Outer Banks History Center Finding Aids

Many of these finding aids are now also available through the Discover Online Catalog (DOC).

Tab/Accordion Items

A

  • Allegheny Lumber Company Account Book, 1899-1900
    The Allegheny Lumber Company operated in the town of Scranton in Hyde County, North Carolina, in the late 19th and early 20th century. This account book records the firm's daily expenses from 29 May 1899 to 24 August 1900. Each day's expense report lists the employees who worked that day in each section of the mill along with the number of hours that they worked. (.3 cubic feet)
  • Amity United Methodist Church Records, 1901-2000 and undated
    Amity United Methodist Church is an historic church located in Engelhard, N.C. The Amity United Methodist Church Records, 1901-2000 and undated, comprises materials created by the congregation and church administrators. The collection primarily consists of church registers, including Sunday school class registers and a guestbook, and materials documenting the renovation of the church and subsequent Homecoming celebration in 1986-1987. Papers include congregation records, correspondence, meeting minutes, clippings, programs, and ephemera. (.17 cubic feet)
  • Archbell, Roy A., Jr., Collection on Andrew S. Austin, 1800 - 1989
    Andrew S. Austin, a native of Hatteras, North Carolina, acquired a tract of land in the 1950s from the heirs of George S. Rollinson and Jesse Rollinson. According to public records of Dare County, the last land transaction that affected this parcel of property, prior to Andrew Austin's acquisition, was in 1849. After Andrew Austin's death, the tract, which borders the Cape Hatteras National Seashore, was divided among his children. In 1985, Howard Phipps, Jr. and his wife, Mary N. S. Phipps, filed a lawsuit against eight Hatteras families, claiming that they were the owners of the property as a result of land transaction that originated with a land grant to a Georgia A. Gaskins in January 1910. The "Gaskins Grant" was a large tract of land that described 400 acres or more and ran several miles along the oceanfront in the Hatteras-Frisco area. Six of the eight families named in the lawsuit claimed their ownership through Andrew S. Austin and were represented by Kitty Hawk attorney Roy A. Archbell, Jr. Though it became apparent that the Phipps' claims, under the Gaskins Grant, would be defeated, it also appeared that they had other potential claims to the same property through George Rollinson. Since both sides recognized the extreme difficulty in establishing the true dividing lines between the George Rollinson parcels, they decided to settle the litigation. As a result there was never a final court adjudication. The materials in this collection are Archbell's research materials and court documents. They include: correspondence, photographs, genealogical information, deeds, land surveys, maps, witness depositions, and trial exhibits. (7.66 cubic feet)

B

  • Ballance, Leon G., Collection, 1783-2002
    Leon Gerald Ballance (1917-2003) was a lifelong resident of Lake Landing Township in Hyde County, North Carolina. Ballance spent much of his life accumulating papers and genealogical information related to Hyde County and its residents. The Leon G. Ballance Collection, 1783-2002 and undated, contains family papers, church records, financial records, deeds, genealogical data, family histories, historical accounts, interview summaries, notes, and subject files related to the history and genealogy of Hyde County, N.C. The bulk of the materials in the collection focus on mainland Hyde County, including the towns of Engelhard, Lake Landing, Nebraska, Swan Quarter, and New Holland, as well as Lake Mattamuskeet. (7.0 cubic feet)
  • Baum Family Papers, 1700 - 1984
    The Baum family has a long history of living on the Outer Banks; it is likely it is one of the oldest families that settled there. The family can trace roots back to the early 1700s and owned extensive property in Currituck and surrounding counties. The materials in this collection primarily relate to the genealogy/family history of the Baum family of Currituck County. The collection includes correspondence, financial records, genealogical material, deeds, wills, publications and photographs. Many of the materials are photocopies and not original. (.15 cubic feet)
  • Baum, Hettie, Scrapbook, 1909-1990
    Hettie Baum (1889-1969) served as postmaster of the Kitty Hawk Post Office for many years and was heavily involved in anniversary celebrations surrounding the Wright Brothers' first flight. The Hettie Baum Scrapbook, 1909-1990 (bulk 1948-1955), largely commemorates the anniversary celebrations honoring the Wright Brothers' first successful sustained flight in a heavier-than-air craft, which occurred in present-day Kill Devil Hills, N.C., in 1903. Baum's scrapbook documents the 46th and 50th anniversaries of the flight, held in 1949 and 1953 respectively. The scrapbook contains news clippings, articles, correspondence, photographs, and ephemera. Most of the scrapbook's contents were too severely damaged to preserve, so many of the materials in this collection are preservation photocopies. (.20 cubic feet)
  • Baum, Lillie Jacob Baum, Diaries, 1900-1948
    Lillie Jacob Baum was born on April 6, 1868 in the Blackwater Community of Princess Ann County, Va. In 1892 she married her cousin, Dr. Julius Cephas Baum. She kept diaries from 1900 until 1948 about daily life on Pine Island on the Currituck Banks. Baum documented everyday life in a world that was changing rapidly. Her insights span domestic life (cooking, sewing, etc.) to her first ride in an automobile. The collection contains 46 diaries including genealogy notes and personal accounts.
  • Baum, Milford J., Papers, 1897-2003
    Milford Josephus Baum (1906-2006) was the son of Lloyd Curtis and Annie Frost Baum of Poplar Branch, North Carolina. Milford Baum served in the U. S. Army during World War II, rising to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. After his discharge in 1946, Baum went to work with the Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company (A & P), eventually becoming vice-president of the A & P Produce Division, middle west division. He retired in 1966 and returned to Currituck County, settling in Aydlett, where he operated a farm that he referred to as "Baum Shelter." He was also a member of the Currituck County Planning Board. An aviation enthusiast, he later became president of the First Flight Society and was instrumental in the planning of the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Wright brothers first flight. The Milford J. Baum Papers contain materials related to the Baum family, as well as the First Flight Society and the 75th Anniversary of the First Flight Celebration. Included in the collection is correspondence, newspaper clippings, and photographs. (1.03 cubic feet)
  • Baum, Washington F., Papers, 1956-1983
    Washington Franklin Baum (1876-1967), a native of Wanchese, North Carolina, was the son of Somers and Mary Ann Wright Baum. He married Agnes Jones Baum in 1910. They had three children, Marjorie, Bessie, and Balfour. Baum was an influential figure in Dare County during its formative years. In 1924, he was elected to the Dare County Board of Commissioners and served a four year term. During that time he led a drive to build the first bridge connecting Roanoke Island to Nags Head. In 1928, Baum was appointed as the Dare County Recorder's Court Judge, a position he held until 1962. In that year, a new bridge between Nags Head and Manteo, that replaced the original span, was named in his honor. The Washington F. Baum Papers include correspondence, newspaper clippings, and photographs. (.38 cubic feet)
  • Beaufort and Chowan County Post Office Records, Collection of, 1849-1898
    The records in this collection were created by United States Postal Service officials at the post offices in Edenton (Chowan County) and Washington (Beaufort County), North Carolina. Beaufort records comprise a single letter copy book created by the Washington post office, which primarily consists of letters accompanying deposits sent from postmaster Charles W. Taylor to the postmasters in Raleigh, North Carolina, and Norfolk, Virginia, as well as the United States Treasury. Chowan records comprise three sheets listing an account of mail sent from the Edenton post office in the spring of 1849. (0.310 cubic feet)
  • Bodie Island Lighthouse Inventory, 1859
    This collection consists of one handwritten document listing the inventory of articles, tools, and other supplies held at the Bodie Island Lighthouse, probably created to reflect the transfer of supplies from the first lighthouse to the newly constructed one. The inventory was completed and signed by Samuel Tillett (spelled Tillitt on the document) and dated 25 May 1859. (.20 cubic feet)
  • Booher, Mike, Photographs, 1982-2003
    Mike Booher is a freelance photographer perhaps best known for extensively documenting the relocation of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in 1999. His collection of photographs includes approximately 4,200 images of the lighthouse relocation as well as other slides and film transparencies documenting historic sites, attractions, events, and people along the Outer Banks. (7.40 cubic feet)
  • Bridgers, Henry Clark, Jr.,Papers, 1888-1980
    Henry Clark Bridgers, Jr. (1913-1981) was a United States Navy pilot and local historian interested in the history of steamboats in eastern North Carolina. The Henry Clark Bridgers, Jr. Papers, 1888-1980 (bulk 1971-1980), consists of materials relating to Bridgers' book project, Steamboats on the Tar. The collection contains drafts of Bridgers' book and research materials on North Carolina steamboats gathered by Bridgers throughout the 1970s as he was writing. (3.3 cubic feet)
  • Brown, Aycock, Papers, 1882-1984, and undated
    Aycock Brown (1904-1984) was a photographer and journalist who spent his life promoting the North Carolina coast to outside audiences. During his time as manager and news director of the Dare County Tourist Bureau, his photographs and stories about the northern coast of North Carolina are credited with helping to spur the rapid growth of Dare County as one of the nation's leading resort areas in the 1950s and 1960s. The Aycock Brown Papers, 1904-1984 and undated (bulk 1929-1984) contain photographs in numerous formats, personal papers, and realia primarily related to his efforts to promote the Outer Banks of North Carolina. (7.80 cubic feet)
  • Bryan, Donald W. and Catharine L, Papers, 1924-2013
    The Donald W. and Catharine L. Bryan Papers, 1924-2013 and undated, contains personal papers, military papers, organizational papers, photographs, and realia created by Donald and Catharine Bryan. The Donald Bryan papers comprise the bulk of the collection, with materials focusing on his military career, art career, and public service, including his time as Mayor of Nags Head. The Bryans moved to Nags Head in 1972 following Donald's retirement from the military. They were very active in the Nags Head and Outer Banks community. The couple is known for founding the Don and Catharine Bryan Cultural Series in 2012. (13.40 cubic feet)
  • Bryan, Don and Catherine, Cultural Series Records, 2003-2021
    The Don and Catharine Bryan Cultural Series is a charitable organization that funds cultural enrichment activities on the Outer Banks, such as musical performances, plays, poetry readings, educational speakers, art exhibitions, and lectures. This collection consists of records of the organization's board of directors, primarily created or collected by its president, John Tucker, Jr. Materials include meeting minutes, event programs and flyers, contracts and correspondence with artists and their agents, program planning documents, and other records. (0.8 cubic feet)
  • Buchanan Cottage Scrapbooks and Guestbook, 1936-2010
    The Buchanan Cottage, located in Nags Head, N.C., is one of the most photographed historic homes in the Outer Banks. As of 2018. it stands in the Nags Head Beach Cottage Row Historic District at 4013 South Virginia Dare Trail. The cottage was built in 1936 by Mattie McMullan Toms Buchanan and her husband John Adams Buchanan. President Franklin D. Roosevelt visited the cottage in 1937. This collection comprises four scrapbooks and a guestbook created by members of the Buchanan Family from 1937 to 2012. The scrapbooks contain newspaper clippings, letters, photographs, postcards, invitations, brochures, and other memorabilia documenting major events in the Outer Banks and important visitors to the cottage. (1.30 cubic feet)

C

  • C. D. Mann General Merchandise Records, 1919-1940
    S. E. Mann General Merchandise was located in Manns Harbor, North Carolina, from 1919 to 1940. It was owned and operated by Samuel E. Mann and his son Carl D. Mann until the death of Samuel in 1921, when the business became known as C. D. Mann General Merchandise. C. D. Mann also owned several other businesses in Manns Harbor, including a saw mill, a dry cleaning service, the Croatan Theatre, and a service station. The C. D. Mann General Merchandise Records relate to the C.D. Mann Store and include invoices, bank statements, and correspondence. The invoices, in particular, provide a fascinating glimpse into the local economy and the availability and cost of various commodities and services. (1.42 cubic feet.)
  • Cape Hatteras Light Station, Administration Record for the Relocation of the, 1999
    Because of the threat of shoreline erosion, the Cape Hatteras Light Station, which consists of seven historic structures, was successfully relocated in 1999. The lighthouse was moved 2,900 feet from the spot on which it had stood since 1870. The entire light station was safely relocated to a new site where the historic buildings and cisterns were placed in relationship to each other exactly as they had been at the original site. The Administrative Record for the Relocation of Cape Hatteras Light Station, 1999, contains documents relating to a lawsuit concerning the relocation of the lighthouse. The materials in this collection are reproductions of documents originally dated July 1967-3 February 1999.
  • Cape Hatteras National Seashore Ethnohistory Project Records, 2002-2005
    This collection consists of recorded oral history interviews and transcripts created in support of a National Park Service project to research the social history of Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands. The oral history interviews in this collection were collected and used to create a technical report. (1.20 cubic feet)
  • Cape Lookout National Seashore Oral History Project Records, 1968-1985
    This collection consists of 72 oral history interviews and eight music performances originally captured on audiocassette between 1968 and 1985. The interviews discuss the memories and experiences of residents of various villages in the Cape Lookout region, including Portsmouth Island, Shackleford Banks, Cedar Island, and Carteret County. Interviewers describe the early history of the area, its role in the Civil War, race relations, the social lives and customs of the villagers and their families, and other topics. (3.7 cubic feet)
  • Carolinian Hotel Photographs and Films, 1943-1968
    The Carolinian Hotel Photographs and Films, 1943-1968, contains photographs and films created by the owners and affiliates of the Carolinian Hotel in Nags Head, North Carolina. The bulk of the collection dates from 1950s and the 1960s and documents hotel guests using the facilities at the hotel as well as events such as fox hunts, fashion shows, and the Dare Coast Pirates Jamboree. (0.8 cubic feet)
  • Champney, James Wells, Sketchbooks, 1862-1863
    James Wells Champney was born in Boston, MA in 1843. He studied drawing and took classes in anatomy at the Lowell Institute under Oliver Wendall Holmes. He serve in the Union Army during the Civil War along with his cousin and fellow artist, Edwin Graves Champney. Champney was a member of Company G, Forty-Fifth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Militia and was stationed at Fort Macon and Fort Spinola (near New Bern). Discharged because of malaria, he returned to civilian life and taught drawing from 1864-1866 at Dr. Dio Lewis's Young Ladies Seminary. Two books of sketches were rendered while Champney was stationed in North Carolina during the Civil War. They depict camp life, rural scenes, ships, artillery and portraits of people, including soldiers and African-Americans he encountered. Some of the places he sketched include scenes from Fort Macon, Fort Spinola, Reidsville, New Bern and Morehead City. (2 items.)
  • Civil War Letters and Manuscripts, Collection Of, 1861 - 1864
    North Carolina's Outer Banks was the setting for two important Civil War engagements. Union victories at Hatteras Inlet and Roanoke Island early in the war placed the area under Federal control and extended their blockade to the Southern Coast. This collection contains a group of letters written by soldiers during the Civil War. Topics discussed in the letters include: Fort Hatteras, the Fort Hatteras garrison flag, Camp Raleigh, Camp Brightwood, provost duty, the Burnside Expedition, the victory at Roanoke Island, and army food rations. Transcripts of all letters are included. (.19 cubic feet)
  • Clarke, Roy, Papers, 1939-2018
    Edward Royden "Roy" Clarke, Jr. of Engelhard, North Carolina is the retired chairman and president of East Carolina Bank. He spent approximately twenty years researching the citizens of Hyde County who served in World War II. Clarke also began accumulating personal war biographies on many of the veterans, with hopes of someday writing a book entitled They Came From Hyde. His research was based on personal interviews with the veterans or their family members, military discharge papers, and extensive internet research on all aspects of the history of the war. This collection comprises his research material on Hyde County's involvement in World War II, largely consisting of photocopies of personal correspondence, photographs, family papers, newspaper articles, military documents, and extensive descriptions of specific battles and military armaments. (4.40 cubic feet)
  • Cole, Carol Cronk Photograph Collection, 1897 - 1901
    Corydon Pirnie Cronk began his career in the U.S. Signal Corps and was later stationed at the U.S. Weather Bureau at Cape Henry, Virginia around the turn of the 20th century. One of Cronk's duties was to inspect the telegraph poles that ran between government offices. In so doing, he traveled to the Weather Bureau stations at Kitty Hawk and Cape Hatteras. Many of the photographs in this collection show the destruction after the San Ciriaco Hurricane of 1899. Some of the photos are also in the H.H. Brimley Collection. It is not known whether Cronk obtained the images from Brimley or vice versa.
    This collection consists of 34 digital scans at 300 dpi, stored on a disc and hard drive, and 34 black and white prints. (0.20 cubic feet)
  • Couch, Daniel, Papers, 1977-1978
    This collection consists of research material and other papers accumulated by student researchers working on a grant-funded project to document the history of the United States Lifesaving Service on North Carolina's Outer Banks. The bulk of the collection consists of photocopies of Articles of Enlistment for Surfmen for lifesaving stations on Hatteras Island. These records list the personnel employed by the station each year, the length of their contract, and often their age, race, and salary. (0.4 cubic feet)
  • Couch, Ray, Photographs, 1955-1990
    Ray Couch was a retired Lieutenant Colonel of the U.S. Army and photographer living in Buxton, North Carolina, from the 1960s to the 1990s. The Ray Couch Photographs, 1955-1990 and undated, comprise prints, negatives, contact sheets, and color slides documenting the Outer Banks and other topics during this time period, with a particular focus on Hatteras Island subjects and sportfishing. (5.80 cubic feet)
  • Creef, Millard Blackwell, Papers, ca.1920s-1959, 2011
    Millard Blackwell Creef was a native of East Lake, N.C., who enlisted in World War II in August 1942. Creef was stationed at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, Camp Stoneman in California, and Camp Shanks in New York before being deployed to North Africa in May 1943. Creef was killed in action in Sicily in September 1943 and reportedly the "first Manteo boy to die in service" in World War II. The Millard Blackwell Creef Papers, circa 1920s-1959 and 2011, comprises the personal papers of Millard Blackwell Creef, most of which were created during his service in World War II and compiled by members of his immediate family. The bulk of the collection consists of letters written by Creef to his parents and sister while he was stationed at Fort Bragg, Camp Stoneman, Camp Shanks, and overseas in North Africa and Sicily. (2.0 cubic feet)
  • Current TV Interviews, 2021
    Current TV (also spelled CURRENTtv or currentTV) is a local informational television project facilitated by Dare County. The interviews in this collection were conducted by Current TV producers for historical interest videos in conjunction with Black History Month 2021. Topics discussed include John Henry Bias and Bias Shores, the Roanoke Island Freedmen's Colony, and the Pea Island Lifesaving Station. (0.3 cubic feet)
  • Currituck Shooting Club Scrapbook, 1974
    The Currituck Shooting Club was founded in 1857 on the western coast of the Outer Banks, facing the Currituck Sound, on 3,100 acres of land in present-day Corolla. The original clubhouse was ravaged during the Civil War and was replaced in 1879-1882 by a larger building consisting of three connected structures. The club was very exclusive and was visited by many wealthy and notable patrons, including J.P. Morgan and members of the Vanderbilt family. This collection consists of a single scrapbook entitled "Currituck Shooting Club: Ponds, Creeks, Leads." The scrapbook, created in November 1974 by Murray Chappell, Sr., consists of several hand-drawn maps of the hunting grounds surrounding the site of the Currituck Shooting Club. (.30 cubic feet)

D

  • Daniels, Brockie, Papers, 1921 - 1964
    Brockie Daniels (1912-2007) was born in Manteo, North Carolina to Edward and Mary Wescott Daniels. She was one of five children. Daniels received her Bachelor of Arts in English in 1935 from the Women's College of the University of North Carolina. She was a World War II veteran, having served in the U.S. Air Force where she was stationed both in the United States and in the European theatre. She remained in the Air Force until her retirement in 1964. Daniels was also a member of Manteo Baptist Church for more than 80 years. The Brockie Daniels Papers consists of military records, photographs, college diplomas, and correspondence. (.97 cubic feet)
  • Daily Dolphin, Letters to the Editor of The, 1986-1987
    The Daily Dolphin was a student-led newspaper published by the College of the Albemarle's Dare County Center (located in Manteo, N.C.). The paper's editor was local resident Rocky Midgette, and articles were contributed by several College of the Albemarle students and community members. At least five issues of the paper were published between December 1986 and June 1987. The letters in this collection were written to the staff of The Daily Dolphin during the first year of its publication. Most letters are addressed to the newspaper's editor, Rocky Midgette, and many were published in the June 1987 issue of the paper. (.20 cubic feet)
  • Dare County Soil Conservation Service Aerial Photographs, 1981, and undated
    This collection consists of approximately 100 oversize aerial photographs and orthophoto maps of Dare County, North Carolina, created by the Dare County Soil Conservation Service, 1981 and undated. (1.0 cubic feet)
  • Dare County Tourist Bureau Records, 1949-1995
    The Dare County Tourist Bureau (DCTB) was an organization that aimed to increase tourism to the Outer Banks and promote Dare County to potential visitors across the country. The group distributed promotional materials, created advertising campaigns, organized and participated in events, and contributed articles and press releases to newspapers in order to bolster the tourism industry on the Outer Banks. This collection consists of correspondence, financial records, visitation statistics, committee records, and other administrative files, as well as photographs utilized by the DCTB in their promotional activities. (16 cubic feet)
  • Dare Minority Coalition Records, 2020
    The Dare Minority Coalition was founded in 2019 to promote racial justice in the greater Dare County community. One of the group's first major initiatives was a peaceful protest centered on a moment of silence for victims of police brutality held in June 2020. This event was part of a wave of protests across the country held in response to the murder of George Floyd by law enforcement officers in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in May 2020. This collection consists of materials related to the event, including protest signs, a t-shirt, speeches, and photographs. (0.51 cubic feet)
  • Davis, I. N. and Roy L., Business Papers of, 1928-1938
    Roy L. Davis, hailing from Wanchese, N.C., was elected as Dare County's representative in the North Carolina General Assembly in 1938. I.N. (Isaac N.) Davis (1873-1934) owned a general store in Wanchese and served as Dare County Treasurer. The Business Papers of I.N. Davis and Roy L. Davis, 1928-1938, primarily contains routine correspondence and records created by the two men. The I.N. Davis Papers consist of purchase requests sent by Davis to vendors in the region to procure goods to sell in his general store. The Roy L. Davis Papers largely center on Davis's campaign for State Representative in 1938. (.30 cubic feet)
  • Dews Island Hunt Club Scrapbook, 1911-ca.1940s
    The Dews Island Hunt Club was established by New York City resident George A. Eyer sometime prior to 1930 on Dews Island, a small island on the Currituck Sound near present-day Jarvisburg in Currituck County. The Dews Island Hunt Club Scrapbook largely contains 8" x 10" silver gelatin prints of the club and the surrounding area in the 1930s. Images depict sunset scenes on the Currituck Sound, boats anchored in the club's boat basin and dock, exterior and interior shots of the clubhouse (interior shots include room measurements), and ducks and geese coming in on the North Pond. The creator of this scrapbook is unidentified, but evidence suggests it may have been created by Eyer. (.30 cubic feet)
  • Dough Family Papers, 1825 – 1950
    Most of the papers in this collection relate to the Walter Townsend Dough line of the Dough family. A native of Roanoke Island, Walter Dough was born in 1834 to Thomas Allen and Sarah Etheridge Dough. He was a commercial fisherman and was appointed the Dare County sheriff in 1875. The Dough family, which can trace its roots on Roanoke Island back to the 18th century, has a long history of working in the commercial fishing and boatbuilding industries, as well as serving in the U. S. Lifesaving Service and U. S. Coast Guard. The Dough Family Papers include correspondence, land surveys, land deeds, receipts, and court summons. (.24 cubic feet)
  • Dough, Horace, Papers, 1928-1961
    Horace Dough (1893-1973) was a fisherman, boat builder, and fishing guide for groups of visitors to the Outer Banks in the late 1920s and early 1930s. In 1933, he was made caretaker of the monument that would eventually become the Wright Brothers National Memorial in Kill Devil Hills and was officially appointed as monument superintendent in early 1934. He was also closely involved in the Manteo and greater Outer Banks community throughout his life. The Horace Dough Papers, 1928-1961 and undated, contains correspondence; advertisements; clippings; catalogs; financial and business records; bulletins and other publications; informational packets; booklets; campaign stickers; event invitations, programs, and schedules; and construction notes, plans, costs, and sketches. (0.60 cubic feet)
  • Dunes of Dare Garden Club Collection, 1966 - 2017
    The Dunes of Dare Garden Club was founded in 1967 and is fully affiliated with the Garden Club of North Carolina, Inc. and the National Council of State Garden Clubs, Inc. The Club's main purpose is to provide a nonprofit, philanthropic and educational association for the members and to encourage environmental improvement through civic development, beautification and the protection and conservation of natural resources. The Dunes of Dare Garden Club Collection consists of correspondence, meeting minutes, financial reports, photographs and material on various projects, awards, and programs as well as thirty-three scrapbooks containing the same. (8.88 cubic feet)
  • Duvall, C. C., Papers, 1900-1932
    Claude C. Duvall was from Mann's Harbor and was responsible for building the Fort Raleigh Hotel in downtown Manteo in 1930. This small collection contains mostly letters of recommendation written for C. C. Duvall by several companies in Dare County, including the Dareforest Store Company and The Bank of Manteo. (.25 cubic feet)

E

  • Edenton Peanut Company Letters, 1943
    The Edenton Peanut Company was established in 1909 by members of the Wood and Shepherd families. By the 1930s, Edenton was the largest peanut market in the state and the second largest in the world. During World War II, Mr. James Wood of Edenton served as the president of the Edenton Peanut Company. Wood, for whom the company's flagship product "Jimbo's Jumbos" was named, shipped five-pound bags of peanuts to every service member from Chowan County he could locate. Many wrote thank-you letters back to the company? some to Mr. Wood, some to other company officers, and some just to the company. The collection contains thank you letters written in June and July 1943 from men and women stationed at bases across the United States. The letters contain descriptions of service life, geography, and social interactions of the time. (29 letters)
  • Elizabethan Gardens Records, Kathy Mitchell Collection of, 1997 - 2000
    The Elizabethan Gardens is a living memorial to the men and women of the Roanoke Voyages (1584-1587) who attempted to colonize the new world. More than 500 plant species are found within its 10-acre site on the north end of Roanoke Island, adjacent to Waterside Theatre. The Shakespearean Herb Garden, the Queen's Rose Garden, and the formal sunken knot garden are some of the Garden's features. The Elizabethan Gardens is also home to an impressive collection of statuary including an enthralling Italian fountain in the formal garden and a larger-than-life bronze statue of Elizabeth I, the largest likeness of her in the world. This collection was amassed by Kathy Mitchell, former employee of the Elizabethan Gardens, while she aided in the development of the special gardens areas. The collection is comprised of receipts, correspondence, diagrams, charts, labels, and plant lists relating to the renovation of the Rose Garden, the creation of interpretive labels for the Herb Garden and the design of a perennial border around the grand lawn. (.25 cubic feet)
  • Elizabethan Gardens Records, 1953 - 2003
    More than 500 plant species are found within its 10-acre site on the north end of Roanoke Island, adjacent to Waterside Theater. The Shakespearean Herb Garden, the Queen's Rose Garden, and the formal sunken knot garden are some of the Garden's features. The Elizabethan Gardens is also home to an impressive collection of statuary including an enthralling Italian fountain in the formal garden and a larger-than-life bronze statue of Elizabeth I, the largest likeness of her in the world.
  • Ephemera Collection, Outer Banks History Center, 1825-2018
    The Ephemera Collection, 1825-2018 and undated, contains ephemera (printed documents, created for a specific, limited purpose, and generally designed to be discarded after use) primarily related to the state of North Carolina and its counties, with a particular focus on Dare County. The collection was assembled over a period of several decades by Outer Banks History Center staff. Materials primarily document the history of Dare County and the State of North Carolina. Several notable Dare County organizations (such as the Roanoke Island Historical Association), events (such as the Pirates Jamboree and commemorations of the Wright Brothers' first flight), businesses (such as hotels, restaurants, and retail stores), and other entities are documented in the collection. The collection especially focuses on the tourism industry in North Carolina, both on and along the North Carolina Coast and throughout the state. Additionally, the collection includes historical materials relating to the University of North Carolina System and materials created by national and federal entities, such as the United States Coast Guard. (37 cubic feet)
  • Etheridge, Augustus H., Papers, 1917-1941
    Augustus H. Etheridge was a member of the Etheridge family of Roanoke Island. This collection focuses on Etheridge's service with the United States Lighthouse Service in his later life, primarily consisting of correspondence surrounding his various appointments and requests for transfer or promotion. (0.20 cubic feet)
  • Everyone Helped His Neighbor Oral History Interviews, 1986
    Everyone Helped His Neighbor: Memories of Nags Head Woods was published in 1986. The book traced the history of the Nags Head Woods community on the sound side of present-day Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina. Research for the book was completed by Lu Ann Jones and Amy Glass on behalf of the Nags Head Woods Ecological Preserve and was based heavily on oral history interviews with former residents of the community. This collection consists of oral history interviews and other recordings created by Glass and Jones during the course of their research. (0.30 cubic feet)

F

  • Fearing, Fred, Papers, 1906-2006
    Fred Fearing was an Elizabeth City native known for his encyclopedic knowledge of local history. He was also a collector of historical artifacts and an avid baseball fan. The Fred Fearing Papers, 1906-2006 and undated, primarily consists of material collected by Fearing while researching the history of eastern North Carolina, with a particular focus on Elizabeth City and the Outer Banks. The collection is arranged into two series: Papers, 1906-2006 and undated, and Photographs, 1908-2006 and undated. (3.20 cubic feet)
  • Fearn, Robert, Papers, 1981 - 1994
    Robbie Fearn (1959- ) was born in Arlington, Virginia and grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina. He began his theatre career as a child actor in Raleigh. After completing a B.A. in Communications and Theatre at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro in 1981, he began work at The Lost Colony drama as an actor-technician. During his tenure at The Lost Colony, he served as the play's Production Stage Manager, Technical Director, Production Coordinator/Technical Director, and the Assistant Director. Fearn served under directors Joe Layton and Fred Chappell, and General Managers Deloris Utley Harrell and John Summerton. The Robbie Fearn Papers contain information about The Lost Colony drama during Robbie Fearn's tenure with the production. The majority of the papers are production records and include personal notebooks and night-by-night notes of each performance. (1.67 cubic feet)
  • Fessenden National Memorial Society Records, 1927 - 1980
    Reginald Aubrey Fessenden (1866-1932), a radio pioneer, performed experiments on Roanoke Island and Hatteras Island, North Carolina, between 1901-1902. He is considered by many to be the "father of voice radio." Plans to memorialize his work in the area began in 1941. Members were recruited for the Fessenden National Memorial Association under the leadership of D. Victor Meekins. These plans were well underway by 1963. However, when Meekins died a year later in 1964, the group became inactive. Meekins' son Roger tried to resurrect the group, but in 1980, transferred the land they had set aside for their proposed memorial to the Roanoke Island Historical Association, the producers of America's longest running outdoor symphonic drama, The Lost Colony. The Fessenden National Memorial Society Records contains materials related to the Fessenden National Memorial Society and includes correspondence, meeting minutes, membership lists, bank statements, deeds, photographs, and press releases related to the USS Fessenden, a destroyer escort built for the U. S. Navy during World War II. (.24 cubic feet)
  • First and Citizens National Bank Minute Book, 1933-1969
    Due to its location, growth in trade, and ability to supply retail stores throughout the eastern Albemarle area, Elizabeth City, North Carolina was able to open two new banks in the 1890s – the First National Bank in 1891, and the Citizen’s Bank in 1899. These two financial institutions greatly expanded banking practices in the area and strengthened their positions by merging in 1918. This collection consists of a single minute book and includes records of the history of the bank, its directors, administrators, board members, and stockholders. It shows a record of loan approvals and rejections. (1 minute book and 1 folder of reports, resolutions, correspondence)
  • Friday, Joe, Collection on the U.S.S. Huron, 1984-1989
    Joe Friday was a graduate student in East Carolina University's program in maritime history and nautical archaeology who researched and mapped the wreck of the U.S.S. Huron in the late 1980s. This research culminated in Friday's master's thesis, A History of the Wreck of the U.S.S. Huron, in 1988. The Joe Friday Collection on the U.S.S. Huron, 1984-1989, primarily consists of research materials gathered by Friday while conducting his research, as well as drafts, notes, and other materials related to the thesis itself. (0.40 cubic feet)
  • Frost, R. Oscar, Papers, 1914-1917
    R. Oscar Frost (1883-1980) was an African-American citizen of prominence in Currituck County. Mr. Frost was employed as a school teacher in Currituck County in the early part of the 20th Century and lobbied for improvements to schools for blacks. The Robert Oscar Frost papers consist of documents related to Currituck County's early black schools, personal financial records such as cancelled checks and receipts, insurance papers and correspondence. There are also items relating to the Knights of Pythias, Grand United Order of Odd Fellows, Frost's work at the Hampton Institute (Hampton, Virginia) and personal papers from the Frost and Wilson (Mrs. Frost's maiden name) families (Currituck County, N.C.). (.5 cubic feet)
  • Fulcher Family Papers, ca. 1890s-1989
    The Fulcher Family Papers, circa 1890s-1989, consists of family papers and photographs related to the Fulcher and Oden/Odin families of Hatteras Island. The bulk of the collection consists of 493 photographs taken along the Outer Banks of North Carolina, New York City, and Natural Bridge, Virginia, largely during the 1900s-1950s. The family papers in the collection primarily relate to Erskin/Erskine Odin and include newspaper clippings, military papers, and marriage and death records. (0.6 cubic feet)

G

  • Gallop, Tex Ray, Papers, 1983-2005
    This collection consists of research material compiled by Tex Ray Gallop of Wanchese in support of his work in the fishing industry. Materials consist of articles, research publications, white papers, and statistics related to the fishing, crabbing, and crawfishing industries. (0.40 cubic feet)
  • Gard, Linda, Photographs, 1950s-1960s
    Linda "Sammie" Gard is a longtime resident of Manns Harbor, North Carolina. This collection contains seven photographs of events and attendees associated with the Dare Coast Pirates Jamboree of 1959 and 1960, an image of the Daniels Oil Company in downtown Manteo during a flood, images of costumed interpreters and sculpture at the Elizabethan Gardens, a snapshot of dozens of cars in line for the Hatteras-Ocracoke ferry, an aerial photograph of the Wright Brothers National Memorial, an advertisement for the John Yancey Motor Hotel, and several snapshots of unidentified groups of people. (0.20 cubic feet)
  • Gaskill, Edith, Scrapbooks, 1965-2003
    This collection traces the history of the construction of the Wanchese Seafood Industrial Park and improvements to Wanchese Harbor in Wanchese, North Carolina, a fishing village on the south end of Roanoke Island. A component of the project was the stabilization of Oregon Inlet (the closest point of access to the ocean for local fishing boats) by the construction of jetties. Although charter and commercial fishermen, company owners, and residents have lobbied for 30 years, the jetties have never been built and the concept remains controversial. This collection consists of acid-free copies of newspaper clippings about Oregon Inlet, Wanchese Harbor, Wanchese Seafood Industrial Park, and jetties that were painstakingly collected by the donor, Edith Gaskill of Wanchese. (.38 cubic feet)
  • Gates, Franklin, and W.W. Johnston Ledgers and Daybooks, 1891-1928
    Dr. Franklin P. Gates (1859-1922), a native of Kinston, North Carolina established a practice in Manteo after graduating from Bellevue Hospital Medical College in 1886. He was the town doctor until shortly after World War I. Dr. Wiley Warren Johnston (1885-1978), a native of Brinkleyville, North Carolina, moved to Manteo in 1914 directly out of medical school and joined Gates' practice. Johnston was called into service in the U. S. Army Medical Corps during World War I, but returned to Manteo and resumed his practice with Gates. After Johnston's return, Gates began a practice in Norfolk, Virginia. Dr. Johnston practiced medicine in Dare County for over 40 years and was director of health departments in Dare, Currituck, and Hyde Counties for 25 years. This collection consists of daybooks and ledgers of Drs. Gates and Johnston. The books contain the day by day account of patients seen and medicines prescribed, charges rendered and bills paid. Also included in the collection are several pieces of correspondence, two prescriptions, several clippings from Time magazine, as well as serials on the production and handling of milk. (20 items)
  • Gaylord, Beulah Bertha White, Papers, 1929-1988
    Beulah Bertha White Gaylord (1918-1993) was a Manteo, N.C., resident, Noble Grand of the Manteo Rebekah Lodge #52, home demonstration agent, and home economics teacher. The Beulah White Gaylord Papers, 1929-1988, contains Gaylord's 4-H scrapbook and a folder of records related to the Manteo Rebekah Lodge. (.40 cubic feet)
  • Geer, Edward, Photographs of Como, N.C., ca. 1897-1905
    This collection consists of 52 black and white 8x10" photographic prints taken by Edward French Geer around the turn of the 20th century. The images depict the Geer family as well as both Black and white members of the community of Como in Hertford County, North Carolina, largely at work on their farms or preparing to go hunting. In addition to examples of agricultural and domestic implements, the images also show different forms of vernacular architecture and agricultural methods, as well as the people who employed them. (0.01 cubic feet)
  • Godley, Suzanne, Papers, 1960-2014
    Suzanne Godley is a Dare County resident and active member of the community. This collection consists of the personal papers of Suzanne Scott, documenting numerous events, anniversaries, and committees associated with the Outer Banks, particularly in relation to the Town of Manteo and the Oregon Inlet Fishing Center. (0.42 cubic feet)
  • Graham, Harold L. Papers, 1933 - 1937
    The Works Progress Administration, later renamed the Work Projects Administration (WPA), was the largest of President Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal agencies. It employed millions to carry out various public works projects, such as building and road construction. The first WPA workers were from the Transient Bureau and came to North Carolina's Outer Banks in 1934. Among other projects, they planted stabilizing grasses to create dunes along the ocean front and aided in the construction of the Waterside Theatre, where The Lost Colony drama is performed each summer. One of the chief projects of the WPA was the construction of dunes for over 100 miles of North Carolina's barrier islands. Lt. Harold L. Graham was an army Finance Officer stationed at WPA Camp Wirth located on the north end of Roanoke Island, North Carolina. The Lt. Harold L. Graham Papers include correspondence, receipts, financial records, and army training course books. (.19 cubic feet)
  • Gray, Julia Culbreth, Papers, 1946-1953
    Julia Culbreth Gray (1890-1970) owned and operated a rental property in Nags Head, N.C., in addition to doll shops in Washington, D.C. and on Roanoke Island, N.C. This collection consists of correspondence regarding her rental property as well as an invitation to a cocktail party honoring actor Forrest Tucker and a program for performances related to her doll business. (.20 cubic feet)

H

  • Harrell, C. M., Ledgers, 1899-1948
    The business associated with the ledgers in this collection was founded by Charlie Manning Harrell (1876-1948) sometime around 1899 in Hertford, North Carolina. Harrell's company appears to have originally been founded as a dry goods business, but by the 1910s, the company's ledgers only list wood sales. Eventually, Harrell also began to sell coal, and the business continued to operate solely as a wood and coal dealer until Harrell's death. The C.M. Harrell Ledgers, 1899-1948, primarily consists of financial records associated with Charlie Manning Harrell's wood and coal business. The ledgers include account books, cash books, day books, and financial statements. Also included in the collection are two photographs of the C.M. Harrell wood yard. (.50 cubic feet)
  • Harris, Bill, Papers, ca. 1870s-2016
    William Aubrey "Bill" Harris (1937-2017) was a local Outer Banks historian and genealogist particularly interested in the history of Kitty Hawk, the Wright Brothers' first flight, and oral history. The Bill Harris papers, circa 1870s-2016 and undated, contains administrative records, correspondence, oral histories, annual reports, programs, newspaper clippings, brochures, maps, newsletters, minutes, and photographs. Included in the collection are materials relating to Dare County, the Wright Brothers, the First Flight Society, local genealogy, local church history, and the United States Life-Saving and Coast Guard services. (41 fibredex boxes)
  • Harris, Linda, Photographs, ca.1890s-1930s
    There are eight photographs in this collection, all of which depict scenes around Manns Harbor, N.C., circa 1890s-1930s. These images depict the C.D. Mann Store and filling station, the Croatan Theatre, Earl Ray's Pressing Shop, James Lath and Mary Midgett's grocery store and house with guests, and students and teachers at the Manns Harbor School. Also included is a reproduction of an unidentified, undated newspaper clipping depicting the Manns Harbor School, students, and teachers around 1900. (0.2 cubic feet)
  • Harrison, Steve, Collection on Lifesaving Stations of the Outer Banks, 1874-1968
    The Lifesaving Stations of the Outer Banks Collection was researched and compiled by Steve Harrison, an employee of the National Park Service, Cape Hatteras Group who served as Chief of Resource Management, and relates to various stations of the United States Life-Saving Service along the Outer Banks. The collection includes station names, active dates, United States Coast Guard numbers, architectural style, location and rescue/wreck reports. (.3 cubic feet)
  • Harwell, Mary Blanche Meekins, Papers, ca. 1920s-1965
    This collection primarily consists of materials documenting the death of D. Victor Meekins, including condolence telegrams and correspondence, resolutions, memorial tributes, and clippings. Also included are numerous photographs of D. Victor Meekins and several local postcards. These materials were compiled by Meekins' daughter, Mary Blanche Harwell. (0.2 cubic feet)
  • Haskin, Elizabeth, Collection on the Outer Banks Gallery and Studio, 1941-1992
    The Outer Banks Gallery and Studio was founded in 1952 by Dorothy Bowie. Bowie's longtime companion, Pat Donnan, served as the business manager for the gallery, and Elizabeth Haskin served as acting director in the 1970s and early 1980s. Bowie used the space to sell her own work and teach art classes to area students in the summer. The Elizabeth Haskin Collection on the Outer Banks Gallery and Studio, 1941-1992 and undated, contains materials collected or created by Haskin during her time as acting director of the Outer Banks Gallery and Studio. The collection contains Christmas cards designed by Dorothy Bowie; clippings about Bowie and Donnan; photographs of Bowie, circa 1960s-1970s; letters from Bowie and Donnan; records of attendance and sales at the gallery during Haskin's tenure; and a scrapbook. (0.47 cubic feet)
  • Hatteras Inlet Lifeboat Station Records, 1951-1953
    The Hatteras Inlet Lifeboat Station (#186) was established in 1883 at the northern end of Ocracoke Island, on the south side of Hatteras Inlet. The station was destroyed in a hurricane in the 1950s and rebuilt on the north side of Hatteras Inlet. The Hatteras Inlet Lifeboat Station Records, 1951-1953, contains three record books kept by officers of the station. Two log books, dated 12 March 1952-8 June 1952 and 23 August 1953-23 October 1953, track the daily operations of the station, including vehicles and boats that passed or stopped by the station, changing of the guard, and other occurrences. A 1951 supply inventory records goods and materials on hand in the station's supply room. (.20 cubic feet)
  • Hatteras Marlin Club Photographs, 1964-2014
    The Hatteras Marlin Club is a private club located at the southern end of Hatteras Island in the village of Hatteras. Founded in 1959, the club is known for its Annual Invitational Blue Marlin Release Tournament held each summer in late June or early July. This collection contains color and black and white photographic prints from many of the annual tournaments held in the first 55 years of the club's existence. (3.60 cubic feet)
  • Hollowell, C. W., Family Papers, 1863 - 1939
    Christopher Wilson (C. W.) Hollowell (1821-1892) was born in Perquimans County, North Carolina but moved to Pasquotank County to manage the plantations of his cousin, John Hollowell and James C. Johnston of Hayes plantation. In addition to planting, one of Hollowell's business interests was the Nags Head Hotel, in Nags Head, North Carolina. The C. W. Hollowell Family Papers include personal and business correspondence, receipts, accounts of sales, insurance documents, genealogical notes and newspaper clippings. (.75 cubic feet)
  • Holmes, Randell Photograph Collection, 1886-2012
    Randell Eugene Holmes was born in East Lake, N.C. on December 12, 1932, and has spent most of his life on Roanoke Island. Holmes has close and personal ties with several of the prominent families on the Outer Banks and Dare County Mainland. He has meticulously searched out and located images and documents pertaining to family members and friends throughout the region. The materials in this collection primarily relate to the genealogy and history of the East Lake and Roanoke Island area. The collection consists of 333 digital scans and 120 prints of people and places, in particular, members of the Basnight, Creef, Holmes, Mann, Pinner, and Twiford families, as well as others. The collection also features 30 digital scans, 6 prints, and 9 photocopies of documents and clippings pertaining to various members of these families. 600 dpi digital scans of each image are stored on a disc and a hard drive. (0.20 cubic feet)
  • Hook, Mary Gabby and Le Hook, Papers, 1937-2013
    This collection documents the experience of Mary Gaddy Hook and her husband Le Hook while participating in during the 1970s and early 1980s, including the extraordinary effort made to get the production ready, run it through the summer and still perform in numerous choir, dance, and theatrical productions on the side. Of note in this collection are several images of performers donning their costumes and a night-by-night description of the run of the show written by one of the performers. (1.80 cubic feet)
  • Hooper and Meekins Family Papers, 1879-1957
    The Hooper and Meekins family lived in Dare County in the communities of Stumpy Point and Manteo. The Hoopers were involved in the commercial fishing industry and owned the Hooper Brothers Gas Station in Stumpy Point, while the Meekinses operated a motel and hardware store in Manteo. This collection includes account books, correspondence, and financial records tracking the Hoopers' and Meekins' business interests as well as personal papers created by various Hooper and Meekins family members. (0.60 cubic feet)
  • Hoover, Herbert, Letter and Photographs, 1928
    Herbert Hoover (then Secretary of Commerce) visited the Outer Banks in 1928 to assess the site of the future Wright Brothers National Memorial. This collection consists of four photographs and a letter surrounding Hoover's visit. The photographs depict Hoover and his party boarding a boat in Manteo. The letter, dated 2 May 1928, was written by Hoover to Etheridge Midgett, Section Supervisor of the U.S. Coast Guard station in Manteo, thanking Midgett for his section's hospitality during the visit. (.17 cubic feet)
  • Howard, John, Contract Appointing Commissioner of Wrecks, First District, Carteret County, 1819
    This deed, signed by John Howard, David Wallace, and Nathaniel Pinkham, acknowledges Howard's appointment as Commissioner of Wrecks for the first district of Carteret County, North Carolina. The contract stipulates that Howard, Wallace, and Pinkham are liable for a sum of $15,000 should Howard fail to perform his duties adequately. The contract was issued 16 February 1819 by George Read. (0.2 cubic feet)

I

  • Icarus International and First Flight Rotary “Monument To a Century of Flight” Time Capsule Records, 2001—2005
    December 17, 2003 marked the 100-year anniversary of the invention of powered flight by Orville and Wilbur Wright at Kill Devil Hills on North Carolina’s Outer Banks. Aviation and history enthusiasts around the world celebrated the centennial at the National Park Service’s Wright Brothers National Memorial spearheaded also by the U. S. Centennial of Flight Commission and North Carolina First Flight Centennial Commission. In the years surrounding the centennial crescendo, many special projects and events added to the commemoration. One enduring project in the adjacent community of Kitty Hawk, at the Aycock Brown Welcome Center, is the addition of a dramatic, outdoor sculptural site to the Outer Banks landscape, the “Monument to a Century of Flight.” Hosted by the non-profit, Icarus International, the monument heralds the connection between creativity and invention. Ten years in the making, the project garnered local, national, and international involvement. The building of the monument, and an endowment for its perpetual care, were funded through a combination of public and private sponsorships and donations. From its inception, planners intended to incorporate a time capsule into the design of the monument containing thoughts and memorabilia from the people of 2003 to be gifted to the people of 2103. The First Flight Chapter of Rotary International coordinated the project while the Outer Banks History Center provided technical assistance. This collection consists of one pamphlet box containing 13 folders, exclusively in paper format. An item-level inventory of all contents of the time capsule is supplemented by planning committee and project records, artist’s renderings, dedication memorabilia, clippings, and ephemera. The inventory is cross-referenced in two ways, box-by-box and by donating organization. (13 folders, approximately .1 cu. ft.)

J

  • Johnston, W. W.
    See Drs. Frank Gates and W. W. Johnston Ledgers and Daybooks, 1891 - 1928
  • Jones, Roscoe C., Postmaster Appointment Certificates, 1922 - 1930
    Roscoe C. Jones (1885 – 1953) was born in East Lake to Asa Warren Jones and Martha Ann Creef Jones. After the death of his father, the family moved to Roanoke Island. He married Estelle Mann in 1906; they had four children. Jones served as Dare County Register of Deeds from 1911 to roughly 1916. He served as the first postmaster of the short-lived Griffin Post Office on Nags Head's sound-side, and later as Manteo Postmaster from 1922 until 1934. Jones was a member of Mt. Olivet Methodist Church in Manteo and the Junior Order of United American Mechanics. This collection consists of one box/folder, containing 3 Postmaster Appointment Certificates. (3 items)

K

  • Kellogg, Elizabeth H., Papers, 1948-1996
    Elizabeth Henry "Bettie" Kellogg was born in Manteo and lived in the Outer Banks area for most of her life. She has been involved with numerous organizations, including the Outer Banks Community Foundation and Dare County 400th Anniversary Advisory Committee. The Elizabeth H. Kellogg Papers, 1948-1996, contains photographs, clippings, correspondence, programs, and other papers collected by Kellogg. The bulk of the collection dates from Kellogg's childhood and early adulthood. The collection is arranged into two series: Personal Papers and Photographs. (1.0 cubic feet)
  • Kellogg, Martin, Jr., Scrapbook, 1946-2001
    Martin Kellogg Jr. (1908-2001), was a lawyer and influential member of the Dare County community from 1931 until his death in 2001. He served in numerous capacities as an attorney, including as the attorney for Dare County and Towns of Manteo and Nags Head, and he served as mayor of Manteo for several years. He was influential in the Roanoke Island Historical Association, Manteo Rotary Club, and Dare County Schools. The Martin Kellogg Jr. Scrapbook, 1946-2001, contains photographs of Kellogg and the groups with which he was involved, photographs of Fort Raleigh historic site and events surrounding The Lost Colony, snapshots of Kellogg on his boat and at various birthday parties, clippings and correspondence surrounding Kellogg's selection as "Tar Heel of the Week," newsclippings and articles, photographs of Kellogg's headstone, and two memorial tributes written in Kellogg's memory by Gerald F. White. (.17 cubic feet)
  • Khoury, Angel Ellis, Photographs of Aycock Brown, 1980
    This collection consists of 52 photographs of notable Outer Banks photographer, Aycock Brown, taken by Angel Ellis Khoury in 1980. The images depict Brown photographing fish and people fishing at Oregon Inlet, speaking with his subjects, and working in his darkroom. (0.2 cubic feet)
  • Knowles, Robert, Papers, 1958-1993
    Robert Knowles worked as a production coordinator, producer, and general manager of the annual production of Paul Green's The Lost Colony from 1969 to 1993. This collection contains production materials collected by Knowles during his tenure with The Lost Colony, including annotated scripts, stage notes, photographs and diagrams of sets, lighting directions, cues, blocking information, and other documents pertaining to the minutiae of staging the production. (1.70 cubic feet)

L

  • Lawrence, David Howe, Papers, 1956 - 1998
    David Howe Lawrence (1919-2003) had a keen interest in protecting North Carolina beaches from erosion and invented a permeable groin, which he believed could stop erosion. In 1981, he formed Shoreline Associates, Inc. to market this idea. These papers consist of correspondence, newspaper clippings, documents relating to the patent of the permeable groin and Shoreline Associates, photographs of erosion and measures to control erosion. (.68 cubic feet)
  • League of Women Voters of Currituck County Records, 2006-2010
    The League of Women Voters of Currituck County existed from 2006 to 2010. The nonpartisan group's self-stated purpose was to "promote civic responsibility through informed and active participation of citizens in government and to act on selected governmental issues." The League of Women Voters of Currituck County Records, 2006-2010, contains administrative records related to the group for the duration of its existence, including meeting minutes, correspondence, event flyers, financial records, and news clippings. (.30 cubic feet)
  • League of Women Voters of Dare County Records, 1987 - 1996
    The League of Women Voters of Dare County is a nonpartisan political organization that encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy. The Dare County group was formed in 1987 with 15 members. This collection consists of meeting minutes, newsletters, press notices, bylaws, correspondence, as well as information on fundraising and workshops. (1.17 cubic feet)
  • Lightner, Ralph, Jr., Photographs, 1940s-1970
    This collection consists of nine color photographs of the Buxton area, including the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse prior to being moved inland, naval base, and views from the lighthouse. (0.3 cubic feet)

M

  • McArthur, Beatrice, Hatteras Island History and Genealogy Collection, 1970-1998, undated
    Arvilla Beatrice Barnett McArthur (1923-2002) was a native of Buxton, North Carolina. McArthur was instrumental in gathering the recorded history and genealogy of the Cape Hatteras region. She also co-founded the Hatteras Island Genealogical and Historical Society. This collection primarily consists of genealogical information about Hatteras Island families, with some information about Ocracoke Island families. The material includes copies of birth records, death records, marriage licenses, obituaries, and census records, as well as family histories, cemetery records, and historical information pertinent to Hatteras Island. (9.8 cubic feet)
  • McGowan, John B., Collection, 1990-2009
    John Burney McGowan (1941-2009) was an historian and researcher interested in Hyde County genealogy and history. He extensively documented his own family, the McGowan family, as well as many other eastern North Carolina families. The John B. McGowan Collection, 1990-2009, contains reproductions of census records, family trees, birth and death records, military records, images, and other genealogical data largely related to the McGowan family, as well as historical information about Hyde County. (7.00 cubic feet)
  • MacNeill, Ben Dixon, Photographs, 1937-1944
    Ben Dixon MacNeill (1889-1960) was born near Laurinburg, N.C. on Nov. 21, 1889. In 1920, MacNeill took a job with the News and Observer in Raleigh covering state government, the General Assembly, and other assignments. Impressed with his skill of enlivening the tedious, News and Observer editor Josephus Daniels assigned MacNeill as a roving state correspondent. In 1937, MacNeill became publicist for Paul Green's fledgling drama, The Lost Colony. Operating from the John White Cottage at the Old Fort Raleigh Complex, he wrote numerous articles which have been attributed to the play's early success. This collection contains 419 negatives, 294 8”x10” black & white prints, and 600 dpi digital scans of each image stored on a disc and a hard drive. Prints of select images were made when negatives were originally transferred by Museum of the Albemarle. (2 cubic feet)
  • Mann, Paul, Papers, 1988-2019
    Paul Mann is a Dare County native who operated a yacht building business, Paul Mann Custom Boats, in Manns Harbor, North Carolina, from 1988 to 2020. The Paul Mann Papers, 1988-2019, contains materials related the Paul Mann Custom Boats. The bulk of the collection consists of photographs of the various boats designed by Mann, often including interior and exterior shots, as well as blueprints and promotional materials. (2.30 cubic feet)
  • Manns Harbor Community School Scrapbook, November, 1982
    In November 1982, a tugboat struck and severed the William B. Umstead Bridge which links the community of Manns Harbor with Roanoke Island, and by extension, the rest of the Outer Banks. Students in the small mainland community were not able to reach their schools in Manteo for several weeks. During that time, the local community center was utilized as a school. This collection consists of one small scrapbook related to the Manns Harbor Community School. (1 small scrapbook)
  • Mann and Midyett Family Papers, 1751 - 1941
    The Mann and Midyett families have had a long presence in Northeastern North Carolina and can trace their roots back to the early 18th century. The papers in this collection are from the descendants of Joseph and Elizabeth Lockhart Mann, and William and Esther Midyett. The Mann and Midyett Family Papers include correspondence, receipts, deeds, financial information, and ephemera. There are also many documents on the sale, purchase, and hiring out of slaves belonging to the Mann and Midyett families. (.47 cubic feet)
  • Mano al Hermano Records, 2010-2018
    Mano al Hermano was founded in 2011 to serve the Hispanic/Latinx community of the Outer Banks by supporting literacy and education initiatives, offering English language classes, providing guidance on immigration and other legal issues, and encouraging collaboration between the Latinx and Anglo communities of Dare County. The Mano al Hermano Records, 2010-2018, contains newspaper clippings, event flyers and programs, photographs, and other papers created and collected by the organization from the time of its inception. The collection documents the various initiatives supported by the organization, such as the Family Literacy Program, the community garden, workshops on immigration and other legal issues affecting the Latinx community, and the OBX Latin Festival. (.30 cubic feet)
  • Manteo Rotary Club Records, 1937 - 1997
    Rotary International is an organization with local chapters whose stated purpose is to "bring together business and professional leaders to provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world." The Manteo Rotary Club was chartered in 1936 and is in district 7720. This collection consists of correspondence, club records, and membership information. The collection covers 1937-1997, however there is a gap from 1951-1976. The materials in the original donation cover 1937-1951; the materials in the second donation cover 1976-1997. These papers belonged to Wally McCown and include McCown's correspondence, newsletters, district information, and club activities. (1.20 cubic feet)
  • Massey Family Papers, 1928 and 1954
    This collection consists of photographs taken by members of the Massey family of Virginia during their vacations to Nags Head in 1928 and 1954. The 1928 photographs appear to have been taken by Frances Crenshaw Courtney or one of her traveling companions and depict various buildings and scenes throughout the Nags Head area, primarily concentrated on the Nags Head Soundside/Old Nags Head. The 1954 photographs depict several shots of cars parked outside the Nags Head Hotel, scenes around the Wright Brothers National Memorial, and aerial views of the Outer Banks. (0.2 cubic feet)
  • Matlock Television Scripts, Collection of, 1989
    Matlock was a made for television legal drama set in Atlanta, Georgia, featuring Andy Griffith in the title role of Ben Matlock. The show aired on NBC-TV from September 1986-May 1992, then on ABC-TV, from November 1992-May 1995. The show revolves around a renowned defense attorney, who solves cases and wins almost every case he takes to trial. The show is similar in format to Perry Mason. The collection features two scripts from the episode "The Hunting Party," the show's fourth season premiere episode. It aired in 1989 and was set in, and filmed on, Roanoke Island. The collection also features the story outlines for three more fourth season episodes. (3 items)
  • Meekins, Catherine D., Papers, 1900-1988
    Catherine Deaton Meekins (1904-1980) was a longtime Roanoke Island resident and co-founder of newspaper with her husband, D. Victor Meekins. The Catherine Meekins Papers, 1900-1988, consists of correspondence, financial and property records, publications, and personal papers created by Catherine Meekins and the members of her immediate family, as well as posthumous papers related to the Catherine Meekins Estate. (1.90 cubic feet)
  • Meekins, D. Victor, Papers, 1870s-1982
    D. Victor Meekins (1897-1964) was a Roanoke Island resident, photographer, Dare County Sheriff, editor of the Coastland Times newspaper, real estate speculator, and prominent Outer Banks citizen during the first half of the 20th century. The D. Victor Meekins Papers consists of approximately 50 cubic feet of personal papers, professional papers, and photographs created by D. Victor Meekins and the members of his immediate family. This collection is arranged into six series: Professional Papers, Organizations and Committees, Personal Papers, Real Estate, Other Papers, and Photographs. (35.5 cubic feet)
  • Meekins, Daniel, Papers, 1844-1920
    Daniel Meekins was a Manteo native and keeper of the local almshouse. The Daniel Meekins Papers, 1844-1920, consists of personal and professional papers created by Daniel Meekins and his father, Francis Meekins. Materials include correspondence, financial records, court documents, and other papers. (0.20 cubic feet)
  • Meekins, Estelle, Papers, ca.1839-1992
    Estelle Meekins was a lifelong resident of Dare County, living on her family homestead on the north end of Roanoke Island. She was active in her community and had an extensive knowledge of local history and genealogy. The Estelle Meekins Papers, 1839-1992 and undated, primarily consists of photographs and correspondence, as well as Meekins' personal papers, including genealogical data, printed material, and postcards. (1.5 cubic feet)
  • Metro Video Productions Videocassettes, 1986-2000
    Metro Video Productions (now Metro Productions) is a media production company in Virginia. The videocassettes in this collection were created by Metro Video Productions from 1986 to 2000 and focus on topics related to the Outer Banks of North Carolina. (0.3 cubic feet)
  • Midgett, Chesley, Papers, ca.1920s-1986
    Chesley Midgett is a Dare County resident and descendant of the Midgett family of Hatteras Island, North Carolina. Much of this collection focuses on Midgett's great-grandfather, Little Bannister Midgett, IV, a keeper with the United States Lifesaving Service who served at the Chicamacomico Station. The collection includes two letters, genealogical materials, clippings, images of Little Bannister Midgett, and a hand-illustrated portrait of him. (0.21 cubic feet)
  • Midgett, Lynda, Papers, 1975-2015
    Lynda Midgett is a resident of Manteo, N.C. She is perhaps best known for her work on various events held in the town of Manteo, particularly Dare Day. The Lynda Midgett Papers, 1975-2015, contains correspondence, clippings, ephemera, and other papers documenting Midgett's work on various events held in the town of Manteo. The collection primarily centers on Midgett's involvement with Dare Day, but some documentation of other events (such as the Manteo Christmas Parade, Fourth of July Celebration, and Babe Ruth World Series Baseball Game) is also included. (1.0 cubic feet)
  • Miller Family Genealogy Collection, 1785 - 1965
    The Miller family of Hatteras Island, North Carolina can trace its family back nine generations, beginning with Thomas Miller (b. 1785) who left 50 acres on Hatteras Banks to his son Thomas, Jr. The family has a long association with the U. S. Lighthouse Service and the U. S. Lifesaving Service. Baxter B. Miller was awarded both silver and gold medals for lifesaving and H. S. Miller was awarded the silver. The Miller Family Genealogy Papers contains genealogical materials: cemetery records, census records, birth records, and marriage records. (.61 cubic feet)
  • Mt. Olivet United Methodist Church Sunday School Records, 1893 - 1941
    Mt. Olivet United Methodist Church was founded in 1887, after a group of Manteo residents were organized by the efforts of circuit preacher Joseph G. Lennon. A half acre parcel of land was purchased for $26.50. The church, on the corner of Ananias Dare and Essex Streets, continues as an active congregation. The Sunday school records document attendance in various classes, names of pupils, teachers and administrators, and a weekly report on services and weather conditions for each Sunday.

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  • Nags Head Coast Guard Station Record of Signals Sent, 1917-1922
    This collection consists of a single handwritten logbook containing a record of signals sent using wireless telegraphy and received by the Nags Head Coast Guard Station from 1917 to 1922. Each log entry identifies the sender's name and the signals used to communicate the message alongside a transcript of the message and the length of time taken to receive it. Many of the messages were sent during World War I and indicate the presence of enemy ships and other military operations off the North Carolina coast.
  • Nags Head Hotel Account Books and Day Books, 1873 - 1892
    The Nags Head Hotel was the second hotel built in Nags Head following the Civil War. It was built partially over the sound in the vicinity of Jockey's Ridge. Ownership and proprietorship changed hands many times. Proprietors of the hotel include C.W. Hollowell, A.E. Jacobs, J.C. Perry and John Z. Lowe. During the 1890s, the Nags Head Hotel Company was formed and stock certificates issued. The hotel caught fire and was destroyed in 1903. Mrs. John Z. Lowe, wife of the proprietor, died during the fire from an apparent heart attack. The Nags Head Hotel Account Books and Daybooks consist of seven account and day books from the Nags Head Hotel Company. The collection also includes a freight book for the steamer Clarence, and stock certificates issued to C. W. Hollowell. (7 items)
  • Nags Head, Town of, Records, 1949-1997
    In the winter of 1997, the Town of Nags Head moved into its new municipal complex and donated material from the town's first two decades following incorporation. The Town of Nags Head Collection is primarily comprised of materials relating to their operations from 1949 to 1997 including correspondence, financial documents, board minutes, hearings, surveys and studies. (1.5 cubic feet)
  • Nash, Harold, Slides, 1952-1979
    Harold Nash was a ceramicist from Cincinnati, Ohio, who owned the historic Toler House in Skyco on Roanoke Island in the second half of the 20th century. This collection primarily consists of slides taken by Nash during his visits to the Outer Banks in the 1950s and 1960s. (.4 cubic feet)
  • National Audubon Society, Outer Banks Chapter Records, 1979 - 1994
    The National Audubon Society, Outer Banks Chapter was formed in 1979 and disbanded in 1994. During its existence, the group donated the periodical Audubon Adventures to elementary schools in Dare County, gave educational programs in schools, assisted in a number of wildlife refuges and participated in birding trips. National Audubon Society, Outer Banks Chapter Collection consists chiefly of organizational materials, including board meeting minutes, attendance sheets, financial reports, correspondence and the constitution of the Outer Banks Chapter. There are also copies of newspaper articles, membership applications, certificates and photographs. (.3 cubic feet)
  • North Carolina Cooperative Extension, Dare County Master Gardeners Records, 1992-2004 
    The Master Gardeners program is part of the North Carolina State Cooperative Extension Service. The program provides educational opportunities for Master Gardeners, as well as a forum where Master Gardeners can exchange information and expertise with others. Members serve as volunteers to provide gardening expertise on the “Greenline” hotline and participate in outreach projects and fundraisers. The North Carolina Cooperative Extension, Master Gardeners Records consist of papers from the Dare Master Gardener Volunteer Association, and includes correspondence, photographs, meeting minutes, press releases, newspaper clippings, and a handbook. (.56 cubic feet)
  • North Carolina Marine Resources Center Audiocassettes, 1979-1985, 2019
    The North Carolina Marine Resources Center Audiocassettes, 1979-1985, 2019, comprises 17 unique audio recordings primarily related to black history on Roanoke Island and the Outer Banks of North Carolina. The recordings include conference proceedings and oral history interviews. Topics discussed include the Roanoke Island Freedmen's Colony and Pea Island Life-Saving Station. The materials in this collection were created by North Carolina Marine Resources Center staff and historian Patricia Click. (0.30 cubic feet)
  • Nunemaker, Carlton P., Papers, 1966-1997
    Carlton Priest Nunemaker (1924-2002) was born in Bay Head, New Jersey and was the son of Carlton Priest, Sr. and Hunter Purcell Nunemaker. He moved to Nags Head in 1947 and ran a fish, groceries and hardware business and owned Nags Head Ice and Storage. He was active in the Town of Nags Head, serving on the board of commissioners, and as mayor in 1968. This collection contains materials pertaining to Carl Nunemaker and his involvement with the Town of Nags Head. Some of these include items on elections, appointing town officials, zoning and political issues. There are also materials from Nunemakers' involvement on the Nags Head Sewer and Water Authority, Dare County Soil and Conservation and as fire chief for the Town of Nags Head. The clippings relate mostly to saving Jockey's Ridge State Park from development and various issues with the Town of Nags Head. (.4 cubic feet)

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  • OBX Pride Records, 2009-2022
    OBX Pride is a nonprofit LGBTQ+ advocacy organization that has been active on the Outer Banks since 2011. The group is best known for organizing the annual OBX Pridefest, a weekend festival designed to celebrate LGBTQ+ pride. This collection includes records related to OBX Pridefest, including photographs, advertising and promotional materials, artifacts, and realia. Also included are files related to TheGayOBX.com, a website designed to advertise and promote LGBTQ-friendly events, businesses, and locations on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. (1.81 cubic feet)
  • Oliver, Aaron, Photographs, 1962
    The photographs in this collection were taken by members of the Van Vleek family of Norfolk, Virginia, who owned property in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. The Van Vleek property was located on N.C. Highway 12 in Kitty Hawk about one mile south of Wink's Grocery. They document the damage caused by the Ash Wednesday Storm in the immediate vicinity of the Van Vleek family cottage. Images depict damage to the cottages along N.C. Highway 12 in Kitty Hawk (commonly referred to as the Beach Road), flooding and sand accumulation caused by ocean overwash, and debris on the beach near the cottage. (0.2 cubic feet)
  • O'Neal Family Papers, 1831-1885
    The O'Neal Family historically resided in the Chicamacomico Banks settlement of North Carolina, in the same area as present-day Rodanthe, Waves, and Salvo. Materials in this collection primarily relate to Rinaldo O'Neal (1826-1866), who served as commissioner of wrecks for the Chicamacomico Banks/northern Cape Hatteras area starting in 1861. The O'Neal Family Papers, 1831-1885 and undated, documents multiple members of the O'Neal Family. The papers primarily consist of financial records and official records, such as deeds and surveys, but a small amount of correspondence is included. (.30 cubic feet)
  • O'Neal, Warren, Papers, 1962 - 1981
    Warren R. O'Neal was born in Manteo in 1910. His boatbuilding career began in 1925, when, at the age of 15, he built a flat bottom skiff. In the 1950's, Warren pulled long nets, shrimped in the off-season and carried sports fisherman in the summer months on the Pearl, a wooden, flat-bottom boat named after his wife, Pearl Daniels O'Neal. In 1959, he built the Pearl II, incorporating a deep V-shaped hull to allow for increased speed and the ability to plow through rough seas with ease. He built numerous sports fishers, small boats and skiffs. His boats remain popular and many craftsmen in boatbuilding worked with the O'Neal Boatworks at one time. The materials in this collection relate to the O'Neal Boat Works and several aspects of the boat building business. Warren O'Neal is credited with building the first modern sport fishing boat in Dare County in 1959, known as the Carolina Boat. There are photographs of some of O'Neal's boats as well as several sketches. There are also financial documents relating to O'Neal Boat Works, including a boatbuilding ledger documenting the cost of materials and an accounts receivable ledger. Exhibit materials include clippings, a piece of stationary, a postcard and an invitation. (.2 cubic feet cubic feet)
  • Oregon Inlet Project Scrapbook, 1947-1983
    The Oregon Inlet Project Scrapbook, 1947-1983, documents local, regional, and national efforts to secure legislative support for deepening Oregon Inlet in order to allow safe passage and harbor for commercial fishing vessels bound for Wanchese. The primarily contains clippings from area newspapers related to public and private meetings, campaign initiatives, and legislative developments instigated by Alvah H. Ward, Alvah H. Ward, Jr., Rep. Herbert C. Bonner, Colonel George W. Gillette, Rep. Walter Jones, and others connected to the project. Additionally, many clippings document shipwrecks happening at Oregon Inlet as a result of shoaling, presumably included as justification of the campaign. (1.0 cubic feet)
  • Outer Banks Architecture Survey Files
    In 2001, the North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office (NC-SHPO) received a federal grant to survey structures on Roanoke Island, and the Dare County and Currituck County Beaches. The Outer Banks Conservationists added to the federal funds and managed the project. The survey was conducted by architectural historian Penne Smith Sandbeck, former employee of the NC-SHPO. The Outer Banks Architecture Survey Collection documents the efforts of North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office in their attempts to survey local architecture on the Outer Banks. The reports not only document those structures that should be recommended for the National Register of Historic Places, but to also get a better sense of what styles of architecture are regional and how the overall vernacular landscape has evolved and changed. (250 items, 1.5 cubic feet.)
  • Outer Banks Chamber of Commerce Records, 1967 - 1988
    The Outer Banks Chamber of Commerce is a nonprofit membership organization representing 1,100 businesses on North Carolina's Outer Banks. The service area includes Currituck County, Dare County, including Hatteras Island, and Ocracoke Island in Hyde County. The Outer Banks Chamber of Commerce Records include meeting minutes and agendas, correspondence, newspaper clippings, press releases, membership lists, and information on grants. (2.31 cubic feet)
  • Outer Banks Forum for the Lively Arts Records, 1992-2009
    The mission of the Outer Banks Forum for the Lively Arts is to promote an appreciation of, and involvement in, the performing arts on the Outer Banks and nearby areas through the presentation of an annual series of affordable concerts by diverse artists. The Forum is a non-profit organization and provides opportunities for youth to participate in the arts. The Forum's season runs from September to May. All performances are partially underwritten by community businesses. The Outer Banks Forum for the Lively Arts Records contain financial records, correspondence, meeting minutes, newspaper clippings, photographs, information on grants, performers, and programs. (5.17 cubic feet)
  • Outer Banks History Center Advisory Committee Records Collection, 1989 – 2000
    The Outer Banks History Center Advisory Committee was formed in 1987 to serve as a panel of expert advisors to the Director of the Division of Archives and History in Raleigh and the Curator of the newly formed Outer Banks History Center in Manteo regarding administration of the center. Advisory Committee members addressed matters dealing with operations, acquisitions, exhibits and expenditures from an annual designated distribution from the Outer Banks Community Foundation. Later, another support group, the Outer Banks History Center Associates (now the Friends of the Outer Banks History Center) was created to provide financial and volunteer support for the Outer Banks History Center as well as facilitating important acquisitions and steering special projects. With its goals achieved, the Advisory Committee decided to disband in 2000 due to the growth of the Outer Banks History Center, development and training of its staff, and the center’s transfer to the State Archives which would provide the expert advice needed moving forward. This collection contains organizational papers, committee minutes, correspondence, and financial records. (1 box of materials, .25 cubic feet, 9 folders.)
  • Outer Banks Lighthouse Society Records, 1994-2018
    The Outer Banks Lighthouse Society (OBLHS) was organized in fall 1994 to aid in the preservation of the lighthouses and maritime history of North Carolina and to work with the National Park Service and other agencies, both government and non-profit groups, to achieve the safekeeping of the buildings, artifacts, and records of the United States Lighthouse Service. The Outer Banks Lighthouse Society Records, 1994-2018, contains correspondence, board meeting minutes, treasurer's reports, membership records, papers related to annual Keepers' Weekends and other planned events, grants, and copies of the group's newsletter, "Lighthouse News." (1.60 cubic feet)
  • Outer Banks Oral History Interview Transcripts, 1974-1988
    This collection consists of 31 photocopies of typed transcripts of oral history interviews with Outer Banks residents conducted from 1974 to 1988 for various projects, including "Lifeways of the Outer Banks" and a project to document the history of Ocracoke. (1.20 cubic feet)
  • Outer Banks Woman's Club Records, 1971-2020
    The Outer Banks Woman's Club is a nonprofit organization that provides volunteer hours and funds in support of community improvement projects throughout the Outer Banks. This collection documents the club's activities from its formation in 1971 through the present. Materials consist of yearbooks, scrapbooks, meeting minutes, newsletters, photographs, and other papers. (2.90 cubic feet)
  • Overman Family Papers, ca. 1890-1988
    The materials in this collection were taken from scrapbooks and clippings created by various members of the Overman family of Elizabeth City, North Carolina. The papers document events in Dare County and Elizabeth City, including events related to the Wright Brothers and Wright Brothers Memorial and the construction of the Camden Causeway. (0.01 cubic feet)
  • Owens, Sarah, Collection of Postal Ephemera, 1971-1976
    This collection consists of first day covers and other commemorative stamps issued by the United States Postal Service in honor of significant events in the nation's history. These items primarily relate to topics of historical significance to the Outer Banks of North Carolina and were collected by Manteo resident Sarah Alford Owens from 1971 to 1976. (0.20 cubic feet)

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  • Pea Island Lifesavers Commemoration Papers, 1995 - 1999
    On March 5, 1996, Richard Etheridge and his crew of six from the Pea Island Lifesaving Station, the only African American U.S. Life-Saving Service crew in the nation's history, were honored posthumously with a Gold Lifesaving Medal of Honor. Virtually ignored for almost a century, it took the tenacity of a 15 year-old middle school student from Washington, N.C. to help shed light on their brave efforts. Kate Burkhart not only wrote an award-winning essay addressing the slighted crewmen, but she also lobbied members of Congress and President Bill Clinton to honor the members of the Pea Island station. The collection consists of correspondence, invitations, speeches, magazines, newspaper clippings, programs, photographs and a video. (.4 cubic feet)
  • People's Ice and Storage Company Records, 1923-1930
    The People's Ice and Storage Company opened in 1923 across from Dough's Creek, in downtown Manteo. The site was later referred to as Ice Plant Island. A board of directors for the company was established on August 30, 1923. Officers included M. L. Daniels, chairman protem; C. S. Meekins, secretary protem; E. H. Peel, president; E. F. Wise, vice-president; and, W. B. Fearing, treasurer. Other members of the board of directors included T. A. Dough, G. L. Midgett, M. K. Fearing, and Joe Tom Daniels. The plant's first engineer was M. A. Daniels. The company was most likely foreclosed on between 1931-1932. After being sold and resold under foreclosure proceedings for more than a year, it was purchased at a final sale by E. F. Wise and his brother Clarence E. Wise, who made plans to refurbish the plant with new machinery. The site of People's Ice and Storage Company is now home to the Outer Banks History Center and Roanoke Island Festival Park. The People's Ice and Storage Company Records consist of correspondence, tax returns, canceled checks, invoices, packing slips, deeds, stock certificates, and business licenses. (.67 cubic feet)
  • People to Preserve Jockey's Ridge Records, 1973-1995
    The People to Preserve Jockey's Ridge was a non-profit group founded by longtime Outer Banks resident Carolista Baum in 1973 in order to protect and preserve Jockey's Ridge, the tallest existing natural sand dune system in the Eastern United States. The group was focused on raising public awareness of both efforts to preserve and threats to the sand dune, as well as raising funds to aid directly in preservation efforts. The People to Preserve Jockey's Ridge Records, 1973-1995 and undated, contains flyers, posters, prints, advertisements, signed petitions, donor records, and various ephemera produced by the non-profit People to Preserve Jockey's Ridge as part of their efforts to protect Jockey's Ridge from residential developers. (1.20 cubic feet)
  • Perry, John Cader, Memorandum Book, 1900
    John Cader Perry was an insurance salesman who owned several pieces of property in Elizabeth City, including the homes now located at 711 First Street and 715 First Street. This memorandum book was found in the attic of his home at 715 First Street. The book contains brief notes and reminders Perry wrote to himself, including important dates, grocery lists and to-do lists, addresses, information relating to land ownership, and documentation of events in an ongoing land dispute with a man named Ward. (.2 cubic feet)
  • Peterson, John C., Papers, 1884-1933
    John C. Peterson (1848-1923) was a longtime resident of Nags Head, North Carolina, known for transporting vacationers and their luggage to their beach cottages in his horse and cart. This collection contains Peterson's personal papers, primarily consisting of financial records such as invoices, receipts, checks and check stubs, and inventories. (0.20 cubic feet)
  • Pool Family Papers, ca.1830s-1980
    The materials in this collection focus on the immediate family and descendants of William Gaskins Pool, who was known for building the first oceanfront house in Nags Head in the mid-19th century and obtaining a famed portrait of Theodosia Burr after her disappearance. The Pool Family Papers, circa 1830s-1980 and undated, primarily relates to the history of the Theodosia Burr portrait and the personal lives of Pool's grandson, Victor Kent Overman, and his immediate family.(0.4 cubic feet)
  • Postcard Collection, Outer Banks History Center, 1905-2005
    The Outer Banks History Center Postcard Collection was assembled over a period of several years by Outer Banks History Center staff. The postcards primarily document the North Carolina tourism industry, with a particular focus on Dare County and eastern North Carolina. The collection contains approximately 1,000 postcards, ranging in size from standard 3.5" by 5.5." up to 7" by 11.5". (1.0 cubic feet)
  • Powell, William S., Research Materials for Paradise Preserved
    Born in 1919 in Johnston County and raised in Statesville, Bill Powell attended Mitchell College for two years before transferring to the University of North Carolina. He graduated in 1940, entered the U.S. Army, and served in the military intelligence branch in the Pacific Theater during World War II. He returned to Chapel Hill after the war to earn degrees in history and library science. He worked as a research historian at the North Carolina Department of Archives and History, became assistant librarian at the North Carolina Collection at UNC, and in 1958, he was promoted to curator. In 1973, he became a professor of history at the university. In addition to his work with the institutions mentioned, he has also written or edited numerous volumes of state and local history. This collection contains materials relating to the researching and writing of Powell's book, Paradise Preserved: A History of the Roanoke Island Historical Association. (ca. 200 items)
  • Providence Primitive Baptist Church Records, 1830-2001
    Elim Church (Regular Baptist) in Powells Point, North Carolina was formed in the early 1800s from members of Coinjock Church. Elim became a member of the Kehukee Baptist Association in 1831, having previously been associated with the Chowan Baptist Association. Eight members of Elim Church who lived on the "North Banks" across the sound from Powells Point asked for a letter of dismission for the purpose of starting a new church. The request was granted, and on August 26, 1854 a new church, Providence Church, was established at Kitty Hawk. The Primitive Baptist Records contain correspondence, ledger books, newspaper clippings, and session books from Elim and Providence Primitive Baptist churches. (1 cubic feet)

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  • Roanoke Island Camps Records, 1946 - 1973
    Roanoke Island Camps, in Manteo North Carolina, was in operation from 1946 to the early 1970s and was located on Airport Road at the present-day site of the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island and the Manteo Airport. The camp site was constructed in the early 1940s, shortly before the United States' involvement in World War II, and was used as a Navy barracks during the war. After the war, the barracks were converted to a camp site. It hosted a number of different organizations from all over North Carolina, such as 4-H, Girl Scouts of America, Boy Scouts of America, developmentally challenged groups, as well as football camps. It was also used to house members of The Lost Colony outdoor drama. The Roanoke Island Camps Records contain correspondence, insurance claims, invoices, tax returns, payroll records, bank statements, and canceled checks. (6.04 cubic feet)
  • Roanoke Island Garden Club Records, 1950-2017
    The Roanoke Island Garden Club was first organized in 1950 as a regional division of the Garden Club of North Carolina, the state chapter of the National Garden Clubs organization. The club is dedicated to studying best practices in regard to gardening and general environmental care, encouraging environmental development and conservation throughout the Outer Banks community, and educating members of this community in those same methods of gardening and environmental engagement. The Roanoke Island Garden Club Records, 1950-2017 and undated, contains meeting minutes, agendas, correspondence, financial records, reports, articles, informational booklets, newspaper clippings, awards and certificates, handbooks, schedules, notebooks, inventories, public relations and visitor materials, and photographs. (5.90 cubic feet)
  • Roanoke Island Historical Exposition Photographs, 1937
    The photographs in this collection were created by the Roanoke Island Historical Association for the 1937 Roanoke Island Historical Exposition, which celebrated the 350th anniversary of the disappearance of the arrival of Sir Walter Raleigh's "lost" colony and the birth of Virginia Dare. This collection consists of 21 original 1.75" x 2.75" sepia souvenir photographs and 23 black and white enlarged prints of the photographs, which were produced by Outer Banks History Center staff around the 1990s or 2000s. Most of the images depict buildings and scenes around Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, including visitors and staff members, as well as the amphitheater constructed for the Lost Colony performance, the Mother Vine, the landing site of the Raleigh colony, and historical markers erected in honor of the Wright Brothers' first flight in Kill Devil Hills. (.02 cubic feet)
  • Roanoke Island Woman's Club Records, 1930-2013
    The Roanoke Island Woman's Club was initially organized in 1927 and has since been involved in numerous community events and projects, including the organization of the Dare County Library, a Youth Recreation Center, beautification efforts throughout Roanoke Island, election events, scholarship awards for local high school seniors, an education fund for the local school system, and most significantly the Thanksgiving Dinners for Dare County and the Roanoke Island Woman's Club Cookbook. The Roanoke Island Woman's Club Records, 1930-2013, contains reports, correspondence, clippings, certificates, bank statements, invoices, by-laws, minutes, publications, photographs, yearbooks, and scrapbooks collected and produced by the Roanoke Island Woman's Club over the course of its operations and through its various service projects in the Outer Banks community. (2.40 cubic feet)
  • Robinson, Eloise Gray, Scrapbook, 1915-1960
    Eloise Gray Robinson of Elizabeth City owned the Sumner-Robinson-Gaither Cottage in the Nags Head Beach Cottage Row Historic District in the early 20th century. Robinson's scrapbook documents the cottage during the time that the Robinson family owned it, including names of guests who visited the family, improvements made to the cottage, events attended or hosted by the family, and storms and other events in the Outer Banks region. (0.20 cubic feet)
  • Rogers and Shannon Family Papers, 1902-1970
    This collection relates to the family of Aubrey E. Rogers of Elizabeth City and the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Aubrey Rogers (1925-2005) was born in Manteo, North Carolina, to Marvin and Janie Shannon Rogers. He graduated from Oak Ridge Military Institute and attended East Carolina Teachers College and Virginia Tech. He served in the U. S. Army Air Corp during World War II and in the U. S. Air Force during the Korean War and Vietnam War. He retired with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. The Rogers and Shannon Family Papers contain marriage certificates, high school and college diplomas, and photographs relating to the Rogers and Shannon family in the Elizabeth City and Outer Banks of North Carolina. (.70 cubic feet)
  • Ross, Virginia, Papers, 1951-1997
    Virginia Ross moved to the Outer Banks with her husband and children in 1975 from Washington D.C. She belonged to many conservation groups and conducted her own ecological study of the Outer Banks. Her vast horticultural knowledge enabled her to act as a consultant to the book Wildflowers of the Outer Banks. Mrs. Ross spent many hours identifying and classifying Aycock Brown photographs for David Stick. The Virginia Ross Papers consist of materials relating to her various research interests on the Outer Banks including horticultural, ecology and conservation. (.6 cubic feet)
  • Russell, Charles Lambert, Journal, January 1, 1862 – February 7, 1862
    Colonel Charles L. Russell was born in Litchfield, Connecticut, July 25, 1828. During the Civil War he was placed in command of the 10th Connecticut Infantry Regiment and died on the field during the Battle of Roanoke Island, February 8, 1862. He ordered his men to lie down to become less susceptible to gunfire, but ignored the pleas of his subordinates to do the same. This collection consists of a journal in 4 unbound signatures and 1 folder of supplementary items, including a photocopy of the journal along with biographical and historical information photocopied from published sources. The journal begins on January 1, 1862 at Annapolis, Maryland. Russell recorded his observations and experiences from the mundane to the sublime while part of the Burnside Expedition, an assembly of eight-odd ships loaded with men, armaments and supplies, that sailed down the Chesapeake Bay to Fort Monroe in Hampton Roads and then into the open ocean to Hatteras Inlet. The expedition took part in the two-day Battle of Roanoke Island, February 7 and 8, 1862, where Russell received a fatal gunshot wound. (.25 cu. feet)

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  • Sand Dollar Motel Photographs, 1955-1970 
    The Sand Dollar Motel, 1957 -1985, was a popular oceanfront vacation spot in Nags Head near milepost 13.5. The collection of buildings that made up the motel was originally known as Howell’s Cottages built by Gordon Kellogg for W.D. “Willie” Howell in 1951. Jewel Graves bought it in 1957 and renamed the facility “The Sand Dollar Motel.” She was the proprietress until the facility closed in 1984 and sold the next year. The Sand Dollar Motel was burned down as a fire training exercise in 1985 with permission of the new owner.This collection consists of 24 images of Jewel Graves, guests participating in activities, and buildings. Electronic scans of the collection are also available for viewing on the Outer Banks History Center public access computer. (0.20 cubic feet)
  • St. Andrew's By The Sea Episcopal Church Records, 1850 - 1997
    On August 18, 1850, a sound side Episcopal chapel, All Saints, was consecrated in Nags Head, North Carolina to cater to the growing population of merchants, planters, and businessmen who brought their families to spend the summer at the resort. The chapel was torn down in 1865 by order of Union Forces' General Ambrose Burnside, in order to use the lumber for the freedmen's colony on Roanoke Island. Under the leadership of Rev. Robert B. Drane, D.D., a compensation of $700 was paid by Congress for the loss of the church. A new church was constructed and consecrated on August 16, 1916. The new church was called St. Andrew's By The Sea. The church was moved to its current spot in 1937. Several additions to the church have been made through the years. A new sanctuary was completed and dedicated in 2003. The St. Andrews By The Sea Episcopal Church Records contain correspondence, photographs, newspaper clippings, vestry meeting minutes, treasurer's reports, church bulletins, and sermons. (3.88 cubic feet)
  • Sanderlin, Thomas N., Papers, 1767-1906
    Thomas Nelson Sanderlin (1848-1932) was a resident of Kitty Hawk, N.C., and a surfman for the Kitty Hawk Life Saving Station. His papers comprise tax receipts, receipts for land purchased from Jesse Partridge, letters from his son, Luther, while stationed in Fort Wood, New York, and a fragment of an early Tyrell County deed. (.17 cubic feet)
  • Scott, Suzanne, Sportfishing Boat Interiors Scrapbook
    Suzanne Scott ran a small interior design business during the 1970s. She gained several clients through Davis Yachts when a need arose to have the cabins of sport fishing boats decorated. The collection contains 1 scrapbook with boat plans and photographs of interiors of sportfishing boats built by Davis Boat Works and decorated by Suzanne Scott. (1 scrapbook)
  • Shriner, Sara, Papers, 1947 - 1993
    Sara Greene Shriner (1904-2003) was born in New Bern, North Carolina. She moved to the Washington, D. C. area in 1929 to attend the nursing program at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. After graduating in the early 1930s, she spent a decade working at Walter Reed as well as taking private-duty jobs, among them one with The Lost Colony drama. Throughout her life, Shriner had an affinity for the Outer Banks and collected materials about the area's history.
  • Skyco, North Carolina Post Office, Register of Domestic Money Orders, 1899-1913
    This collection consists of a single item: a register of domestic money orders originating at the post office at Skyco, on the south end of Roanoke Island, North Carolina. The register tracks each individual who requested a money order, to whom it was paid, the post office it would be drawn upon, and the amount of the money order. Transactions date from 1899 to 1913. (0.2 cubic feet)
  • Smith, Lois Pearce, Papers, 1953-2011
    Lois Pearce Smith was a longtime member and officer of the First Flight Society. The Lois P. Smith papers, 1953-2011 (bulk 2004-2011), contains papers accumulated by Smith during her work on behalf of the First Flight Society, including meeting minutes, notes, clippings, flyers, tickets, correspondence, and other papers related to the work of the First Flight Society and the events and activities the group coordinated. (2.20 cubic feet)
  • Smith, Paul J., Photograph Albums, ca.1970s
    The photographs in this collection, taken by photographer Paul J. Smith, depict the Outer Banks as seen from the sky sometime in the 1970s. The photographs depict the coastline, including the Beach Road and Bypass, from Southern Shores to South Nags Head. (0.4 cubic feet)
  • Snowden, Barbara, Papers, 1955-1985
    Barbara Snowden is a Currituck County resident, historian, and former educator who has been active in Currituck County and eastern North Carolina since moving to the area in 1967. Snowden's papers document developments in Currituck County in the latter half of the 20th century. Materials include brochures, articles, clippings, event flyers and programs, form letters, political circulars, and information on infrastructure in Currituck County, including roads and water systems. (0.2 cubic feet)
  • Snowden, William Edward, Letter, 1843
    William Edward Snowden was an Episcopal minister who held positions throughout eastern North Carolina in the mid-19th century. This letter, dated 2 August 1843, was written to William's brother John Snowden in New York City while William was living in Nags Head. The letter discusses daily life in Nags Head, ongoing developments with William's ministerial career and salary, and the family's efforts to grow corn and wheat, family illnesses, and John's love life. (0.40 cubic feet)
  • Steer, Helen Vane, Lost Colony Script and Notes
    Helen Vane Steer (1926 - 2001) came to Roanoke Island for two weeks in May of 1985 to serve as a dialect coach to the cast of The Lost Colony drama. The British-born Steer, an associate professor at East Carolina University, guided the cast in the use of dialect and accents of Devonshire, Cockney and aristocratic British. This collection consists of the finding aid, an annotated script, a personal data sheet, recommendation for promotion, and associated notes about Steer’s work at the Lost Colony. (.25 cubic feet)
  • Stick, David, Papers, ca.1750-2009
    David Stick was an author, historian, researcher, realtor, real estate speculator, philanthropist, and public figure active on the Outer Banks of North Carolina from the 1930s to the late 2000s. He spent his life accumulating a massive library of monographs, serials, maps, and manuscript materials which became the founding collection of the Outer Banks History Center in 1986. Stick, along with his father, Frank Stick, are were influential figures in Outer Banks history, and they were involved with numerous major developments in the area, such as the creation and preservation of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore, the development of the town of Southern Shores, the passage of the Coastal Area Management Act, and the erection of milepost markers along NC Highway 12 in Dare County. Stick was heavily involved in dozens of organizations and agencies based on the Outer Banks, including the Dare County Tourist Bureau, Outer Banks Community Foundation, and Coastal Resources Commission. The David Stick Papers, circa 1750-2009 and undated, contains materials related to the organizations and agencies with which Stick was affiliated, drafts and publication information related to his various writing projects, personal and family papers, business records, research files, and photographs. (155 cubic feet)
  • Stick, Maud Hayes, Papers 1889-1972
    Ada Maud Hayes Stick (1889-1972) was born and raised on the eastern shore of Maryland and Delaware. At the age of 18, she began working as an artist's model at Howard Pyle's art institute in Wilmington, Delaware. Maud's classic beauty made her one of Pyle's most sought after models. It was here that she met illustrator and writer Frank Stick in 1906. They were married in 1908. While at the Pyle school, Maud continued to model for Frank and other Pyle school students. One of them, W. H. D. "Bill" Koerner, along with his wife Lillian, became close, lifelong friends of the Sticks. Maud was the model for one of Koerner's most famous paintings, ""The Madonna of the Prairie,"" completed in 1921 and used as an illustration for Emerson Hough's story "The Covered Wagon" serialized in the Saturday Evening Post. Maud depicted the story's heroine, Molly Wingate. Maud shared her husband's love of the outdoors and they enjoyed hunting, fishing, and camping together in the wilderness. They spent 1912-14 living in a remote cottage in northern Wisconsin, and then lived in the Chicago area, Wilmington, Del., and Interlaken, N.J., until discovering the Outer Banks in the mid-1920s. In 1909, Maud gave birth to their first child, Charlotte. In 1919, the Stick's second child David was born. That birthing left her deaf and she would depend upon a hearing aid for the rest of her life. David Stick would become a noted author, historian, community leader, and founding benefactor of the Outer Banks History Center. Beginning in 1929, the Sticks made the Outer Banks their primary home for the rest of their lives. Maud died in Kitty Hawk, N.C. in 1972 after a long illness, having lost both Charlotte and her beloved Frank before her.
  • Stick, Frank, Papers, 1946 - 1955
    Frank Leonard Stick (1884-1966) was born in Huron, Dakota Territory (now South Dakota) to David Leonard and Lydia Jane Marcellus Stick. Frank Stick was a well known artist and illustrator, whose artwork graced the front of calendars, book jackets, advertisements, and the pages of such publications as Sports Afield , Outdoor AmericaField and Stream, and Leslie's Weekly Illustrated. In addition to illustrations, he also submitted hunting and fishing articles to many of these same magazines. In 1908, he married Ada Maud Hayes, who he met as a student at the Howard Pyle School where she was a model for the artists. Together they had two children, Charlotte in 1909 and David, who became a noted Outer Banks author, historian, and community leader and philanthropist, in 1919. Though best known for his outdoor illustrations, Frank Stick later sold real estate and developed land after moving to North Carolina's Outer Banks in the mid-1920s. Stick was also an ardent conservationist and played a major role in establishing both the Cape Hatteras National Seashore and the Virgin Islands National Park. The Frank Stick Papers contain correspondence, newspaper clippings, magazines, bank statements, income tax returns, cancelled checks, court proceedings, and the last will and testaments of Frank Stick and his wife Maud Hayes Stick. (1.9 cubic feet)
  • Stokes, Bettie, Papers, 1912-2003
    The materials in this collection focus on the family of William G. Gaither of Elizabeth City. Gaither was one of the developers of the Wright Memorial Bridge Company, and his wife Helen Robinson's family owned a vacation cottage in Nags Head. This collection contains papers primarily related to the Sumner-Robinson Gaither Cottage of Nags Head in the 1920s-1960s and the sale of the Wright Memorial Bridge to the State of North Carolina in the 1930s-1940s. (0.20 cubic feet)
  • Swain, Lawrence L., Papers, 1946-1966
    Lawrence Swain was a longtime Manteo resident and member of the Dare County Board of Commissioners from 1950 to 1966. This collection primarily documents the projects in which Swain was involved as a county commissioner, with a particular focus on infrastructure and county planning projects, such as roads and bridges, ferries, harbor projects, shoreline erosion control, hurricane response and preparation, and tourism. (1.60 cubic feet)

T

  • Tames, Michael, Papers, 1861-2009
    Michael Tames is an antiques and postcard collector, Civil War enthusiast, and resident of Roanoke Island, N.C. The Michael Tames Papers, 1861-2009 and undated, primarily consists of Tames' collection of letters and documents related to the Civil War on Roanoke Island, as well as photographs of the Outer Banks area taken by the Tames family. (0.81 cubic feet)
  • Tate, W. D., Papers, 1876
    This collection consists of six items created by Captain W.D. Tate of the Kitty Hawk Lifesaving Station in 1876: one letter to Macajah W. Etheridge at the Nags Head Lifesaving Station informing him that one of his surfmen had failed to show for his regular patrol and five slips of paper proving completion of patrol for surfmen with the Kitty Hawk station. (0.2 cubic feet)
  • Teacup Quilters Scrapbooks, 2004-2012
    The Teacup Quilters is an organization for local quilters based in Manteo, N.C. As of 2017, the group meets weekly on Tuesdays. It is best known for its annual Priceless Pieces quilt show, held in Manteo in March each year. The show features quilts created by members of the Teacup Quilters and other quilting groups (such as the Barefoot Quilters' Bee and Hatteras Island Quilt Guild) as well as antique and heirloom quilts contributed by local families. This collection consists of four scrapbooks created by members of the Teacup Quilters from 2004 to 2012. The scrapbooks largely contain photographs, news clippings, and exhibit labels documenting the annual Priceless Pieces quilt shows hosted by the group. Photographs and labels for each quilt displayed at the shows are included. (.67 cubic feet)
  • Tugboat Maryland, Collection on the, 1938 - 1974
    The tug Maryland was a ship of the Norfolk, Baltimore and Carolina Line and was engaged in towing barges in interstate commerce. This small collection encompasses various documents concerning the tugboat Maryland, mostly pertaining to licensing, maintenance, inspections and expenses. (38 items)
  • Tupper, Bob and Lolly, Papers, 1940-2006
    Robert "Bob" and Laura "Lolly" Tupper were residents of Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina, and briefly owners of the Croatan Inn, a hotel located on North Carolina Highway 12 in Kill Devil Hills around milepost 7.5, from 1968 to 1972. The Bob and Lolly Tupper Papers, 1940-2006 (bulk 1969-1972), documents the Croatan Inn (also known as the Croatan Hotel) The collection contains correspondence, brochures, photographs, clippings, menus, recipes, and other papers. (0.40 cubic feet)

U

  • U. S. Army Signal Corps, Cape Lookout, Office Logbooks, 1876 - 1885
    The U. S. Army Signal Corps was first established on June 21, 1860 when army doctor Albert James Myer proposed the army use his visual communication system called "wigwag." In addition to visual signaling, the electric telegraph became a signal corps responsibility in 1867. Within twelve years, the Signal Corps had constructed, and was maintaining, some 4,000 miles of telegraph lines along the country's western frontier. Weather forecasting and military communications were among its many responsibilities. The Signal Corps established an office at Cape Lookout around 1876. This collection contains the Cape Lookout station's logbooks, which features records of incoming and outgoing communications, as well as daily journals. (7 items)
  • U. S. Lifesaving Service Wreck Reports and Payroll Records, 1892 - 1929
    The United States Lifesaving Service (USLSS) was created by the United States Government in 1872 in order to protect lives and shipping interests along the coast. In 1874, the first lifesaving stations were built along the North Carolina coast. These stations housed a staff that consisted of a keeper and crew of six, manning the stations during the active storm season from December to March. After the wrecks of the Huron, with 103 lives lost, and the Metropolis, with 85 lives lost, both off the Outer Banks, the Lifesaving Service added an additional eleven stations to the North Carolina coast. They also extended the station's season to September 1-May 1 and then from August 1-May 31. By the time the U.S. Lifesaving Service merged with the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service to form the U. S. Coast Guard in January 1915, North Carolina was home to 29 stations. Among these was the Pea Island Lifesaving Station, which housed the nation's only all black crew. This collection contains wreck reports, payroll records, abstracts of disbursements, books, journals, leases, letters of application and recommendations, livestock forage bills, contracts, requisitions for repairs, telegrams, and correspondence of the United States Lifesaving Service. The majority of these papers relate to the stations along the North Carolina coast, however, there are wreck reports for selected stations in Virginia, South Carolina, and Florida. (15.09 cubic feet)
  • U. S. S. Monitor Research Collection, 1862, 1978-1980
    The U.S.S. Monitor Research Collection, 1862, 1978-1980 and undated, consists of publications and one videocassette accumulated by the State Archives of North Carolina in order to facilitate research on the U.S.S. Monitor, an ironclad warship utilized by the United States Navy during the Civil War. Included are technical reports, drawings of the ship, a memorandum, a bibliography, and a video recording of an episode of North Carolina People featuring a discussion of the Monitor with Larry E. Tise and Gordon Watts. (0.40 cubic feet)
  • U. S. Weather Bureau Expense Book of Observation Office at Cape Hatteras, N. C., 1875-1891
    The United States Signal Service was founded in 1860 to provide support for communications and operations of the United States Army. Beginning in the 1870s, the Signal Service constructed weather observation stations across the country in support of a congressionally-mandated national weather service. The Cape Hatteras observation station was founded in 1874. The station's officers warned local Outer Banks residents of approaching storms by word of mouth, by boat, or by dropping announcements over remote islands in sealed tubes. The United States Weather Bureau Expense Book of Observation Office at Cape Hatteras, N.C., 1875-1891, tracks expenditures for the Cape Hatteras office. Expenditures include both goods and services, such as horse hires, boat hires, repairs, transportation, rent (paid to H.W. Styron), and shipment of supplies. (.17 cubic feet)

V

  • Virginia Dare Business and Professional Women Records, 1989-2013
    Virginia Dare Business and Professional Women was chartered in 1978. The club is a local organization division of the Business and Professional Women of North Carolina, which is itself a state division of the Business and Professional Women of the United States of America. The club has advocated for a number of women's issues since its formation including pay equity and equal rights for women, as well as a number of general issues such as small business interests, health care, Social Security, and maintaining a work-life balance. The club also organizes local programming within the Outer Banks to help women improve themselves academically and professionally. The Virginia Dare Business and Professional Women Records, 1989-2013, includes correspondence, administrative records, fund-raising information, club histories, meeting minutes, and various publications including newsletters and scrapbooks. (2.20 cubic feet)

W

  • Wade, Charles B., Jr., Papers, 1978-1987
    In 1978, North Carolina Governor Jim Hunt appointed Charles B. Wade, Jr. to America's 400th Anniversary Committee (AFHAC), which was created to plan the celebration of the quadricentennial of the Roanoke Voyages. Wade, a native of Carteret County, was a graduate of Duke University and vice-president of the R. J. Reynolds Company. He was selected to head up an AFHAC sub-committee to build a ship similar to those on which the colonists would have sailed during their journey from England to Roanoke Island. Governor Hunt hoped this ship could become one of the cornerstones of the quadricentennial celebration. The committee eventually chose to model the ship after the Elizabeth, a 50-ton, square-rigged, three-masted bark. Naval architect Stanley Potter was hired to design the ship and O. Lie-Nielsen of Rockland, Maine was awarded the contract to build the vessel. Construction began in 1982 on the site of Roanoke Island boat building pioneer George Washington Creef's old boat works, which had been donated to the town of Manteo by Creef's heirs. Measuring 69 feet long, 17 feet wide, and drawing eight feet of water, the Elizabeth II was launched in November 1983, and is now the centerpiece of Roanoke Island Festival Park. The Charles B. Wade, Jr. Papers consist primarily of Wade's correspondence from the AFHAC sub-committee and meeting minutes. (.38 cubic feet)
  • Wahab, R. Stanley, and Family Papers, 1931 – 2005
    Robert Stanley Wahab, Sr. (1888 – 1967) was born on Ocracoke Island, February 3, 1888 to Hatton and Martha Howard Wahab, and was descended from two of the island’s early families. He spent his youth on Ocracoke Island where his textbooks came from shipwrecks and his father served in the U.S. Lifesaving Service at the Cedar Hammocks station. After tours at sea, business college, and positions in retail businesses, education and accounting, Wahab and an associate formed the company Retail Store Services in 1927, a furniture buying cooperative for high-end furniture stores that had limited buying power alone. While running that business until 1947, he built the Wahab Village Hotel in 1936, Ocracoke’s first modern hostelry. The Wahab Village expanded to become a resort including a campground, hunting and fishing club, rental cottages, and a dinner and dancing club, the “Spanish Casino.” Wahab also helped bring electrical and ice plants, telephone service and improvements to roads and the ferry service to Ocracoke. He was married three times and had three children. This collection consists of family history files and photographs; a large general ledger of R. Stanley Wahab’s business and personal affairs over a period of six decades, 1931—1994; and, an oversized item—a brochure from the Wahab Village (circa 1950s), resort promoting cottages, a campground, a hunting and fishing club, and boating with 22 photographs (some partial) and a map of Ocracoke Island, circa mid-1930s. Photographs primarily depict Ocracoke Island including many during and shortly after World War II. There is one heretofore unknown image of the Diamond Shoals Lightship. (.3 cu.ft.)
  • Ward, Alvah H., Jr., Papers, 1947 - 1981
    Oregon Inlet is a dynamic body of water that connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pamlico Sound, flowing between the northern Outer Banks and Hatteras Island. After Alvah Ward, Sr. mounted a ten-year, grassroots effort to have Oregon Inlet deepened, Congress finally authorized the Manteo-Shallowbag Bay navigation project. After Alvah, Sr.'s death, the Dare County Board of Commissioners asked Alvah Ward, Jr. to continue to pursue the Oregon Inlet deepening project. With the utilization of larger, more efficient vessels, navigation of a constantly shoaled Oregon Inlet began to curtail further industry expansion, and with continuing loss of life and property, vessel owners began to shun North Carolina ports altogether. At the request of industry and county government, Alvah, Jr. agreed to address the justification for the permanent stabilization of Oregon Inlet with a jetty system. Opposition by organized environmental groups throughout the nation emerged, led by the Department of the Interior who saw the loss of land required for anchoring the north jetty as a threat to their national mandates. Proper justification was presented repeatedly and finally Congressional approval for construction was granted in 1970. The Alvah Ward, Jr. Papers consist of maps, newspaper clippings, magazines, correspondence, photographs, pamphlets, briefs, and reports on Oregon Inlet, Wanchese Harbor, Wanchese Seafood Industrial Park, Manteo-Shallowbag Bay, the North Carolina Fisheries Association, and Federal Bureau of Commercial Fisheries. (6.32 cubic feet)
  • Watkins, A. H., Papers, 1936 - 1941
    Allen H. (A. H.) Watkins (1906-2003) was a Greensboro, North Carolina business man. In 1936, he began corresponding with Frank Stick and Theodore S. Meekins regarding the purchase of land on the Outer Banks in order to build a summer home. He bought land from the S. E. Tillett Company and began constructing a house in Kill Devil Hills in 1939. The structure was designed by Louis Voorhees, an architect based in High Point, North Carolina. Watkins corresponded with Frank Stick during much of the construction of his house. The A. H. Watkins Papers contains correspondence, blue prints, bank statements, canceled checks, and construction crew payroll records. (.88 cubic feet)
  • Watkins, John A., Papers, 1941-1998
    John A. Watkins was an aviator active on the Outer Banks in the late 20th century. In addition to his personal papers, this collection includes records for Coastal Patrol Base No. 16 of the Civil Air Patrol, which operated in Manteo, N.C., during World War II under the command of Watkins' father, Major Allen Harrison Watkins. Included are pilot reports, a base log, the base's S-2 journal, and Allen Watkins' personal notebook describing disciplinary violations of the soldiers under his command as well as other routine matters. (2.60 cubic feet)
  • Whalehead Preservation Trust Records, 1992 - 2009
    The Whalehead Preservation Trust was established in 1993 as a non-profit 501 (C) (3) organization charged with safeguarding Currituck County's cultural heritage by preserving the Whalehead Club at Currituck Heritage Park in Corolla, North Carolina. The Whalehead Club was the hunt club and vacation home of industrialists Edward and Marie Louise Knight of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was built between 1922 and 1925 in the art nouveau style, which was popular at that time. The club was sold and changed hands many times and served in various capacities. By 1992, the property was in a neglected state. The Whalehead Club was purchased by Currituck County. The Whalehead Trust was formed to ensure that the 21,000 square foot building would be restored. This collection contains correspondence, financial papers, meeting minutes, by-laws, blueprints, maps, and ephemera. (1.19 cubic feet)
  • Wilbur Wright Hotel Guest Register, 1939-1944
    The Wilbur Wright Hotel opened for business July 1, 1939 on the oceanfront in the vicinity of the Wright Brothers Memorial in present day Kill Devil Hills. It was built by Thomas A. Baum who operated a ferry service from Kitty Hawk to Point Harbor. Baum's daughter, Diane Baum St. Clair managed the hotel that hosted guests from across the country. The Wilbur Wright Hotel featured the First Flight Dining Room which served over 1,000 meals in season. Recreational and children's activities were available for guests. It was destroyed by a waterspout in 1978. This collection consists of a single bound guest register, which lists guests and visitors to the Wilbur Wright Hotel, giving each person's name, place of residence, room number and date and time of arrival and departure. (1 item.)
  • Wilkinson Family Collection on The Circus Tent, Inc., 1966-1987
    The Wilkinson Family Collection on The Circus Tent, Inc., 1966-1987, consists of memorabilia collected by various members of the Wilkinson family (primarily Reverend Hank Wilkinson and his son, Scott) related to the Circus Tent, a Christian ministry, ice cream parlor, and music venue that operated in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina, from 1968 to 1988. The collection includes brochures, clippings, scrapbook pages, and material related to the Circus Tent's house band, the New Hermeneutics, including sheet music, set lists, and 8 vinyl LP recordings of folk songs performed by the band. (0.40 cubic feet)
  • Williams Family Papers, 1932-1945
    The materials in this collection relate to the family of James Manning Williams, a Manteo resident and United States Coast Guardsman who served during World War II. The Williams Family Papers, 1932-1945, comprises four folders of material, including correspondence, financial records, and ephemera. The bulk of the correspondence consists of letters and greeting cards sent from James to his children Robert, Jimmie, and Thelma Jean during his war service. (0.20 cubic feet)
  • Williams, Gregory, Collection of Union Army Pension Claims
    North Carolina, a state with divided political allegiances during both the Secession Crisis and the Civil War years, seceded only after President Lincoln called for troops to suppress the states in rebellion. In May 1861 North Carolina became the tenth state to join that rebellion. After the capture of Hatteras Inlet by Federal forces in August 1861 and the successful Federal Burnside's Expedition into coastal North Carolina in February through April 1862 much of coastal North Carolina became occupied by Union forces. The occupation created a situation that presented North Carolinians the opportunity to join either Union or Confederate military forces. Collection includes photocopied Federal pension applications and affidavits for soldiers and widows who resided in Dare or Currituck County. (1.4 cubic feet)
  • Williamson, Jason, Papers, 1958-1990
    Jason McLeod Williamson was an avid genealogist and was particularly interested in his own family history as well as the history of the family's ancestral home of Columbus and Bladen Counties. The Jason Williamson Papers, 1958-1990, consists of research materials collected by Jason Williamson during the course of his research into his family's genealogy. The collection includes family histories, correspondence, and other genealogical research files. (1.60 cubic feet)
  • WNHW Radio News Stories, Hunt Thomas Collection of, 1991 - 1996
    WNHW is a radio station located in Wanchese, North Carolina. It serves the Elizabeth City and Nags Head, North Carolina listening market. This collection consists of news stories read over the air between 1990-1996 and is arranged chronologically. (.60 cubic feet)
  • Women's Association of the Duck Woods Country Club Records, 1986 - 2001
    The Duck Woods Country Club was founded in the mid-1960s under the original name Outer Banks Recreation Association and Duck Woods Golf Course. The name was changed to the Duck Woods Country Club in 1988. The Women's Association was originally called the Outer Banks Recreation Association Women's Auxiliary until 1987, when the name was changed to Women's Association of the Duck Woods Country Club. The purpose of the Women’s Association is to serve as a center of interest among the women of the club by promoting social and recreational activities for members, encouraging friendship among these women, and supporting those activities which are in the best interest of the Country Club and the community. The Women's Association of the Duck Woods Country Club Records consists of newspaper clippings, newsletters, photographs, yearly histories, meeting minutes; and annual reports. There is a gap from 1992 to 1995. (1.23 cubic feet)
  • Worrell, Spurgeon, Photograph Albums, 1940s
    Spurgeon Worrell served with Civilian Conservation Corps Company 436 at Camp Virginia Dare in Manteo during World War II. This collection consists of two Pictorial Review albums of Civilian Conservation Corps District A, Company 436, Manteo. The albums contain candid snapshots and photographs of Worrell and other CCC members and various locations around the Outer Banks. (0.20 cubic feet)nation
  • Wright Memorial Bridge Company and Kitty Hawk Company Records, 1929 - 1958
    The Kitty Hawk Company was formed in 1929 with the chief purpose of constructing a toll bridge over the Currituck Sound from Point Harbor to Kitty Hawk, to collect tolls, and to develop land in the Kitty Hawk beach area. This included selling lots, building roads, and providing necessary infrastructure to the development. On July 7, 1930, the Wright Memorial Bridge Company was formed with the same purposes as the Kitty Hawk Company. This collection includes a notebook of meeting minutes of the Wright Memorial Bridge Company and the Kitty Hawk Company, as well as stock certificates, financial records, and correspondence. (.24 cubic feet)
  • WVOD Audiotapes, 1989-2003
    This collection primarily consists of 29 10.5" open reel audiotapes created by employees of WVOD radio. The tapes contain advertisements, public service announcements, and other radio spots that were broadcast on the station from 1992 to 2001. (2.2 cubic feet)

X

  • XYZ Club Scrapbooks, 1971-1993
    The XYZ Club was a social and philanthropic group for senior citizens located in the larger Dare County area. Headquartered in Manteo, N.C., the group met monthly and participated in social outings, community service events, and fundraisers. The XYZ Club Scrapbooks, 1971-1993, comprise two volumes dated 1971-1985 and 1986-1993. The scrapbooks contain news clippings about the club itself as well as individual members, photographs, letters, invitations, copies of the Golden Chatter newsletter, cards, postcards, event programs, and obituaries. Photographs include group portraits of XYZ Club members and snapshots taken at events organized by the club. (.50 cubic feet)