual concentrations, too. Greg focuses mostly on maps for specialized projects, while Clay deals with lots of “under the hood” data collection or information analysis, and Kristen primarily handles web maps.
Collectively, they solve problems for other Dare County departments, such as mapping 911 calls so emergency medical services can implement faster response times, or tracking water main breaks in the long stretch from Avon to Hatteras Village so the water
Other interactive maps on the GIS website include flood zones, trash collection routes, and community and recreation resources in order to answer any number of questions: What schools can my kids attend? Where’s the closest library or fax machine? What dog parks, skate parks or picnic areas are nearby? According to Kristen, the map with the most traffic after the Parcel Data Map is the one that identifies all the duck blinds in the county.
Out of all the useful applications she helps make happen, Kristen’s favorite part of her job is working on slightly more obscure side projects. Every year for GIS Day – which occurs on the third Wednesday of
The GIS Parcel Data Map of Duck and Southern Shores, showing lot lines and flood zones. Image courtesy of the Dare County Department of Information Technology.
November as part of a larger Geography Awareness Week – Kristen creates and debuts a uniquely themed new map for the Outer Banks area.
It’s a labor of love that she’ll work on a few minutes here and there over the course of a year. On this particular spring day, for instance, Kristen’s computer monitor displays a piece of code she’s developing for this year’s upcoming GIS Day: an Outer Banks folklore map.
“They pretty much let me roll with wherever my brain is taking me at the moment – which gives me a lot of freedom to make what I want or what people [in the community] request,” Kristen explains. “Our goal with [the GIS Day maps] is to bring people back to the main GIS site so they can see some of the other services we offer as well.”
GIS data can take many forms. It may be used to highlight a filming location for the 1983 Christopher Walken movie, Brainstorm (top), or to see a breakdown of homeowner mailing lists and residential sale prices (above). Images courtesy of the Dare County Department of Information Technology.
When it comes to the most unusual request she’s ever gotten, the one she’s working on for November 20, 2024, might be it. Kristen says a librarian pitched her the idea of a “ghost map,” and once Kristen settled on that topic for her latest GIS Day project, the fun began. Librarians from across the county are collaborating on the map to offer summaries of local legends surrounding figures like Goatman and Blackbeard which will eventually populate Kristen’s creation – just in time for Halloween, no less.
For GIS Day in 2023, Kristen’s main project was an interactive pop-culture journey called “OBX Unscripted,” which highlights things like the Netflix’s viral show Outer Banks, various music videos that have been filmed locally, and, of course, Hatteras Island’s Nights in Rodanthe house. The highly enjoyable “Days Gone By” map introduced in 2022 offers a trip down memory lane that lets locals and visitors alike reminisce about bygone Outer Banks hotspots. And 2020’s “Outer Banks Shipwrecks” map was picked up by the Public Broadcasting Service on one of its social media feeds, leading to thousands of extra online visits from people all over the world with an interest in exploring the Graveyard of the Atlantic.
When it comes down to outlining what the heck it is a GIS specialist does, these sorts of programs are the types of resources that people can really wrap their heads around – which can, in turn, foster a broader appreciation for the painstaking efforts that go into making information technology so accessible – and vital.
“That’s the point of GIS, to connect the what and the where,” Kristen adds. “When you’re able to show people that ‘what and where’ all in one application, it just makes everything so much easier to understand.”
THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE SCREENS
Who handles local GIS services? It all depends on the county. Dare has three people in its dedicated GIS office. Currituck has two. Hyde County, on the other hand, offers a detailed GIS map on its website, but people looking for help with the map are referred to Atlas Geographic Data, a Wilmington-based company that provides GIS services to a variety of clients.
“Counties that don’t have a lot of money don’t have a GIS team, [so they] contract out that type of work,” explains Dare County GIS Specialist Kristen Stilson. “The field is actively growing though, and the pay scale is increasing…so people are seeing these things, and they’re also demanding these things.”
A good GIS department can provide great benefits to a county, adds Currituck County GIS Coordinator Harry P. Lee. What used to take a few phone calls to the right office or a trip to the county administrative complex can now be done directly on the county website when it comes to figuring out if you’re in a flood zone, how close you are to the nearest fire hydrant, or even determining who owns the lot next door to your property.
“When we got a lot of that data online, it really reduced some of those calls,” Harry says. “Once people know where to access that kind of information, they can sit in their house at two o’clock in the morning and find those things.”
THE TECH BEHIND THE SCENES
Currituck County GIS Coordinator Harry P. Lee has worked for the county for 28 years, nearly all of it doing mapping work. While technology has steadily advanced in recent years, one thing that can hold back GIS services anywhere is photography frequency. Currituck is currently on a four-year cycle of capturing county-wide aerial imagery, and Harry would love to see that timeframe drop to at least two years.
“Pretty much just like any other technology, when you first do it, if you update information every month, that’s good. But once people get used to that, they want it every week. And then once people are used to every week, they want it every day, and then once people are used to it every day, they want it instantaneously,” Harry says. “But that’s expensive.”
It’s easy to see why. You can’t just program a drone skyward and let it shoot a few thousand frames all over a county. Even for in-house county GIS teams, the process all starts with cameras in airplanes.
“They take that digital imagery, and then deliver it back to us [post-processing] as a seamless mosaic of all the images put together that we’re able to use for our base map applications,” Harry explains. “Drone technology is certainly something that’s up and coming, and they’ll probably do it all by drone at some point in 10, 15 or 20 years, but who knows?”
Tax revenue from the tourism industry makes its way back into the community in myriad ways.
BY CATHERINE KOZAK
FOLLOW Money
THE
PLENTY OF OLDER OUTER BANKERS remember when our islands were pretty sparse on amenities back in the day – and those same residents have been eyewitnesses to the explosive transformation of our once-isolated community into the relatively wealthy beach resort it is today.
The underlying driver is, of course, tourism. Last year, Dare County raked in close to $2 billion in out-of-area revenue, making our county the fourth highest in North Carolina in terms of visitor spending.
“I would say that one of the hallmarks of Dare County tourism has been just how incredibly consistent and resilient it’s been,” says Lee Nettle, the executive director the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau. “Despite hurricanes, sharks, road closures, bridge closures – you name it – we were averaging about a 4% increase in occupancy collections steadily, from 2010 until Covid.”
With pandemic closures in early 2020, visitation initially sputtered before suddenly going through the roof, and – for at least a year – into the stratosphere. In 2021, gross food and beverage tax revenue totaled $352 million, an astounding spike of 51% over 2020 receipts. Occupancy tax revenue that year totaled $771 million in another unprecedented 34% leap.
So where has all that money gone? It’s a question that’s bubbled up sporadically over the years, and when it comes to the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau, which answers to the Dare County Tourism Board and state law, there are plenty of documented grants and special projects that have benefited from this influx.
But mostly, folks can just look around.
Nearly the entire length of the Outer Banks from Corolla to Hatteras village, for instance, is now lined with wide multi-use paths for pedestrians and bicyclists, thanks to frequent and significant funding for many years.
Add to that a long and growing list of projects and events throughout the community – from Taste of the Beach and the Eastern Surfing Association to the Outer Banks Seafood Festival, OBX Pride Festival and Manteo’s Dare Days. Grant funds from the visitors’ bureau have even helped with emergency dredging for Oregon Inlet, restoration of The Lost Colony’s costume shop after a fire at Waterside Theatre, ADA-compliant beach walkovers and they’ve
Scenes from Manteo's annual Dare Days celebration. (Photos courtesy of the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau.)
buoyed support services such as the food banks, animal shelters, OBX Room in the Inn and the Community Care Clinic of Dare.
Although the Outer Banks had ridden out numerous economic shocks in the past, Nettles says no one knew what to expect with the pandemic when the future of many of these services and events seemed uncertain.
The nourishment fund receives 2% and the tourism board receives 1% of the occupancy tax and 1% of the meals tax – of which it must spend 75% to promote and administer tourism, with the additional 25% going toward related programs and services.
As Nettles explains, the board and the bureau are not like other county departments.
Funds from grants administered by the
have gone toward a variety of projects, including increased accessibility ramps, oceanside
“There were additional funds that came into the budget and beefed up the amount of money we were able to put into not only the restricted fund grants, but also into things on the general promotion side,” he says. “We felt like by increasing those grants, both on the general side and the restricted side, that we were doing more tangible good within the community.”
About 700 grants to more than 150 Dare County nonprofits and municipalities have been awarded since 1992, totalling an estimated $22 million for projects and services.
The bounty of tax revenue, Nettles adds, also helped the bureau create a line item to fund some “to be determined” activities, such as hiring a community engagement manager for the Outer Banks’ new Long Range Tourism Management Plan, which focuses on mitigating tourism impacts on the community while enriching an appreciation of the area for visitors –and it has also spurred a renewed dedication to local nonprofits.
“It occurred to us that if we can elevate the visibility of nonprofits and connect directly with visitors, then we’re able to help those organizations that are already doing so much good in our community… we can help them do even more good,” he says. “I think coming out of Covid, the tourism board and the greater public realized that it’s better to provide a good experience for visitors and residents, whatever that looks like.”
In 1985, Dare County was authorized by state legislation to start collecting a 3% occupancy tax from short-term lodging. In 1991, an additional 1% was added to the occupancy tax, a new 1% prepared food and beverage tax was created, and the Dare County Tourism Board was established to administer the proceeds. In 2001, another 1% was added to the occupancy tax for a dedicated beach nourishment account, to which an additional 1% was allocated in 2010.
Dare County and its six municipalities share half of the net 6% occupancy tax, which by law must be used only for visitor-related purposes; the county’s share is 32% and the towns split the rest, according to the visitors’ bureau’s website.
“We’re a public authority, a quasigovernmental entity,” he says. “We’re related to the county, but we’re not part of the county’s budget.”
The $1.8 billion tourism industry, however, is both the oxygen and the blood supply of the county’s economic vitality. According to bureau data, the industry employs one in three residents in about 14,000 various jobs that generate more than $130 million in state and local tax revenue. In turn, that revenue provides each county resident with tax relief in excess of $3,000 annually.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, the per capita personal income for Dare residents in 1969 was around $3,113; in 2022 it was $76,100. Taking inflation into account, $3,000 in 1969 would be equal to about $24,000 in 2022. In addition to this, the county’s population in 1970 was 7,000; by 1985 it was 17,000 and by 2022 it was about 38,000. Recent population estimates taking visitors into account during the summer season have been as high as five million.
When it comes to receiving grant money from the visitors’ bureau, applicants – who must be a government body or an area nonprofit that meets specific guidelines – can seek funds in numerous categories, including fireworks, tourism impact and long-term unappropriated. While any award recommendations must be approved by the Dare County Board of Commissioners, about 700 grants to more than 150 Dare County nonprofits and municipalities have been awarded since 1992 according to the visitors’ bureau, which totals an estimated $22 million for projects and services.
Nettles explains that administrators are available to help navigate the grant process, and information about applications and awards are published on the bureau’s website. “Our grants are in response to applications received,” he adds. “We don’t go out and say, ‘Hey, let’s do this.’”
Going forward, Nettles believes that this coming year will be a new benchmark for what tourism on the Outer Banks looks like, and although business may slow slightly, it will become more even-keeled.
“I think we can grow tourism sustainably in a way that manages the negative impacts within our community,” he says. “We can steer this thing – we can set it up the way that we want it to be.”
visitors’ bureau
mobility mats and the Duck Boardwalk (pictured here from top to bottom, photos courtesy of the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau).
sun salutations
Beach Realty & Construction
Beach Realty Recognizes Top Agents
Beach Realty & Construction is pleased to announce the top producing agents for the first quarter of 2024: Ilona Matteson in Duck, (252) 619-5225; Joanne Kepler in Corolla, (252) 207-8420; and Jackson Dixon in Kitty Hawk, (252) 207-5934. Sales Manager Beth Urch says, “All three agents have years of experience, first-rate customer service and a thorough understanding of the market.”
Beach Realty & Construction is a full-service real estate company offering real estate sales, vacation rentals and new construction and remodeling. For more information, contact salesteam@beachrealtync.com.
Brindley Beach Vacations and Sales
Brindley Beach Vacations and Sales
Congratulates Top Two Sales Agents, Year-toDate, for 2024: Edith Rowe and Anna Hunt
Edith Rowe has earned the Top Sales Agent Award based on closed sales volume for the past seven years. She holds a broker’s license and has been in sales on the Outer Banks since 2000. She brings to the table a degree of sales acumen and a familiarity with the area found in few agents. Contact Edith at (252) 202-6165 or at edithroweobx@gmail.com.
Anna Hunt is the broker-in-charge in the Kitty Hawk office. She has been assisting buyers and sellers on the Outer Banks for more than 19 years. You can even watch her on Beachfront Bargain Hunt Renovation (season 7, episode 6). Anna’s service does not end with the sale, as she will help when you need a recommendation for contractors, services, maintenance companies or just to check on the house. Contact Anna at (252) 573-8934 or by email at anna@brindleybeach.com.
Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty
Emily Bray Earns Coldwell Banker International President’s Elite Award
Emily Bray has earned the prestigious Coldwell Banker International President’s Elite Award, presented to the top 2% of all Coldwell Banker agents worldwide. This award is based on closed sales transactions in 2024. Emily is a consistent top producer with Coldwell Banker Seaside, and she ranked #2 out of all agents in the firm for the year. She can be reached at emily@cbseaside.com or (252) 412-5991.
Cameron Griggs Earns Coldwell Banker International President’s Circle Award
Cameron Griggs has earned the prestigious Coldwell Banker International President’s Circle Award, presented to the top 4% of all Coldwell Banker agents worldwide. This award is based on closed sales transactions in 2024. “Cameron is a joy to work with – professional, responsive and dedicated. We highly recommend her if you are considering purchasing a home in the Outer Banks,” said a recent five-star review. Cameron can be reached at (919) 390-4537 or cameron@cbseaside.com.
Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty Names the VanderMyde Group the Top Producing Team of the First Quarter
Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty congratulates the VanderMyde Group for being the firm’s top producing team in listings, sales volume and units. This award is based on production from January 1 through March 31. “My experience working with Heather and her team has been exceptional, and she made the entire selling process smooth and mostly effortless,” said a recent five-star review. Team leader Heather VanderMyde can be reached at (252) 202-2375 or hvandermyde@gmail.com.
Kent Copeland Earns Coldwell Banker International Diamond Society Award
Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty congratulates Kent Copeland on earning the Coldwell Banker International Diamond Society Award, which is presented to the top 7% of all Coldwell Banker agents worldwide. This award is based on closed sales transactions in 2024.
“Kent is extremely professional and goes way beyond what a typical agent will do. He is also very knowledgeable about the area. I highly recommend him,” said a recent five-star review. Kent can be reached at (252) 202-2815 or kent@cbseaside.com.
Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty Welcomes New Agent Dave Zellmer
Dave Zellmer has joined Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty in the Kitty Hawk location. “I graduated from the University of Maryland’s School of Business with a degree in marketing. My entrepreneurial spirit drove me toward a goal of owning my own company. During my 20-year career in pet care I opened, owned and operated a doggie daycare and boarding center in beautiful King George, Virginia. My wife and I moved to the Outer Banks in 2018 and started a new career in real estate,” Dave says. He can be reached at (540) 336-4970 or dave@cbseaside.com.
Timeless Family Vacations Since 1968
Joe Lamb, Jr. & Associates
Joe Lamb, Jr. Acknowledges Agents Shelley O’Grady and Bobby Williams
Outer Banks native Shelley O’Grady has more than a decade of real estate experience. With a focus on exceptional service and communication, she’s dedicated to helping clients achieve their buying or selling goals. Contact Shelley at shelley@joelambjr.com or (252) 261-7721.
With more than 40 years of Outer Banks experience, Bobby is your go-to expert for buying or selling property. His deep knowledge, transparency and strong negotiation skills ensure a seamless real estate experience. Contact Bobby at bwilliams@joelambjr.com or (252) 261-7721.
Landmark Sotheby’s International Realty
Landmark Sotheby’s International Realty Recognizes Agents Blosser, Brown, Pencheva and Turko
Stephanie Blosser joined Melanie Day Real Estate in November 2023. With unwavering passion and dedication, Stephanie ensures every client interaction is nothing short of exceptional. Whether buying or selling, you can trust Stephanie to surpass your expectations and achieve your real estate goals. Contact Stephanie today at (937) 478-8861 or Stephanie.Blosser@landmarksir.com.
A native of the Outer Banks, Drew Brown is both a realtor and active real estate investor specializing in the Carova 4x4 area, where he builds several houses each year with his sister. If you’re looking to buy, build or sell your dream house on the sand, connect with Drew at (213) 500-4916, drew.brown@ landmarksothebysrealty.com or on Instagram @neighborsurferrealtor.
Landmark Sotheby’s International Realty is thrilled to welcome Inna Pencheva. Inna established herself as a trusted figure in the industry, dedicated to facilitating seamless transactions and ensuring client satisfaction. Her approach is characterized by diligence, integrity and a genuine commitment to serving the best interests of those she represents. Contact Inna today at (252) 207-6647 or inna.pencheva@landmarksir.com.
Quentin Turko grew up in Kitty Hawk with a love for everything to do with the ocean. He turned his passion for surfing into a career competing in contests and working with companies as a professional surfer. He is driven to share his local knowledge and is committed to helping you find your dream home on the Outer Banks. Contact Quentin today at (252) 489-3226 or quentin.turko@landmarksothebysrealty.com.
Sun Realty
Sun Realty Announces Agents of the Month for the First Quarter of 2024: Karen Etheridge, Jackie Ricks-Sample and Susie Sullivan
Karen Etheridge earned top sales in January. Karen has more than 30 years of real estate experience and has been with Sun Realty since 1992. Whether it’s your first home purchase or an investment property, Karen can assist you with all your real estate needs. Call Karen at the Sun Realty Kitty Hawk office or (252) 261-3892.
Earning Agent of the Month honors for February was real estate veteran Jackie Ricks-Sample. Jackie has been with Sun Realty since the beginning, in 1980! Having built, bought and sold several investment and personal properties over the years, Jackie understands the particulars of coastal living on many levels. Connect with Jackie at (252) 441-8011 or stop by the Sun Realty Kill Devil Hills office.
The Sun Realty Agent of the Month for March was Susie Sullivan. Susie offers more than three decades of local real estate experience. Her areas of expertise include Currituck, Camden, Dare and portions of Pasquotank County. Susie also works out of the Sun Realty Kitty Hawk office and can be reached at (262) 261-3892.
Twiddy & Company
Jason Summerton Earns #1 Sales Agent in the 4x4 Area
Congratulations to Jason Summerton for his ongoing success and unwavering position as the #1 sales agent in the Carova 4x4 area. Since venturing into sales in 2005, Jason has achieved remarkable results, selling more than $250 million in the Carova area alone. As the broker-in-charge of the Carova sales office, situated in the heart of the 4x4 area just seven miles up the beach from the paved road in the restored Wash Woods Coast Guard Station, Jason offers unparalleled expertise and insight. To learn more, contact Jason at (252) 202-0105 or jasonsummerton@twiddy.com.
Twiddy & Company Honors Steven Gross for 10 Years with the Company
Twiddy & Company extends its sincere gratitude to Steven Gross for his decade of dedicated service to both the property management and sales teams. With his extensive experience, Steven is the ideal partner for those seeking to invest in property or find a second home. Contact Steven today at (252) 864-9035 or sgross@twiddy.com.
Twiddy & Company Acknowledges John Myers
With more than 42 years of real estate sales experience, including 26 years with Twiddy & Company, John Myers brings unparalleled integrity, knowledge and expertise to every transaction. Reach out to John at 252-256-2066 or jmyers@twiddy.com.
Briann Mehfoud and Crystal Swain Return to Twiddy & Company
Briann Mehfoud returned to Twiddy & Company in 2023, bringing with her 18 years of experience as a licensed broker. With a background in marketing and property management, she offers invaluable insights into the local market and goes above and beyond in marketing listings. To learn more, contact Briann at (252) 202-1122 or bmehfoud@twiddy.com.
Crystal Swain returned to Twiddy & Company’s real estate sales team in 2023, driven by her longstanding passion for real estate, cultivated through years of flipping homes with her husband. Clients appreciate Crystal’s excellent communication skills, strong work ethic and dedication to real estate investing. Reach out to Crystal at (252) 573-1646 or cswain@twiddy.com.
Property
Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum
BY EMMY BENTON
MORE THAN 5,000 SHIPS have met a watery fate off the coast of Cape Hatteras in the Graveyard of the Atlantic, so it only made sense to eventually establish a museum that could showcase the rich history of this area – in a building that resembles a shipwreck, no less! Opening to the public in 2002, the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum holds centuries’ worth of artifacts that recount maritime history on one of the most perilous stretches of the Eastern Seaboard. Situated not far from where the southern Gulf Stream and northern Labrador Current converge, the museum continues to dredge up tales buried deep in those dynamic shifting sands – and place them on full dry-land display.
1
Oceanic Origins
The unique construction of the massive edifice is largely thanks to the creative mind of Wilmingtonbased architect John Parker. He was hired for the project after initial talks of creating a museum to display maritime artifacts began during the mid-1980s – not long after the U.S.S. Monitor was recovered off the coast of Cape Hatteras. As the first ironclad U.S. naval ship to sink in a storm in 1862, the Monitor was sent to The Mariners’ Museum in Newport News, which spurred local Hatteras Island community members to advocate for a dedicated space closer to home in order to house similar historical artifacts discovered both in and around Outer Banks waters.
2
Preserve & Protect
Some of the artifacts displayed in the museum are hundreds of years old, so keeping them safe is a fulltime job. Thankfully, Parker’s design for the museum took into account the Outer Banks’ sometimes treacherous weather. In addition to sporting two-feet thick double-reinforced concrete walls and a comparably sturdy aluminum roof, the museum’s structural support beams were sunk an impressive 11 feet into the ground, resulting in a building that’s able to withstand sustained winds of up to 135 miles per hour, and gusts of up to 250 miles per hour – which is especially helpful since the museum itself stands a mere 12 feet above sea level.
3
A Fresh New Look
Despite its near impenetrability, the museum was starting to show some signs of age as its 20th anniversary rolled around – which is why grants totaling around $5.1 million from the state of NC and Dare County helped make the museum’s renovation dreams a reality. Construction to revamp the building’s 2,000-square-foot lobby and its 5,500-square-foot gallery space got underway in 2022, and the site reopened to the public just in time for the start of the 2024 summer season on May 20th. In addition to its overall facelift, the renovation has made it possible now to rotate the museum’s exhibits about every six months or so –offering visitors double their viewing pleasure every year.
4
More to Love
Even with the expense of their new remodel, entry to the museum is still free (though donations to support their services are accepted at the door) – which is truly priceless when you consider how high-tech some of the new exhibits are. From touchscreens illuminating various shipwrecks to holographic video displays, new features also include a giant Monomoy surfboat with full-sized models of people inside to illustrate the history of the U.S. LifeSaving Service. In order to promote a renewed emphasis on the heroism of this area’s surfmen, the museum also now boasts a rowing machine so visitors can get a (little) taste of just how strenuous it was to be one of those pioneering protectors.
5
Tried & True
A few of the artifacts that visitors know and love are still on display in the museum, including a 6,000-pound first-order Fresnel lens from the original 1854 Cape Hatteras Lighthouse and an Enigma encryption device from the wreck of the U-85, a German submarine that sank in 1942 – exhibits which have long given visitors an in-depth look into the history of the Outer Banks from pre-colonial times to the present. Along with these physical artifacts, something else that’s staying the same are the museum’s in-person learning opportunities, which involve free weekly presentations as part of their summertime “Salty Dawg Lecture Series” on expert-led topics ranging from lesser-known Outer Banks figures to Native American culture and even special sea shanties.
The Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum was built to resemble a sunken ship (below, photo by Casey Robertson). One of the renovated museum’s new exhibits features a large Monomoy surfboat in tribute to the U.S. Life-Saving Service (above, photo courtesy of the NC Maritime Museum).
