New Exhibit at Fort Raleigh National Historic Site

Posted on October 13, 2011

Great news for history buffs. The National Park Service, First Colony Foundation and Friends of the Outer Banks History Center have teamed up to present a new exhibit at Fort Raleigh National Historic site here in the Outer Banks. The exhibit is called Beneath the Sands: Past and Present Archaeology at Fort Raleigh and explores how archaeology can help unravel the story of what happened to the “First Colony” or Lost Colony.

The exhibition is presented as part of Roanoke Colonies Archaeology and History Week and is made possible by support from the Percy W. and Elizabeth G. Meekins Charitable Trust. Many of the artifacts will be on display for the first time and aim to show how scientific analysis when combined with historical context can provide clues to what may be America’s greatest historical mystery.

Roanoke Colonies Archaeology and History Week includes a week-long professional archaeological search for evidence of Sir Walter Raleigh’s colonies and Algonkian Indian habitation on Roanoke Island, with an interactive educational classroom without walls, and a public symposium focused on new discoveries. Other activities of the week will include a weeklong series of events with theatre, symposium, and archaeological research at Roanoke Island Festival Park.

Among the planned activities:

* Two of the nation’s pre-eminent historical archaeologists, Dr. Eric Klingelhofer and Nicholas Luccketti, will direct and train selected Dare County high school students and adult volunteers in field excavations.

* The original play, Shepherd of the Ocean, will be presented on Monday evening, October 10, by Elizabeth R & Company at Roanoke Island Festival Park and begins at 7 p.m.

* Tuesday-Friday, noted archaeologists and historians will present free public programs on the latest research on the Algonkian Indians of North Carolina, theories on the disappearance of Sir Walter Raleigh’s “Lost Colonists,” the settlement of Roanoke Island after the disappearance of the “Lost Colony,” and the scientific search for the Archaeological remains of the Roanoke colonies.

How cool would it be to see real life archaeological search right here in the OBX? Its amazing to take a step back and think about all the history that lies right in your backyard. The Lost Colony is such an amazing story which still has so many unanswered questions surrounding its disappearance. This would be a great event to take the kids to if you are in town this week. Nothing like tying some education into a vacation…kids dig it

Tons of Great OBX Events This Weekend!

Posted on October 7, 2011

In case you haven’t heard us say this before….we love the OBX in the fall Hopefully you are around this weekend because there is so much to do! Get out and enjoy the amazing weather! Who says the Outer Banks shuts down in the fall??

Duck

This weekend in Duck there will be something fun going on every night. The Duck Jazz Festival kicks off on Sunday at 11 a.m. and lasts all day. Best of all its free! Make sure you stop by the Seaside Vacations booth and say hello! Don’t forget your chairs, blankets and coolers because it is going to be one big lawn party. This year there will be food vendors and tons of other great companies hanging out.

To gear up for the weekend, the Blue Point is hosting a Porch Party with live music tonight from 6 to 9 p.m.; Coastal Cantina is hosting Latin Jazz in Paul Rowlen Project on their waterfront deck from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. and Aqua is hosting Sax in the City from 7 to 10:30 p.m. with the Hound Dog Family Band.

On Saturday Roadside Bar and Grill is hosting an Oyster Roast and Beer Tasting and live music from 3 to 7 p.m. Coastal Cantina is hosting a Wine & Tapas event with the band Connected from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Stop by any of these spots for great music, food, and beverages, not to mention a great time.

Nags Head

The 2011 World Championships of Surf Kayaking are finishing up this weekend at Jennette’s Pier, but you still have until Sunday to check it out. You can walk up Jennetes and sit out on the decks for a great view of the event. There are competitors from all over the world and a great way to relax and experience something new. We have some great video from earlier in the week if you want a sneak peek of the action.

Manteo

Roanoke Island Festival Park Art Gallery opened a new show in October: Art of the Costume. The show features a costume designer for The Lost Colony. You can see the show Monday through Saturday through October 31, but you can meet the artists on Friday from 6 to 8 p.m. during Manteo’s First Friday celebration.

First Friday takes place from 4 to 8 p.m. in Manteo. Shop in the boutiques and galleries, dine in the local restaurants, listen to live music in the streets and taverns, try your hands and feet on the rock-climbing wall or take a walk along the lovely waterfront boardwalk.

The North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island is hosting the 16th Annual Native Plant Sale on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. This year they’re focusing on native, drought-resistant plants. The Elizabethan Gardens is also having its Fall Clearance Plant Sale this weekend, with 30% to 50% discounts on perennials, shrubs, ornamentals, grasses and trees. Their sale is Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.

Southern Shores

The Throw Down North of Town annual surf competition with proceeds benefiting the Outer Banks Cancer Research Center, kicks off Saturday, October 8th. Some local OBX boys doing good and giving back to the community they love. Local OBX pro surfer, Noah Snyder and Hurley will be on site enjoying the show and adding to the festivities. Registration starts at 8 am at the Chicahauk beach access. For more information click here.

Kill Devil Hills

Looking for a great deal? Head down to Outer Banks Brewing Station for the Mommy & Me Yard Sale from 7 to 11 a.m. It is going to be a huge multi-family yard sale, with clothing, toys, household items and more.

The Dare Literacy Council is holding the Dare Literacy Book Sale at the Baum Center (just around the corner from the Brewing Station) from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. This is a great sale, and they have books for every interest. You can also donate books and nonperishable food items for the Beach Food Pantry.

Kitty Hawk Kites’ 25th Annual Outer Banks Stunt Kite Competition is this weekend at the Wright Brothers National Memorial. This is an event you cant miss! Non-competitors can enjoy kite workshops and demos and kids’ activities plus a kite ballet and team flying presentations. Not to mention the opportunity to see all the coolest kites money can buy !

Seaside Realty has been participating in the 19th Annual Outer Banks Homebuilders Parade of Homes which runs Thursday through Sunday. There are 18 homes on this year’s tour, located from Corolla to South Nags Head, and you can tour at your own pace. If you are interested in buying real estate in the area, or just want a tour of some of the most beautiful homes in the Outer Banks, this is perfect. Check out Seaside Realty on facebook for more information.

Kitty Hawk

Awesome event for a great cause set to take place Sunday, October 9th at the Kitty Hawk Skatepark, with proceeds benefiting Hurricane Irene victims through the Outer Banks Relief Foundation. Honorable, in conjunction with LACED Clothing, proudly presents the “LACED & FLOODED” benefit Skate Jam. The weekend will kick off Saturday, October 8th at Moms Sweet Shop in KDH for a meet and greet with Jake Brown and Peter Smolik from 12-2pm. They will be premiering LACED clothing as it hits the racks at Moms and make sure to stop by and pre-register for the Skate Jam on Sunday.

First Flight Rotary Club’s Oink ‘N Oyster Roast is this Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. at Longboards Island Grill in Kitty Hawk. Tickets are $25 in advance and $7 for children and can be purchased the day of the event or online. A portion of the proceeds will go toward Hurricane Irene Disaster Relief via the Outer Banks Community Foundation.

These are just a few of the many great fall events going on in the OBX and that is just for this weekend! Keep an eye out for more events to come and remember if you’re out at any of these, take lots of pictures and share them with us on facebook! Have a good weekend.

Dare County: A Moonshine Mecca Way Back Yonder

Posted on August 14, 2011

Came across a great article in the Virginia Pilot about a little piece of Dare County that was once a major hub in the moonshine making business in North Carolina.

Little is left of this former logging town on the Dare County mainland, which was born in Civil War times and morphed decades later into a haven for bootlegging moonshine makers. Its legacy survives in the aging memories of long-ago residents and a dusty gravel road through the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge that bears its name. Otherwise, Buffalo City today belongs to the swamp.

But while there are still memories to preserve and artifacts to collect, staff at the wildlife refuge are working to ensure that Buffalo City does not disappear altogether. At a new visitors center set to open next year, refuge officials plan to build a theater reminiscent of the general store where Buffalo City residents once shopped.

Its history dates from the mid-1800s through the 1950s, when the last Buffalo City residents deserted the town, about 20 miles west of Roanoke Island.In its heyday, Buffalo City boasted multiple logging companies, a hotel, a post office, railroad service and its own currency. It was once Dare County’s largest community.

By the late 1920s and early 1930s, however, with the logging industry losing steam, residents began making moonshine to survive. The illegal liquor was transported north by boat to places such as Elizabeth City.

Wildlife and habitat are the primary focus of the new visitors center that will soon be under construction on the northern end of Roanoke Island, near the entrance to Fort Raleigh National Historic Site. The Gateway Visitor Center, expected to open in spring or early summer next year, will introduce people to 11 refuges in northeastern North Carolina and southeastern Virginia, including Buffalo City.

I feel an Outer Banks Treasure video in the works here.

The Lost Colony is Back! Opening Next Friday May 27th

Posted on May 18, 2011

You know it is summer when The Lost Colony is back in action! If you have never been it is a must do for you next Outer Banks trip! It is a fun way to learn some history behind this beautiful place we call home and how it came to be. The cast returns next Friday night for its 74th anniversary season with ticket prices starting at $20. The show runs from May 27th to August 20th so you have plenty of time to plan and work it in your vacation.

The Lost Colony is the “grandfather” of all outdoor dramas and is produced by the Roanoke Island Historical Association, a non-profit whose mission is to celebrate the history of the first English colonies on Roanoke Island, North Carolina, and to honor the founders of The Lost Colony symphonic drama through drama, education, and literature.

Join this terrific cast for a show you will never forget. Check out what our fans have to say about it!

For more information on The Lost Colony or for ticket information, check out their website or facebook page.

Civil War on the Outer Banks

Posted on April 12, 2011

Civil War on the Outer Banks

The Outer Banks is known for many things – gorgeous beaches, world-class surfing, outstanding fishing, Blackbeard the Pirate, the Wright Brothers first flight – but the Civil War?

Yep, add the Civil War to the long list of OBX attractions.

Today marks the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War, so it seems like a fitting occasion to mention the storied history the OBX played in War Between States.

Are you aware that the beaches of the Outer Banks set the scene for the very first Union victory of the Civil War? How ’bout them apples?!

In August 1861, Federal troops captured Fort Hatteras & Clark along the Outer Banks sending a huge morale boost to the North. Up to that point in War, the South had been victorious in every engagement. In addition to the first Union victory, the OBX battle signified a few firsts in the war, including the first combined Army and Navy operation, the first amphibious assault and the first African American gun crew to fire on the Confederates.

There will be a lot of events in the upcoming months to commemorate the anniversary, and the OBX will have our share. The Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum plans to commemorate the Outer Banks involvement in the Civil War with their upcoming Flags Over Hatteras event.

The event will include exhibits and lectures that will highlight the importance of these battles and increase awareness the historical significance.

The commemoration at the museum will run from Aug. 22-28, and feature keynote speakers: authors James McPherson and Craig Symonds, and former National Park Service Chief Historian Ed Bearss. Additionally, the event offers:

Blue-Gray Descendants Reunion – Aug. 22-24 – Hatteras Village Civic Center
Flags over Hatteras Conference – Aug. 25-27 – Hatteras Village Civic Center
Exhibits and living history demonstrations – Aug. 27-28 – Cape Hatteras Lighthouse

Space is limited for the conference and registration is required. Tickets are $175 per person, with 30 spaces being reserved for students at $75 per student. The fee includes: light refreshments, daily speakers, three evening events, three dinners and all exhibits. For more information or to register, go here.

For more Civil War stories, timelines and documents, visit the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources website on “Freedom, Sacrifice and Memory” and the 150th commemoration.

U.S. News Loves the Outer Banks

Posted on March 31, 2011

Outer Banks - 2.16.11 - Sun Up on the Sound

The U.S. News Travel Section recently highlighted the Outer Banks. The article gives a quick overview of some great OBX attractions, and then goes on to list their Top 11 “Best Things to Do in the Outer Banks.”

Here’s what U.S. News had to say:

“The Outer Banks have activities for relaxation and for adventure. The quiet beaches are the main draw to the area, but others visit OBX for the horseback riding, hang gliding and water sports. Touring the shipwrecks off the coast, sightseeing at Corolla’s Currituck Beach Lighthouse, Kill Devil Hill’s Wright Brothers National Memorial or Nag’s Head’s Jockey’s Ridge State Park make a happy medium for recent vacationers who desire a more balanced getaway.”

U.S. News Top 11 “Best Things to Do in the Outer Banks”:

1. Outer Banks Beaches
2. Jockey’s Ridge State Park
3. Cape Hatteras National Seashore
4. Pirate Adventures of the Outer Banks
5. Stop-N-Shop Beach Shop
6. Wright Brothers National Memorial
7. Roanoke Island Festival Park
8. Currituck Beach Lighthouse
9. Bodie Island Lighthouse
10. North Carolina Aquarium at Roanoke Island
11. Tanger Outlets Nags Head

Outer Banks Lands on Yahoo Travel’s List of Top 10 Places to Take the Kids Before They Grow Up

Posted on October 13, 2010

Roanoke Island & The Lost Colony

Working from suggestions in the book 500 Places to Take Your Kids Before They Grow Up, Yahoo Travel just released their list of Top 10 Places to Take Your Kids Before They Grow Up, and the Outer Banks made the list…Roanoke Island to be specific.

Here’s what they had to say about the land of the mysterious Lost Colony…

Roanoke Island

In 1587, on Roanoke Island, between the Outer Banks and the North Carolina mainland, 120 men, women, and children landed to settle England’s first permanent New World colony. Virginia Dare — granddaughter of their governor, John White — was born that year, the first child of English parents born in America. When White sailed back to England, he intended to return within the year.

But a war with Spain kept White away from Roanoke for three years; what he found on his return in 1590 was a mystery. The rudimentary houses that he had helped build were dismantled, the entire area enclosed by a high fortlike palisade. No trace of the “Lost Colony” was ever found.

The visitor center at the Fort Raleigh National Historic Site tells the colony’s baffling story in exhibits and film; outdoors, all that’s left of the fort is a silent mound of dirt, preserving the site’s sense of mystery. You’ll also want to flesh out the story by visiting the more commercial Roanoke Island Festival Park, mid-island in Manteo. A 69-foot-long three-masted bark, the Elizabeth II, lies moored across from the waterfront — a composite 16th-century ship built for the 400th anniversary of Sir Walter Raleigh’s first exploratory voyage to Roanoke in 1584.

“First Fridays” Return to the Outer Banks

Posted on March 31, 2010

Outer Banks First Friday - 4.2.10

It’s officially spring on the Outer Banks…”Frirst Fridays” return this week!

“First Friday’s” kickoff this Friday, April 2, in downtown Manteo.

The First Haven Baptist choir, men’s chorus will preform from 6-8 on the front porch of the old Dare County Courthouse. Enjoy the sounds of Mojo Collins in the Old Tom Alley. Get FREE SAMPLES of Organic Essential Oils from T…herearoma AND get a 5% discount on your purchase. Check out the “Girls, Girls, Girls” art exhibit opening at the Dare County Art’s Council and then just when you think the party is over… Live at The Full Moon Cafe… Sealevel from 8pm – Until!

Wildlife Refuge on the Outer Banks to Build New Visitor’s Center

Posted on January 27, 2010

The Alligator National Wildlife Refuge is a 154,000 acre refuge that runs from the Outer Banks coast inland. The 26 year old refuge is home to a wide variety of wildlife like bear, rare red wolves, diverse bird species, and of course, alligators.

The Virginia Pilot recently announced that the Alligator National Wildlife Refuge will be fortunate enough to have a brand new $5 million visitor’s center constructed at its headquarters in Manteo, NC (Roanoke Island), a short drive from the OBX beaches. The project is scheduled to be finished in 18 months.

Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge

NC Aquarium on the Outer Banks Adds Some Bite

Posted on January 15, 2010

: Outer Banks Shark

The NC Aquarium on the Outer Banks has a massive “Graveyard of the Atlantic” exhibit that consists of a 285,000 gallon tank and a variety of sharks. Ten years after the renovated and enlarged aquarium reopened, the sharks remain the most popular of its exhibits. The exhibit, including a 300 pound sand tiger shark, is already one of the most popular stops at the aquarium, but it’s about to become even more popular.

By summer 2010, OBX visitors that venture over to the aquarium will see some additional sharks and additional shark exhibits. The aquarium is planning to open $75,000 worth of new shark exhibits.

The planned exhibits include:

Three new sharks already added to the big tank, and more are expected in the coming months.
Sharks to replace the audio-visual display about storms that had been in the changing exhibit room.
Small sharks called chain dogfish to be displayed in a saltwater gallery tank.
Interactive games, photo opportunities and a touch tank are being discussed as possibilities.
Tropical fish that are commonly called sharks but are not – for instance, rainbow sharks, red tail sharks, and bala sharks – to be displayed in the freshwater gallery.