Summer 2014
www.SwanQuarterly.net
Hyde County’s County Magazine
Photo by Ingrid Lemme
www.Facebook.com/maggie.duke.90
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PUBLISHER: INGRID LEMME ~ EDITOR: TIM NIELSEN
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Quote of the Quarter
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“it's a smile, it's a kiss, it's a sip of wine ... it's summertime!” Kenny Chesney
DEAR READER
Tyius Watson
It's hard to believe that this handsome young man already graduated from Mattamuskeet High School. Time flies! Congratulations!
www.facebook.com/ tyius.watson nnn
Styling Hyde, Worth the Ride Linda K’s
I am sure ya'll remember the freezing never ending winter that made us all promise to never ever complain about the dog days of summer? Well, the heat is on, so let's have some fun! Life is good. My new (old) home in Columbia is almost finished and my little grandson is growing like a weed. Wishing you, my dear readers a good crabbing
season, lots of fresh fish and homegrown produce and sweet watermelons! --If you haven’t seen The Lost Colony show, make that a must!--And please remember that you can order this SwanQuarterly, or past issues, in print online if you like. Just log on to www.SwanQuarterly.net Happy 4th!
Meeting Linda was the beginning of one Cahoon in Swan amazing hairstyle after another and for Quarter before I visit me....someone who was used to Hampton the Hamptons. styles, I was certain thatI would have to fly Call Linda at north for ‘The Look’.I now see Linda 252- 945-0747
A SHORELINE AT STAKE BY COLEMAN DAVIS Since June, 2011, I have monitored shoreline erosion at Bell Island, located in the mouth of Rose Bay and part of the Swan Quarter National Wildlife Refuge. The study site is a brackish marsh that borders Pamlico Sound and part of the Albemarle-Pamlico estuary--the second largest estuary in the United States. In 2012, the US
Fish and Wildlife Service, with help from the North Carolina Nature Conservancy and its donors, constructed limestone sills near the shoreline, east and west of the Bell Island Pier. The sills are designed to stabilize the shoreline by reducing erosion and replaced a dilapidated vinyl bulkhead. Part of my study site is behind the rock sills, and part is beyond the sills. The unprotected area is eroding because there is nothing to stop or slow the waves before they
slam into the marsh. Strong wind events typically remove one to three feet of marsh in my study site. Every month I visit the site and measure the erosion that has occurred between my PVC markers and the shoreline. In 2011, Hurricane Irene created some pockets of erosion that were three feet deep--that is a lot of erosion! The erosion is worsened because of sea level rise, estimated to be between four inches and two feet per century, and the easily eroded mucky soil.
The peaty topsoil is full of plant roots; below the roots, the peat is loose and erodes easily. In low tides, the waves crash against the lower level of peat and create undercuts. In high tides, the waves pound the root mat. All of this results in chunks of the root-filled peat falling into the water. The eroded soil is not lost--it drops out of the water column in areas where the velocity of the water is decreased, such as behind the sills. My measurements show that since
the sills were rebuilt and extended, portions of the shoreline that had previously eroded are now recovering. Measuring the changes in the
Bell Island shoreline is helping the US Fish and Wildlife Service understand erosion rates and the effects of the stabilization sills.
OUTTA’ DA’ BOX “There ain't nothing like hard workin' folk that know how to cook. Forget what it looks like - just go in and eat. This place is one of those joints you wait your whole life to stumble across. Food is delicious and cheap. And the people running it are sweeter than pecan pie.” Reviewed by “The Hungry American”! www.yelp.com/biz/outta-da-box-engelhard
Jennie Gibbs Brown 1 of 6 owners of Outta’ Da’ Box Photos by Jean Heart
Hilda Gibbs Beck with owner/manager Outta’Da’Box
PONZER RURITAN DOES IT AGAIN!
For more than 30 years the Ponzer Ruritan Club has been making sausage for its main fundraiser. With the help friends and neighbors, sales of the event have gone to their scholarship fund, and this year was the best yet. The club sponsors four "sausage " days a year, with the first being the Saturday before Thanksgiving. The next three are in January, February and March. Look for sausage flyers in October announcing upcoming sale events.
SCIENCE PROJECT GOES GLOBAL Accolades are in order for one particular Hyde County young lady as she has recently received several recognitions for her sophisticated inquiries regarding the water quality of North Carolina’s largest natural lake, Lake Mattamuskeet. The particular project that Anne Blythe Davis, 16, of Swan Quarter, chose was to determine the effects of phosphorus interception on phytoplankton in the lake. Ok, what does that mean? The word phytoplankton (fītō ˈplaNGktən), is derived from the Greek words phyto (plant) and plankton (made to wander or drift) and are the small, microscopic organisms that drift or float in both salty and fresh water environments. Phytoplankton depend on phosphorus as a key nutrient without which they cannot survive. According to Davis, Lake Mattamuskeet receives a large nutrient load and parts of the lake have a corresponding high level of phytoplankton. Phytoplankton cloud the water and prevent underwater vegetation from photosynthesizing, eventually
harming the plants and the aquatic organisms that depend on them. In turn, the hundreds of thousands of waterfowl that live and visit the lake annually lose a food source. Davis is hoping that her research will help find a solution to the lake’s water quality problem. In June 2013, Davis’ project won first place in the high school environmental science category of the North Carolina Student Academy of Science (NCSAS) in Durham. That honor then led to Davis being selected for an expenses--paid trip this past February to Chicago to present her research at the 2014 American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Conference. Davis, along with five other aspiring North Carolina student scientists, presented their projects and spent a lot of time talking to professional scientists, including two Nobel Prize winners, about their research and careers. They also toured the University of Chicago and Fermilab (a particle physics lab). Davis, the daughter of Blythe and Kelly Davis, is a longtime contributor to the Swan Quarterly. She is a sophomore at Stanford Online High School which is a virtual school run by Stanford University in California,
long regarded as a leading research and teaching institution. Last year the school gave her their Division of Science award for her research. And, in December 2013 she was one of eight students selected to compete in the North Carolina International Science Challenge in Chapel Hill, NC. Following that competition, she learned she would be one of four students representing the United States in March 2014 at the Beijing (China) Youth Science Creation Competition (BYSCC). At the BYSCC event, there were students from fourteen countries including Australia, Denmark, Italy, and Singapore. Over 350 students (including 300Chinese) presented their science research projects to Chinese judges and to the public. First, though, they had to work with Chinese volunteer translators to translate descriptions of their projects to Chinese. Davis’ project garnered her silver. Following three days of competition, the U.S. delegation toured the Forbidden City, the Great Wall and several local markets. When asked what she thought she would remember most about the trip Davis quickly replied: “…the friendships I
made with students from all over the world.” “At first it seemed a little daunting to try to connect with people who live on the other side of the globe, and who have entirely different cultures, but everyone had something in common, so we clicked almost immediately,” she added. Davis will graduate in 2016 and plans to continue her studies with college and graduate school, with a focus on materials science or bioengineering. She is
very interested in both math and science and would like to find a career that allows her to apply both of those interests. She is currently looking into materials science, which is a discipline that includes work like nanotechnology and combines math, physics, and biochemistry. She would also like to find a career path that could tie into medicine. In her free time, she likes to run, read, travel, and listen to music. She is also an accomplished pianist and
enjoys writing fiction and photography. In addition to the support she has received from her parents, Davis wanted to acknowledge Dr. Michael Piehler from the University of North Carolina Coastal Studies Institute in Morehead City and Dr. John Stiller from East Carolina University who advised her on parts of her project.
OCRACOKE'S GRACEFUL BAKERY: AN INTERVIEW WITH LAUREN STROHL BY SARAH JOHNSON
Lauren Strohl moved to Ocracoke three years ago and is thrilled to have opened Graceful Bakery this May. Graceful Bakery occupies the former location of the Corner Crepe, right next to the Back Porch. You can expect a variety of artisan breads as well as sweet
and savory treats baked fresh every morning from scratch. We spoke with Lauren in early April about baking and starting a new business. With your first bakery set to open in May do you feel like you’re finally getting to a place you want to be jobwise, or does this feel like just the beginning? Both. I’ve been wanting to bake professionally for a long time but I also feel like this is the first real step in making it happen. This is literally a dream of mine, but who knows where it will lead. Where did you first learn to bake?
I first learned to bake when I was ten years old. My mom showed me how to make brownies and I was so excited I made a batch of brownies every day for the next four days. I was hooked. I loved baking ever since that very first day. I loved the feeling I could create something so delicious. Did you share them?
I doubt it.
So if you’re a natural baker, are you also an early bird? I’m not a natural early bird, but I do love the peace and quiet of the morning. It’s a great feeling to know I have the afternoon ahead of me. Coffee helps too. Do you have a signature item? For Graceful Bakery that will be breads and cookies. For me personally, my "goto" bread is a country bread with a crunchy crust. All my breads have nice crusts. What else will you be offering at Graceful Bakery?
This might be a long answer…Breads, muffins, cookies, scones, Belgian waffles, crepes, brewed coffee, fresh squeezed OJ, and some gluten free items. Wow, that’s a spread. I know a lot of folks will be excited about the gluten free options. Yes! I’ll have several gluten free cookies and potentially some buckwheat crepes that are gluten free. I’m mindful of dietary needs and will definitely be extra cautious to avoid cross contamination, however this is not a certified gluten free facility. I’m still figuring out the wording for my labels. And all of my muffins will be vegan simply because it’s the recipe I like best. Talk more about your ingredients. The main thing is no refined flour and no refined sugar. At this point I’ll be using King Arthur flour exclusively; their unbleached, unbromated flour. I’ll use either raw sugar or evaporated
cane juice. I’ll also be using quality ingredients like real butter and real milk. Most of my breads are made with a natural starter, but I’ll use baker’s yeast for certain items. I have been baking and living without refined flour and sugar for a while and really believe it is a better choice for my overall health, and I think it actually tastes better. Do you pay any heed to weather and humidity? I always blame my baking disasters on the weather. Yeah, it does play a factor and temperature does too. I don’t see it as restrictive, because I’m ok with being
flexible with how long the bread should rise or bake based on the elements. I also chill my cookies before baking which helps. So Graceful Bakery received start-up funding from the Hyde County Revolving Loan Fund. What was that process like? It’s been amazing. It’s just a great match because the County is very enthusiastic about this project and Kris Noble was incredibly helpful in guiding me through every detail of the application process. Graceful Bakery will be open six days a week from 6:00 AM-2:00 PM. Cash only.
FROM MILEPOST 3.1 BY MATT WALKER In an age when politicians and activists increasingly twist environmental debate, one anthropologist went to the people for their honest opinions. Are you the bunnyhugging, pro-regulation ecoterrorist who “speaks for the trees?” or the soulless prodeveloper willing to pave plovers and national parks to make every penny? Quick, pick a side. Because when it comes to environmental debate in Dare County, there only two teams: those who will protect the environment no matter who it hurts economically, and those who’ll feed the economy now matter how much nature it kills. Or so the various politicians and activist groups would have you believe. “The message war is the biggest war of all,” says ECU Anthropology professor, Dr. Christine Avenarius. “So we have all these special interests who try to put discussion into a particular framework and stimulate people along a
particular thought path.” Last summer, Avenarius decided to bypass those paths. For six months she and a team of grad students talked to 208 Dare County residents. No SELCs, No NC-20s, And no direct questions. Instead of “How much do you hate catch limits?”--or “Which McMansion would you burn to the ground?"-- they asked things like, “Do you see changes?” and “Where would you put county tax dollars?” What’d she find out? A whole lot. Mainly that residents are quite aware how environment and economics affect each other, especially when it impacts them firsthand, leading to more varied and nuanced perspectives than you might believe. “A lot of people do have middle of the road opinions,” she notes. “And very few people realize how much other people have that same opinion as themselves.” We sat down to with the good doctor to hear more about what we think, why we think it and what it means for Dare County in the future. Dr Avenarius explained the idea was to restart
dialogue on coastal management. to see what people think in terms of environmental changes and economic issues-- not just the groups invested in certain issues or the people running for political office. There’s also been an increase among the general population of people who question the objectivity of science and are more interested in common sense. So I wanted to go out and ask them, “What do you actually see? Do you see change in the environment? Or are these scientists crazy?” These long sit-down interviews had several parts. One was to collect observations about the environment with open-ended questions: “What are your favorite places in Dare County?” “What are your least favorite places or eyesores? “And from there, we’d say, “What on the beach or sound have you seen changing? How do you know?” We were hoping they’d mention "climate change" or "rising sea levels", but barely 20% of the people mentioned that at all. But everybody--90% if not more--can describe areas that have changed, and they describe it as erosion. So one of
the messages I’d turn over to science is that people really don’t see evidence for sea level rise. And some would say as much, "How do I see sea level rise? I don’t see it.” But they do see beach disappearing and sand accumulating. So they are very aware, and they have very interesting descriptions like “Mother Nature takes.”’ Or “Oregon Inlet is like taking a wild child and making him sit still in a seat.” But many say things are always changing. And it always comes back to ‘You cannot fight nature.’ Then the second part, I identified 18 different projects about economic constraints or opportunities in relation to the environment, including such things as widening Hwy 64 toward Columbia, the MidCurrituck Bridge, the beach nourishment projects, dredging of Oregon Inlet, various Bonner Bridge ideas. Then we asked people, “If you were king or queen of Dare County, where would you put tax money over the next five years entirely up to the person. So it was a great opportunity for people to say, “Here’s why I like the short bridge” or “Here’s why I like the long bridge.” Or “Here’s why I think ferries are bogus. “
If you said, “Are you for or against beach nourishment?” most people would say, “Of course.” But by having to sort it, they’d say, “I’m for it, but it doesn’t makes sense.” Or, " I have to be for it because that’s our economy.” So while 60% of people are for beach nourishment, two thirds of these people have reservations. Or if you look at business owners they are mostly for it regardless. And who is the 20% who say “no support, waste of funds?” It’s younger people who aren’t invested with homes or businesses, and older people who are retired. The findings were quite localized. KDH to Duck people say nourishment is needed, but they don’t care about Mirlo Beach. And Hatteras people are against nourishment, too, because most of them were Buxton people. They don’t have property at Mirlo Beach, and for them only the bridge counts. They’re also the only ones who are 100%, “We want the short bridge.” Whereas a lot of people are "Long bridge, short bridge, I don’t’ care; just give me a bridge.” Manteo and Mann’s Harbor residents are certainly
against beach nourishment, and some were surprisingly proregulation--particularly the older ones.. I have a lot of older Mann’s Harbor and Manteo people, 60 and over, who say, “Thank God for the park sevice. They should buyup more land. That’s the only thing that keeps these development crazies in line.” I also talked to some young Stumpy Point people in the fisheries--many of them really struggling--and they want to protect their way of life. But they’re certainly not completely business minded. And they also recognize that fisheries have a bad rep. They felt misunderstood. So where does everyone agree? Oregon Inlet. Ninety percent are for dredging. Even the people who say, “Beach nourishment is a bogus, let Mother Nature do its thing.” Why? They feel fisheries should be sustained — “We cannot let these Wanchese people die out.” So that’s another big contradiction. Because if you say, “I’m for the long bridge, I’m for no beach nourishment whatsoever, everything should be as natural as possible”, then it follows they would say, “Let Oregon Inlet close up again.” But that wasn’t the case.
And nobody wants more population density. Many people believe the one thing that keeps us from becoming a Myrtle Beach or Virginia Beach is a sewage system. As long as don’t do central sewage we’re good. The moment we allow that to happen then the high-rises will come and we have absolute density. We also asked people to evaluate various energy opportunities, such as wind turbines and solar panels. We asked about fracking, too, but of course everyone was antifracking. Only the affluent, elderly, ultra-conservative folks
were for fracking. And most people were very much against offshore drilling, fearing that it would influence tourism. People were worried about the economy, not the ocean. And, surprisingly, with wind turbines it was 50-50. Younger people and business people were very much for wind turbines. It’s some of the older people, or people who were worried about birds, who weren’t. For the future of the Outer Banks, well, I’m always optimistic. It should be a wake up call. And the number one thing people might get out of it is to just talk more and
participate in the decision making. But basically, everyone’s a hypocrite. Most of us have different opinions and we shift them based on how they affect our own backyard. And of course, we all feel we should be able to come to Dare County-but be allowed to close the gates behind us. The preceding interview was edited for space, flow and clarity. For a complete transcript of the full two-hour discussion — including how peoples’ attitudes change over time and the larger cultural factors that influence our decisions — go to www.outerbanksmilepost.com.
RELOCATE TO HYDE! BY JEAN HEART Often I'm asked, “Why, did you move to Hyde County, all the way from London, England; why here? My response is usually the same, the English heritage (Virginia Dare and the early English settlers), unknown territory, the landscape--windy and rugged and reminiscent of the marshlands of Cornwall--it's much the same here. I am a city girl who traveled the world; here 14 years, second to Dallas where I lived for 26 years and started my career in commercial real estate. England is now a fond memory, while Engelhard is home for me, and where you will find Heart Realty. One of the first things you learn in Real Estate School is "know your market," your community. Negotiating contracts is second nature to me, and the real estate business has always been good--well, right up until the fall of 2007 when the market on the beach and then here bottomed out, and I joined other brokers--
broke and in shock. I slowly began to realize the real estate market might never be the same again, even in 20 years. There is so much inventory on the market that is overpriced and offers no upgrades, competing with homes in the $40 to $150K range. But, for Florin and Edith Deltgen this was the right time to acquire an investment property that will become a rental property in Gull Rock-and they already have a tenant. James and Debbie Gilliam from Raleigh, NC also thought this was the right time to buy, and they acquired the Germantown marina. Locals are also buying, out-of-state hunters are looking for a rental property, and the Hyde County market appears to be turning around. It is times like these when friend’s matter most, especially if you have no family close by. Friends become family, clients become friends--people you choose or that choose you. The thing about Hyde County is, folks here grew up in isolation, and they know hard times and having to work hard. They are creative in finding work and taking care of one another other. They love each
other and are open to loving strangers, like me. Without the Gibbs Family, who owns and operates Outta’ Da’ Box, formerly BECKS Restaurant, I would not have made it. When other brokers said things were slow, I thought they meant for that day. I did not know they had been experiencing this down fall for a few years. Real estate companies that had been open for decades were closing their doors. Other Brokers like me, pushed and pulled, increased their networking and got part-time jobs--until about 6 months ago, when calls from Buyers started coming back in. I am starting to feel like a real estate broker again!!! While the real estate market was sleeping, Hyde County beefed up its infrastructure, even though the last horizontal tax adjustment (revaluation) was put on the books in 2009. Neighboring Dare County--the Outer Banks (OBX) beach market--reversed its valuations back to 2006 in 2012. Mark Wilkes, Dare County Revaluation Project Manager, reported in 2012 that a vacant commercial property, in average condition, was given a 60% devaluation. Merita Spencer, in the Register of
PEOPLE OF HYDE
Dr. Don (nickname) Don Spradlin, P.A.C. at the Engelhard Medical Center
Helga Jarvis at St George Church
Laura Tate
Ronald Cuthrell owner C & C Groceries & Septic Installation, Fairfield
NAPA Williford Auto Supply: Kenny, Alredo, Denise, Kathy & Charles
Father Jim Lupton & Roy Clarke
Tony Spencer owner R.S Spencer's True Value Store, Engelhard
Dorothy “Dot�and Jessie Gibbs owners of Gibbs Enterprises, Engelhard
LaDonna Spencer at Hyde Utilities (Water Dept.) Swan Quarter
Tommy Jeanette & Jessie Gibbs JR
Pam Sawyer, Assistant to the Register of Deeds & grandson Seth
Clare Baum at St George Churc
Renee Fisher, manager, Gibbs Hardware Store, Engelhard
Emily Cahoon Thomas, operator Village Consignment Shop, Swan Quarter
Wade and Elaine at N & S Motors, Engelhard
Photographed by Jean Heart
Deeds office, reports their year that runs from July 1st 2013 to June 31st 2014 saw 219 deed transfers--84 this year. Kristen Cahoon Noble, Hyde County Planning & Economic Development Director, strives to support small businesses and Industry development and a quality infrastructure. She said the mainland municipal water system covers over 250 miles and uses three water treatment plants--the newest a reverse osmosis facility in Engelhard. Swan Quarter and Engelhard have stand-alone elected boards that govern and maintain wastewater treatment and collection (sewer) systems. In collaboration with her office, NC DOT has paved roads and done multiple bridge replacements throughout the county and aggressively worked with the Ferry Division to enhance available, affordable and dependable ferry services to and from Ocracoke Island. Kris also works with the NC Division of Marine Fisheries and NC Industrial Sea Food Park to get more tenants for the Engelhard Marina Industrial Park. If you are interested in leasing space go to www.hydecountync.gov. Kris,
with the Division of NC DOT of Aviation and the NexGen Air Transportation from NCSU, received approval by the FAA to fly UAVs for agricultural purposes near the Hyde county Airport. Hyde County is now one of the nation’s six test sites for this project, creating jobs and providing educational outreach. The former Davis School (Engelhard) is now The Hyde Davis Business Incubator, where business space can be leased at very affordable rates. It also provides the use of highspeed Internet services to the public. Broadband is now spread along Hwy 264 from its western to eastern boundaries. The director has partnered with the Building Inspections Office to streamline the permitting and approval of wireless communications and recently four new wireless telecommunication towers in Scranton, Engelhard and Swan Quarter were erected providing 4G service to Hyde County. Well-done Kris! There is a sense of community and of harmony here that makes it difficult for people like Jennie Gibbs Brown (Hilda Gibbs Beckwith, sister), who used to work at the Cross Creek Nursing Home, to know
life any other way. At Cross Creek clients are treated like family, and anyone knowing the isolation a large city knows this is uncommon. Neighbors like Gail and Sam Saddler, who are always there to lend a helping hand, are not uncommon in Hyde. Laura Tate works for Coastal Home Care Agency, owned by O’Neal’s Drug store, delivering medications from Belhaven twice a week for just $4. Here in Hyde County, when the ambulance or fire truck drives by, we all know whose house they have been to. The same is so when a helicopter lands at the Engelhard Medical Center, where our new "Dr. Don," Don Spradlin, P.A.C., is in residence (Don's a former Vet and rock and roll recording artist). We also have "Ft. Lbs"--a heavy metal rock band that opens nationally for major recording artists. Of course lead singer Kurt Burns has the support of his long time love, Renee Fisher. She manages Gibbs Hardware downtown Engelhard--a store that's been open since the turnof-the century. And, while we mentioning multiple or different Gibbs families (both white &
PEOPLE OF HYDE Kristen C. Noble, M.B.A. Hyde County Planning & Economic Development Director
Pat Spencer owner Pat’s Garage (unofficial “The Mayor” of Swan Quarter)
Kent Jarvis owner of Hyde Away Café, Swan Quarter
Photographed by Jean Heart
black), there is Jessie’s and Dorothy Gibbs Enterprise which opens early and closes late and where locals love to sit at the lairs table in front of the T.V and pot-belly heater telling stories. R.S Spencer’s Hardware Store is a great place to buy furniture, paint & appliances; it is located in downtown Englehard close to ETHCO-Tommy Etheridge Oil & Gas Station. If it wasn’t for the grace of these two Gibbs stores & ETHCO, and the tabs they allowed me to run over the years, and Hilda Gibbs Beck with’s family--I would never have weathered the drought. Jessie’s is not the only place where locals meet; another group meets at Miss Anne’s Far Creek Gas & Grill. And there is a crowd who has breakfast at the Engelhard Hotel, and another having drinks in the evenings at Martell's Restaurant. Ducks Unlimited holds their annual convention there. And, Outta’ Da’ Box serves burgers and tenders, shrimp plates and luncheon specials to locals and passers-by from 7 am to 8 pm. Tired travelers, winter hunters and sport fishermen find their way to Tommy Jeannette’s Lodge on Lazy Lane, or
Thomasina’s B&B located near the Walter B. Jones Bridge.
bullets go to the Ammo Shack in Engelhard.
If fishing and crabbing is slow--or you just want to save a few bucks--you can pick up fresh crabmeat or crab-cakes from the Mattamuskeet Fish House, or shrimp by the pound from Sammy’s Fish House on Hill Top road/Far Creek. If you are looking for Five-Star Angus steak try The Don Harris Steak House in Fairfield on Hwy 94, or get a great hot-dog from the Gas Grill next door. Stephanie Marshall offers the best color, haircuts and tanning bed just a few doors down.
There is no way to mention all of the other people and places in Hyde County; however, Hilda Gibbs Beck with and six of her 12 siblings, who own Outta’ Da’ Box, must be highlighted, because she is the first black woman to own and operate a business in Hyde County. And, then there is Chris Williams and his grocery stores. Chris was a teenager when he opened his first grocery in Swan Quarter--now a mini-mart with hardware store next door. Still in his early twenties, Chris owns a second grocery in Engelhardthe Red & White. Another recent addition is the Mattie Art Center located in the old courthouse in downtown Swan Quarter. Here Mark Hierholzer teaches French Impressionist techniques and the gallery displays artist works for sale. Joan Sears has a gallery near St Georges Episcopal Church on US HWY 264E, Engelhard.
Ocracoke Island, a very important part of Hyde County, offers marriages on the beach, honeymoon accommodations, and photographers to capture memories. A broad range of artistic venues are a must , and these are but a few of the services Hyde County has to offer (Request a Service Directory from www.hydecounty.org so you don’t miss out on anything). For hunting advice Frank Fortescue in Sladesville/Scranton could point you in the right direction, for nature walks try the Mattamuskeet Refuge, and for
The heritage of this church dates it back 300 years, its foundation the oldest in Hyde and Dare counties (Dare County was once a part of Hyde County). And the original roots of this church were
located in Beaufort County near Belhaven. Recently the HotLine Thrift Store re-opened in England and the Hyde County On-Line Yard Sale was started on Facebook, now having 2,750+ members can post anything for sale. The community gives special thanks to the Albemarle Food Bank and the Watson Church preacher, Gracie Bowling, and other volunteers who run it each month. The largest local donation was made this past year by the former East Carolina Bank, presently known as Vantage South and soon to be Yadkin Bank. They gave their newly built processing center--a handsome brick building--to the Dept. of Social Services (DSS). So, here are five townships which make up the Hyde County community--full of life, reaching out to the world, each supporting their own churches and working together--all waving to passersby. Life is going on down the side roads of US Hwy 264 East. But, if don’t stay long enough,
you will never know what Heart Realty, honeymooners, and generations of bird watchers and hunters do. Hyde County offers everything BUT traffic jams, overcrowding, crime, hostile neighbors you don’t know, high taxes and a high cost of living. If there was only one pearl of wisdom to pass on to young readers any age, who
aspire to business for themselves, it would be that all businesses have ebbs and flows. Never despair--wake up each morning wanting to achieve your goals. It can be difficult when you have a family to support, but in Hyde County you will always have the water and the land, making it impossible to starve here. And all you have to do is put your
finger in the ground, plant something, and it will grow. Some say there is nothing for young people to do here, that people just grow old and die. But, life comes down to choices. Dreams can be shared and realized. Older citizens and move to Hyde County to down size; folks from the cities understand the quality of life is healthier and more rewarding in Hyde County,-and safer too, with nearly no crime and not one red light! Now you may understand why I moved to Hyde County —I want to Live and enjoy Living. Maybe it is not so much the place as it is the people. With over 650,000 acres and only 6,000 residents there is plenty of space for you to relocate. Let me know. I will be sure to find you just the right Hyde home, and at the right price! Written by Jean Heart, BIG-HEART REALTY (252) 925-7200--heartrealty@nc.net; and please see my commercial listings in Kitty Hawk on Trulia.com.
MATTIE ARTS CENTER’S NEW DOWN DRAFT
also result in new first time enrollments in their arts program, including the guys who like working with small electrical tools.
REALITY
So far, countless volunteer hours have been spent in procurement and installation, not just by McLawhorn, but also by other volunteers dedicated to the cause. Of special note, help was received from a couple of guys in Charleston, SC! Cyrus Haggerty and Cecil McLawhorn (the director’s grandson) are proprietors of Colonial Cabinetry there and volunteered to build 21 feet of sturdy butcher block work counter for the studio and install it! It’s gorgeous. Al Schmitt, licensed electrician in Engelhard, volunteered to provide oversight on our electrical installations. Chris Blanchard, Engelhard, engineering, construction, and installation specialist with Spencer Yachts in Wanchese, and an expert in all things machinery and ducting, not only provide invaluable assistance in equipment design selection, but has worked side by side with the McLawhorn installing just about everything else.
STUDIO BECOMING A On behalf of the Friends of Hyde County’s Historic Courthouse, who bring you the MATTIE Arts Center, we wanted to provide a follow up on our installation efforts to complete our new studio which is dedicated to the “dusty arts”. Since our last writing, a beautiful custom built counter top has been installed, the duct treatment equipment and duct work installed, shelving and individual dust ports and lighting at each of 6 work stations in, electrical outlets added, sound dampening for the central system completed and equipment purchased! In other words, except for the “shake down” to work the inevitable bugs out, they’re done! Judy McLawhorn, Director of the arts center, is really excited and hopeful that this new capability to teach wood carving, decoy carving and appointing, wood burning, glass etching, and gourd art will not only provide gainful part-time employment to several of the area’s capable, and in many cases award winning, artists, but will
Meanwhile, they are working on raising just a little more money to offset the purchase of electrical hand tools (dremels, gourd saws, converters, etc.) and miscellaneous equipment to bring this project to
fruition. As you may recall from the last Swan Quarterly issue, none of this would have been possible without the generous contribution of a local couple who donated $2,500.00 for the major components, so, on Thursday, July 24th at 7:30 PM the Friends will host a dedication reception at the MATTIE Arts Center to recognize this couple and all other contributors who will have helped raise the additional $2,000.00 required. The public is invited to come join in the celebration. Refreshment will include light hors d’oeuvres and spirits to toast the donors! There is no charge for this event. MATTIE ARTS NEED YOUR HELP! THEY’RE ONLY $500.00 SHORT! All individuals and/or businesses who contribute will be recognized at the dedication. Those who contribute $200.00 or more will, additionally, share special recognition on the hand crafted dedication placards just outside the studio. Your contributions are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by IRS. Checks should be made out to Friends of Hyde County’s Historic Courthouse, PO Box 54, Swan Quarter, N.C. 27885, and earmarked “DDS”.
MARK YOUR
CALENDARS AND GET READY TO GET DOWN AND PARTY! MATTIE Arts Center will celebrate the grand opening of its new "Down Draft" Studio at the center on Thursday, July 24th at 7:30 PM.
EVERYONE is invited to help us raise our glasses and toast all the wonderful contributors who made this new installation possible where you can learn how to do glass engraving, waterfowl carving, wood-working, gourd art, and more!
These photos were taken several weeks ago. We are still in the process of some final touches as we speak! Classes will start in August. Call Judy McLawhorn 252943-8991 for early enrollments! Director, MATTIE Arts Center jhmclawhorn@aol.com (252) 943-8991 MATTIE Arts is a program of the Friends of Hyde County's Historic Courthouse, a 501 c (3) organization www.hyde1854courthouse.org VISIT US ON FACEBOOK!!! Lots of pictures from our beginnings to now! www.facebook.com/Mattieartscenter
FROM
PHILADELPHIA TO OCRACOKE, 1951 BY PHILIP HOWARD
I first came to Ocracoke Island in 1945; I was almost one year old. My father was born on the island in 1911; when he was 16 years old he left home. Like most young men of his generation, he moved to Philadelphia to work on dredges and tugboats on the Delaware River. Although my father married a girl from Pennsylvania, and lived up north for the next thirty-five years, he brought his family back to the island every summer. In the 1940s the road trip from Philadelphia to Ocracoke consumed three days. When my father came home from work late Friday afternoon, he and my mother loaded the car. My brother and I sat in the back seat as we headed south, driving into Virginia until my father got tired.Then we found a place to spend the night.
The next day we headed toward Atlantic, North Carolina, on the shores of Core Sound. In Atlantic we stayed with Julia, a family friend, and parked our car in her yard. The next day around noon Julia drove us to the docks where we boarded the mailboat Aleta for the four-hour trip into Pamlico Sound and northeast to Ocracoke. This all changed in 1950, when Frazier Peele started the first car ferry operation across Hatteras Inlet. And in 1951 my father decided we would drive our 1948 Plymouth to Ocracoke. This new route would only take us two days, but required three
ferry crossings. We left home early Saturday morning and drove south through the Eastern Shore of Maryland and Virginia, arriving at Cape Charles, Virginia by mid-day for the 85-minute ferry ride across the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. The 300 foot long Pocahontas was capable of carrying between 90 and 100 automobiles, or a combination of cars, diesel powered semitrucks, and other vehicles. After landing in Virginia Beach we followed the Ocean Highway around Norfolk, then turned east on less well-traveled roads, toward the Outer Banks. My father knew we wouldn’t arrive at Oregon Inlet before
the departure of the last ferry of the day, so we were prepared to sleep in our car Saturday night. Mom packed sandwiches and soft drinks, and Dad fashioned tight-fitting screens for the windows of our Plymouth. We inserted the screens just before stopping (it was dusk), and not a moment too soon. Immediately the air outside our windows was filled with clouds of voracious blood-thirsty insects hovering just a few inches from us, but prevented from reaching their goal by the thin wire mesh. We had barely finished our repast when headlights approached from the rear. A vehicle pulled up behind us, and the engine died. We all peered
out the rear window. Three fishermen sat in a surplus WWII Army Jeep--with no top. In less than a minute the commotion began. First there were howls, shrieks and yelps. Then there was slapping and smacking, jumping and hopping about, and cussing. In a moment of misplaced altruism my mother suggested we invite them into our car. Even she immediately realized this was a foolish idea. My parents, my 15 year old brother and I, along with several pieces of luggage, left no room for three burly fishermen. It was painful to listen to their cries of anguish, but thankfully that did not last long.
After a few minutes we heard the fishermen hurrying away. Their voices faded, and we did not hear them again until the next morning. As we were waiting to board the ferry my father walked back to speak to the men behind us. “What did you do last night,” he asked. “It had to have been a miserable time.” The fishermen explained that they had never experienced anything as unpleasant in their entire lives. The only recourse they had was to wade out into Pamlico Sound. When they reached a depth of about three feet they simply sat down. The water came up to their chins. “We stayed out there in the sound all night,” one of the men said. “It was the only way to survive.” After landing on the south shore of Oregon Inlet we drove 55 miles to the landing for Frazier Peele’s new ferry. Travelers who have crossed Hatteras Inlet on North Carolina’s state run ferries will have a mental image of nononsense, 150 ft. long steel vessels capable of carrying 30 or more vehicles. Frazier’s ferry was different, much different. Frazier Peele's 1951 vessel was decidedly more
primitive. Originally his ferry was simply a shad boat on which he nailed wide planks to form a platform for one car. By the next year he had fastened two boats side by side on which he constructed a wider platform that could accommodate two cars, sometimes three. The ferry had no ramp. Frazier simply laid two sturdy planks from the deck to the ground. after the first vehicle was safely aboard, Frazier moved the planks to the other side for the next car. A third vehicle could sometimes be loaded at right angles to the first two. After managing to get the front tires onto the platform, Frazier and other men standing nearby lifted up on the rear bumper, swung the car ninety degrees, and deposited the rear tires on the deck. By the mid 1950s Frazier Peele had constructed a wooden four-car ferry that included a pilot house, railings, and a vehicle ramp.
Frazier was a large man. In the warmer months he wore just a t-shirt, bathing trunks, and a large, untrimmed straw hat. He stood or sat on a fishbox, with one hand on the tiller. In the other hand he held an unfiltered cigarette, as gasoline fumes wafted from the old Ford engine. On this particular trip, once out in Pamlico Sound, the drivers and passengers migrated to our side of the vessel to chat with my father. The ferry heeled over, and I glanced out the side window of our car. There was nothing to see but water. From the other window I could only see the top of the car beside us, and blue sky. What excitement! For a child who had just finished first grade, this was a fabulous adventure. My mama was not as enthusiastic. We crossed the inlet at low tide. There was no dock on the north end of Ocracoke. In fact, there was no road on Ocracoke--just miles of sandy beach. At low tide a standard automobile could usually manage to drive from the inlet to the village on the hard-packed sand below the high water
mark. But, because it was low tide, the ferry was unable to maneuver very close to the soundside beach. After anchoring his vessel 100 or so feet offshore, Frazier positioned the loading planks and directed the disembarkation. My father backed our Plymouth into the Sound, then drove through six inches of salt water, onto the beach. It was 14 miles to the village. The three drivers had conferred on the ferry, and if one of the cars managed to get stuck in the sand, the others would not stop. No reason to have three vehicles mired down in soft sand, they decided. The goal was to get at least one car into the village. If the others failed to arrive promptly the Coast Guard would be notified. Then the “coasties� would drive their all-terrain vehicle down the beach, hoping to arrive at the scene of the bogged down car before the tide came in. Once within sight of the village, another obstacle loomed before us. In the 1950s there was virtually no vegetation between the eastern edge of Ocracoke village and where the National Park Service campground is today. This
stretch of wide tidal flats was dubbed the Plains." Three miles long, and a mile wide, the Plains was inundated by seawater during storms and hurricanes. Other than soft sand, broken seashells, tern nests, and tidal pools, there were only a few low dunes crowned by hardy and tenacious sea oats. My father had driven 14 miles on the hard beach, but because he had learned to drive in Philadelphia, he was uncomfortable driving in very soft sand. He was wary of trying to cross the Plains, so he made arrangements with his boyhood friend, Ansley O’Neal, to meet us at the edge of the surf. My father slid over to the passenger’s side of the front seat, and Ansley took his position behind the steering wheel. He depressed the clutch, put the car in gear, and we were off for another adventure. Soon after Ansley shifted into third gear we were racing along the beach. My six year old mind was sure we were traveling at least 100 miles per hour. Then we turned, bumped over the berm of the beach, and went flying across the Plains. Small tidal pools, nascent dunes, shells, and ocean
debris that has washed ashore created an obstacle course for Ansley. He was having difficulty negotiating a clear path. Suddenly he opened the door, and stood up, keeping his right foot mashed down on the accelerator. His left arm rested on the opened door; his right hand gripped the steering wheel. Peering over the hood, Ansley piloted our Plymouth on a zigzag trajectory across the Plains, kicking up sand and shells in our wake. For a few moments I was part of a thrilling scene. I imagined we were fugitives, bank robbers or gangsters, fleeing federal agents as the car fishtailed back and forth, and bullets from automatic weapons whizzed by. The adventure came to an end as the car plowed through the soft sand, and gradually lost momentum. In short order we arrived at a hard-packed sandy lane by the edge of the village. Ansley stopped the car, stepped out, chat-ted with my father for a few minutes, and then walked home.
We proceeded to the School Road, and turned down a narrow lane next to Aunt Tressie’s house, scattering clucking and squawking chickens along the way. Grandmama Aliph was expecting us. She had already killed, plucked, and cleaned a chicken. And as we unpacked and carried our luggage into the cottage¸ she put the chicken in a pan and placed it on the wood stove. In short order we were sitting at the rustic wooden table enjoying fried chicken, sweet potatoes and collards. Thus began one of many magical summer vacations on Ocracoke Island for a young boy in the middle of the 20th century.
Please Visit Phillip Howard on this website www.villagecraftsmen.com/ news042114.htm
WE BRING THE FISH! BY JEAN HEART This year the Engelhard Seafood Festival was held at the Davis School, a new location that was a "best kept secret." While banners used to span Hwy 264 to downtown Engelhard weeks before the event, none were flying this year. I did not know until two days before the event that it would be held at a different location. The pageants and the Blessing of the Fleet kicked off the festival as usual and I received
an email from Swan Quarterly Magazine showing the photos of the pageant winners, and that’s all I heard about this year’s event. When I relocated from Dallas Texas to Stumpy Point in 2000 they held their crab bakes and oyster roast annually, and thousands of people from far and wide paid their $25 to sit or stand at a table and eat fresh seafood all day. When I relocated to Engelhard in 2003, to open HEART REALTY here, the Engelhard Seafood Festival was ALIVE. Children and parents were on boat, canoe, train and lots of other rides. There were
live animals, candy-floss, bobbing-for-apples, and arts and crafts vendors lined up and down the street; a large array of different types of SEAFOOD were being cooked in different ways, home baked goods, people walked or danced down the street to live bands they could see at no charge; the local pub was open and families had cook-outs--a street party--a festival--featuring SEAFOOD. But this year’s event didn’t have that sizzle. The festival has diminished in size every year and some locals even boycotted this event. Most of the rides were
located at the back of the playground so that parents had to truck their children there and back. Someone served breaded shrimp (more bread than shrimp) someone else sold food from 11 to 3:30 and when they closed up shop so did the other venders, most of whom did not make a dime all day. I spent most of my day with Milbert Whitley of Nature’s Palette; he makes unique art rooted in nature. His work is high quality, but most of the people walking the park wanted dollar items. The people I met from Raleigh, New York and Pennsylvania were proud to have found Engelhard and
remarked on how little there was to do here. Had this been a wellplanned party I doubt they would have cared. There was confusion as to who was playing music. There were speakers at one end piping music, making announcements and offering prayer--all at the same time. Under the tent that faced away from where the public walked, different bands were playing; but you couldn’t hear them or see them unless you walked around the fence. But, the weather was great. The boys put on an
excellent War Dance. The teenagers got to look at each other, couples held hands, and fathers walked their children around the park. And that’s really what it was--–a day in the park. Now let's start advertising and marketing the day after the festival, targeting national vendors and patrons daily, and charging reasonable table rates, and posting year-round donation boxes throughout the county; nickels and dimes add up, and so does talking up what we do. And what we do is: We Bring the FISH to FAR CREEK and celebrate doing it!
THE VOLUNTEERS OF HYDE BY MOMMY SWINDELL
On April 26th, the little town of Chocowinity, NC, was struck with a series of tornadoes, all touching down within minutes of each other. No one was prepared, no warning signs were given, and so many people were caught off guard as tornadoes slammed into their lives. Homes were destroyed, many good, hard-working people lost everything, and sadly, one family lost their child. With over 100 homes destroyed and one life taken as a result of this storm, help looked bleak. People had nowhere to lay their heads that night when the storm had passed, and no food to eat or clothes to change into.
Everything was gone. But in a short time this entire Beaufort County community rallied together to help their neighbors, families and their friends in need. So many businesses donated during their hours of operation to collect needed items like clothes, food, water and toiletries that within 48 hours after the storm, donations were going out to 12 families in need.
The day the tornadoes struck, I had rushed to Maryland to be by my grandmother's side; she had suffered a stroke and was hospitalized the day before. While in Maryland, I hopped on Facebook for a short stint and all I saw was devastation, as picture after posted picture showed homes destroyed from the tornadoes, and just how much so many people needed. So as I was in Maryland, sitting on my mother's couch, but I knew I had to help; I had to do something. And I knew our great community of Hyde would do their best to help in any way they could. To understand the level of "awesome" this story is, you have to understand Hyde County. Hyde is a community of hard working people. The folks in Hyde don't have much, but what they do have, they will give to you when you need it, without question, expecting only "thank you" in return. Hyde County
isn't a rich community. It is made up mostly of commercial fishermen, farmers, familyowned businesses, and their families, some of the best people in the world! I put together a flier informing my family and friends that when I got back home to Hyde I would be collecting donations for those that lost everything in the tornadoes--a little flier with all the info, the time, the day, and place that I would be collecting donations. I posted it to Facebook that night, asking for volunteers to help me on collection day. I knew a few people would be willing to help and to donate, but I had absolutely no idea just how much we would eventually collect. By morning the flier had been shared all around Hyde County. Everybody knew about the collection, and everybody was sharing the information.
I also had quite a few folks wanting to help at the intake site, and on collection day quite a few awesome people there helping: Denise Gibbs, Teresa Pugh, Amber Schnabel, Amy Lassiter, and Jimmie McCabe. And I am so thankful they were there. By lunchtime so many people had donated so many things--clothes, food, water, hygiene items, toys and toiletries. And at the end of the day the amount of donations was overwhelming. Hyde County really came through for our neighbors in need. Among the people of Hyde that donated were businesses that went above and beyond: Cross Creek Health Care Facility, Fairfield Fire Department, as well as The Davis Center that allowed us to store everything we collected in their Gymnasium. We had planned on
delivering everything the very next day, but due to additional storms hitting our area, it was postponed until the next day. We loaded everything on a heavy-duty trailer and delivered all the donations to the BoCo Tornado Relief drive, in Washington, which was being held at Washington Motor Co. When we got there, they all greeted us with open arms and brought everything in for us. Needless to say, they were astounded by the amount of things we were able to collect in just one day's time!
Great job Hyde County!
Jessica ( Mommy Swindel ) is not only a talented writer, but, the mother of 5 is also a gifted photographer. Visit her at www.facebook.com/ pages/Jessica-Lee-Photography/ 166284547351 .
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