HAZEL - Storm of ‘54 October 19, 1954 The Beaufort News Effect on Fort Macon State Park Fort Macon State Park looks like an entirely different piece of land today. The hurricane leveled sand dunes, carried away the boardwalk in front of the bath house, washed away parking lots, and wreaked havoc that means a loss of thousands of dollars. Vance Smith, superintendent of the park, said the jetties at the point “didn’t stop anything”. The parking lot at the fort is no more, but the fort itself, imbedded as she is, rode out the winds and waves in fine fashion. Waters across the highway was waist deep after Hazel swept in. In the Coast Guard station itself water was knee deep. The personnel barracks for Fort Macon life savers and other employees broke in half (it was just completed a year ago), the bath house, too, was split open by the force of the water and the front has caved in.] Picnic tables by the bathing area parking lot were scattered hither and yon by the violent tides. The water cut back a major portion of the dune on which the picnic shelter is located and the shelter roof was considerably damaged. The roof of the superintendent’s home was damaged and the wind carried sand and salt spray through the house. Fort Macon, by Saturday morning, was still without power or phone service. Mr. Smith sent a message by radio to Thomas Morse, state superintendent of parks, telling him of the extensive damage here. By
Saturday morning, Mr. Smith did not know whether his message has been received. On duty at the park with the superintendent is Charles Walters, ranger. Asked if he and his family or Mr. Walters left the park during the height of the storm to find shelter on the mainland, Mr. Smith firmly replied, ‘Nope, we rode it out�.