Outer Banks History Center FAQ
The Outer Banks History Center is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., excluding state holidays. Researchers are encouraged to call ahead as the History Center occasionally closes due to inclement weather.
The OBHC is located in Manteo, N.C. across from the Manteo waterfront within the Roanoke Island Festival Park (RIFP) complex. Our entrance is off the raised walkway to the right of the RIFP Visitor Center. Free parking is available in two lots in front of the building. Disability parking can be found in the second lot.
More information about visiting the OBHC is available from our Visit Us page.
Phone: (252) 423-5240
Email: obhc@dncr.nc.gov
See our staff list for contact information for individual OBHC staff members.
Mailing Address
P.O. Box 250
Manteo, NC 27954
Physical Location
1 Festival Park Boulevard
Manteo, NC 27954
Social Media
Researchers may bring in laptops, digital cameras, paper to write on, and pencils. Items prohibited in the reading room include briefcases, laptop computer cases, backpacks, tote bags, large purses; ring notebooks; envelopes; plastic sleeve-covered pages; original maps, manuscripts, and other material; books; scanners and lighting equipment; pens, tape and Post-It notes. Go to the Visit Us page more information about visiting the OBHC.
Photocopies are $0.10 per page. Print copies from microfilm are $0.25. Generally, high resolution scans are $4.00 with a $1.00 fee for a CD to store the scans, if required. A complete list of duplication services and fees is available.
Remote researchers are encouraged to contact us by mail, email, or phone using the contact information above. Please note that, due to the large amount of materials in our collections and demands on staff time, OBHC staff members are limited in the amount of research we are able to do on researchers’ behalf.
In accordance with the policies of our parent agency, the State Archives of North Carolina, a $20 search and handling fee will be required for all researchers who are not residents of North Carolina for each reference inquiry delivered remotely via e-mail, correspondence, or fax. The limits of this fee are established by statute and it includes up to 20 photocopies, 8 copies from microfilm, or 1 scanned image. If copies of the requested information cannot be covered by the $20 fee, there may be an additional charge based on our current fee schedule, in which case, a statement of copying costs will be included in our response. We encourage out-of-state researchers to contact the Outer Banks History Center by phone or e-mail with an initial inquiry to determine the degree to which we anticipate being able to fulfill the search.
DOC, the Discover Online Catalog, is the online catalog for the State Archives, Government Records Branch, Outer Banks History Center and Western Regional Archives. Although the information available in DOC is extensive, it does not include every item in our collections.
We welcome donations of relevant materials for our collection. If you have materials you wish to donate, please email us at obhc@dncr.nc.gov or call us at (252) 473-2655. Prior to contacting us, please consult our mission statement and collection development policy to be sure that the materials in your possession are appropriate for our repository.