Traveling to Bogue Banks

I live on Bogue Banks, an island off the mainland of the United States, separated from the mainland by Bogue Sound. The separation is not a vast distance, a mile or two at best, but until the first bridge was opened in 1928. a boat was needed to make the crossing. This crossing is characteristic of the nature of travel in eastern Carolina, a characteristic that has defined its development for centuries. This part of eastern North Carolina is not an easy place to get to.

Emergency Rescue Squad #65

The story of the city of Pine Knoll Shores is to a great extent a story of volunteerism, and that spirit of volunteerism among residents is dramatically evident in the formation of an all-volunteer Emergency Rescue Squad, which was conceived as early as 1975 and functioned into the first years of the 21^st century. It came to be known as Squad #65.

 

Squad #65’s history and that of the Fire Department proceed in parallel to some extent, but before and after Pine Knoll Shores had its own professional Fire Department there was the volunteer Emergency Rescue Squad. Most of the following comes past Shoreline issues with additional comments from former members of Squad #65.

Theron R. Butler

Alice Green Hoffman is often described as an eccentric New York socialite, but her life was more complex than that. In 1920, at the age of 57, she controlled a real estate portfolio that included holdings in Paris, New York City, Connecticut, and Carteret County, NC. She regularly dealt with the highest ranks of business and government players in those locales. She never hesitated to call on her connections and expected attention and results.

Where did this wealth come from? How did these character traits take form, this attitude of entitlement? An understanding of the life and times of her Grandfather Theron R. Butler and his influence helps explain her life.

Hoop Pole Watershed

The land that is Pine Knoll Shores evolved over thousands of years and contains several defining geological features. The dunes and maritime forest are obvious. A subtler feature is the Hoop Pole Creek watershed. This post presents a review of the natural geography and highlights of events during early development years.

Storms That Took Our Sittum

AC Hall design for Ocean Park with
dune front deck, 1967

This first person account by Tom Tempel, who lives across the road from Ocean Park and the sittum, vividly recalls the stormy years of 1996 through 1999. It gives life to the hurricanes and northeasters, the efforts to repair damage and respond to nature’s pounding. Key to it all are the many people Tom introduces who worked to make the Ocean Park sittum the pleasant restful spot it is. The post originally appeared as an article in the June 2016 issue of The Shoreline.

Early Sittum History

The deck at Ocean Park, perched high on the dune overlooking the beach and Atlantic Ocean, has been used for decades as a place to sit and enjoy the day.  The locally coined name “sittum” first appeared in the August 1975 issue of The Shoreline, or “Pine Knoll Shore Line” as it was titled then. According to current Pine Knoll Shores resident Bruce Yaeck, his mother, Cres Yaeck, was first to name this deck "the sittum," and it stuck.  The term would come into common usage in Pine Knoll Shores in reference to similar decks along the beach, but the sittum discussed in this post refers to the one in Ocean Park. While speaking of names, Ocean Park was originally called Mimosa Park or Mimosa Beach Park, but for purposes of simplicity, it will in this article always be Ocean Park.

"Beach Town in a Forest"

"The Story of Pine Knoll Shores" is on exhibit at the History Museum of Carteret County from  March 15, 2016, through March 15, 2017. This display, produced as a joint effort of the History Committee of Pine Knoll Shores and the Historical Society of Carteret County, occupies the remodeled Rodney Kemp Gallery. The museum intends to use the Rodney Kemp Gallery to showcase the history of Carteret County towns. Pine Knoll Shores was selected to be the first to exhibit, and in coming years, the story of other communities will fill this gallery.

Dairy Farming on Bogue Banks

Recently, in the process of clearing a lot on Holly Rd. of undergrowth, a Pine Knoll Shores property owner uncovered a remnant of Alice Hoffman’s time on Bogue Banks. To understand the significance of this discovery, we must piece together some background information about Alice Hoffman.

Opening Night, 11 March 2016

“This is a big night for the Carteret County Historical Society and for Pine Knoll Shores,” said Michelle Powers, an active member of the PKS History Committee and vice-president of the Historical Society Board. She was speaking at the March 11 dedication of the new Rodney Kemp Gallery in the former History Place and the formal opening of the gallery’s first exhibit, “Beach Town in a Forest: The Story of Pine Knoll Shores.” Approximately 145 invited guests were in attendance.

Museum Touch Screen

The Pine Knoll Shores History Committee, in conjunction with the Carteret County Historical Society, presents "Beach Town in a Forest: The Story of Pine Knoll Shores." The exhibit runs from March 15, 2016, through March 15, 2017, in the Rodney Kemp Gallery at the History Museum of Carteret County, located in Morehead City, NC. The exhibit's focus is on First People and Early Exploration, Early Settlement, Alice Hoffman, World War II, and The Roosevelts. Other historical stories are presented in an electronic format on a touchscreen display. This post presents the material included in the touchscreen exhibit. 

Exhibit Announcement

The Pine Knoll Shores History Committee, in conjunction with the Carteret County Historical Society, presents “Beach Town in a Forest – The Story of Pine Knoll Shores.” This exhibit will be on display from March 15, 2016, through March 15, 2017, in the newly remodeled Rodney Kemp Gallery at the Morehead City museum, formerly known as The History Place.