Winter 2013 - 14
Hyde County’s Country Magazine Published Quarterly
Photo by Ingrid Lemme
www.SwanQuarterly.net
Maggie Duke
Antiques, Books & Art in Columbia, NC
Substantial
REWARD for Rose Bay & Chief Engelhard Oyster Cans! Specializing in items of unusual quality and desirability Always buying Antiques and Collectibles -- Single Items or Entire Estates Come find us off U.S. Hwy 64 at 210 HISTORIC MAIN STREET. Now open daily from 10 to 5 and weekend nights (closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays), also by chance or appointment!
Contact us at (252)706-0534
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PUBLISHER: INGRID LEMME ~ EDITOR: TIM NIELSEN
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Quote of the Quarter
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One of the most glorious messes in the world is the mess created in the living room on Christmas Day. Don't clean it up too quickly. ~ Andy Rooney
DEAR READER
Save the Date! 5th Annual Mattamuskeet Decoy & Waterfowl Festival January 17 & 19, 2014 in Hyde County, NC
www.hydewaterfowl.com
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Swan Quarterly in Print? Yes!!! Swan Quarterly Winter Issue 2013-14
Christmas is right around the corner, so we thought we put together a couple of favorite oyster holiday recipes for this edition. My favorite is the bacon wrapped oysters! To be honest, the big merchants selling Christmas presents already in October was a turn off; it seems that they are more interested in "getting" then in "giving." And
isn't "giving" the true spirit of the Christmas season? Those of us that are so blessed might remember to find a way this year to share this spirit with those less fortunate. The best Christmas I have ever had was when I left a bag a toys on a needy stranger's porch. Wishing ya'll a wonderful holiday season and a Happy New Year! Love, Ingrid
Yes, the Swan Quarterly is an online magazine but also available in print for those who like to turn pages! -- Yes, you may either order your own print copy online at www.SwanQuarterly.net or pick one up at Ms. Emily’s Village
Consignment, Crafts, Custom Mats/ Framing Shop in Swan Quarter, NC.
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ANNUAL OYSTER ROAST ON OCRACOKE BY CONNIE LEINBACH The Ocracoke Working Watermen’s Association is gearing up for its 8th Annual Oyster Roast from two to five pm Saturday, Dec. 28, at the Ocracoke Seafood Company. All are welcome to attend, bring their oyster shuckers and shuck away for this all-you-can-eat fundraiser for OWWA. “We do this for the community and to thank people for their support,” says Patty Plyler, who, along with her husband fisherman Hardy Plyler, works at the Fish House, as it is known locally. “Folks just Swan Quarterly Winter Issue 2013-14
love it,” she continues, “and they come from all over.” The Fish House is the place on Ocracoke to buy fresh seafood brought in from local waters by island fishermen. It is owned by OWWA, who saved “the last fish house” on the island several years ago. Last year, the fundraiser grossed about $6,000 and proceeds will help fund
OWWA’s education and outreach activities. For this annual oyster fest, the group sets up two rows of plywood tables on top of saw horses. Then they dump piles of steamed oysters on the tables while patrons stand and shuck away. Included in the price of admission (to be determined
when the oysters are purchased) is cocktail sauce, vinegar, Saltine crackers and steamed shrimp. This year, the Watermen are shooting to obtain 40 bushels of the prized eating. Last year, the crowd of about 250 consumed 30 bushels of oysters, 225 pounds of shrimp and two pots of the fish stew. Availability of food is firstcome, firstserved and there are no advance ticket sales. Desserts and hot cider are offered starting at 3 pm in the Ocracoke Working Watermen’s Exhibit in Community Square. OWWA invites attendees to bring donated desserts to share, which may run out before the end of the event. Among the crowd last year were two couples from up North. “We come every year,” says Catherine Marryott, from Carney’s Point, N.J. She and www.SwanQuarterly.net
her husband, Jay, stay for the holidays with her sister Mary Creech and her husband Kipp, who live in Point Harbor, Currituck. “This is our fifth oyster roast,” Marryott continues. “We come to Ocracoke for the day purposely for this. We’ve met so many great friends here.” They have attended oyster roasts in Chincoteague and Urbanna, Va., and prefer Ocracoke’s event for its smaller size, meaning they don’t have to wait in line for hours to get their food, she says. And while good weather always helps boost attendance, inclement weather will not cancel the event, but it will move inside.
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Local artist Barbara Adams created this year’s poster, which features waterman Morty Gaskill, James Barrie Gaskill’s son.
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Swan Quarter Weather December January February High Low Mean High Low Mean High Low Mean Avg. Temperatures 58 37 47 54 34 44 58 36 46 Records 83 5 80 -‐4 83 5 Rainfall 3.6" 4.7" 3.3" Snowfall 0.5" 0.3" 0.2" HeaNng Degree Days 196 367 328 Cooling Degree Days 9 3 8 RelaNve Humidity 82.7 % 78.2 % 73.2 % Average Wind Speed 22.1 mph 19.5 mph 18.6 mph
Swan Quarterly Winter Issue 2013-14
Photo by Ingrid Lemme
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Thanks to everyone who came together to make the benefit l u n c h f o r L o i s & Jo h n n y Stotesberry a success! Swan Q u a rt e r V F D C h i e f Je f f rey Stotesberry indicates that there was great participation and there were so many extra gifts of money and kind wishes for Lois & Johnny, many of which were mailed in from folks who could not attend! This is what makes Hyde County such a special place!
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LOOKS LIKE A DUCK, WALKS LIKE A DUCK… THESE AREN’T DUCKS! During waterfowl season, it might be helpful to look at some birds that can be thought of as waterfowl wannabes. Two of these species are protected as nongame bird,s and shooting one will cost you plenty of money. One species is a game bird, but is not a duck. All three species are found on Lake Mattamuskeet, Pamlico Sound, and the rivers throughout eastern North Carolina. First, take a look at the double-crested cormorant. On land, this species looks like a loon, but when it is floating in the water or flying in a flock, it is often confused for a duck. A Swan Quarterly Winter Issue 2013-14
good field mark for the cormorant is its hooked bill, and its long stretched-out look in flight. The next look-alike is the pied-billed grebe, another nongame bird; shooting one might just clean out your pockets. This petite water bird is brown with white feathers
under its tail. A close look shows its bill is shaped more like a chicken’s than a duck’s.
black bird with a white beak. Although the coot is not a duck, it is a legal game bird, so bagging one in season will not ruin your day if a wildlife officer checks your bag. When you hunt, you need to know the difference between a duck and a wannabe.
BY
COLEMAN DAVIS
The third non-duck is the American coot, a small
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Swan Quarterly Winter Issue 2013-14
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STRIVING TO MAKE IT TO HYDE! BY JJ MORALES
Working and living in the US has always been a dream of mine since I was little. My Spanish and ESL teaching career eventually made it happen. I used to work in a larger school system in NC, but the opportunity to move to Hyde County presented itself, and I have not looked back since. Coincidences made it clear that Hyde was my next destination. Granted, I still get asked every once in a while what I am doing all the way in Hyde County, as I am sure everybody else does, but I happen to be on the end of the spectrum that loves living here. Working for Hyde County Schools has been an amazing experience, not only for being able to serve the dire needs of our student population, but also for helping me develop skills sets I did not know I had. There is no doubt that our county and school system have needs due to our isolation and challenging economic times, but what most see as needs, I see as opportunities to help my schools and the communities. I feel that I am definitely making a change for
the better in the lives of people I support, regardless of how large my successes and contributions are. This is the main reason why I thoroughly enjoy living here. I feel the “true American experience” happens in rural America, and Hyde County is a perfect example of a small group of communities living off of fishing, hunting and tourism. I simply love this quiet life with caring neighbors. This is why I am also involved with local organizations that support the county in different ways. I feel it is everybody's duty to serve their community whenever possible. I believe after my first year in the US, I had made up my mind that this home away from home was meant to be the place for me. It just feels so right! A Cultural Ambassador and a Temporary Work Visa have allowed me to be among you for nine years now. However, living here for good means shooting for a bigger fish.. a permanent resident card. I was overwhelmed with joy and pride when our school board and superintendent approved unanimously to be my green card sponsor. They have stood by me and supported me every step of the way, and we are not even close to the finish line yet. After 9/11, and understandably so, immigration
to the US became a much stricter and tougher system to overcome. It has made the path to permanent residence and ultimately citizenship a rocky and bumpy road. I look at the path to permanent residence as a large puzzle, where every piece must fit just right in order to move on to the next. One of these pieces forced me to leave the country for an entire month, with a risk of not being able to come back. Fortunately, Hyde County Schools did not hesitate to make this absence work, and the process in Venezuela to return “home” went successfully. As a matter of fact, I am packing my bags to fly back to Hyde County tomorrow as I write you this article. I cannot wait to get back and keep doing the good things I get to do and enjoy the pleasures of a simple life in good 'ole Hyde. There is no doubt in my mind that Hyde is, and will be, my home for good. I feel I am one of you, and you have all been nothing but friendly, supportive, and hospitable throughout my stay. My future plans lead me in the path of acquiring US Citizenship and applying for bigger jobs in the school system in order to reach and serve more people.
Swan Quarterly Winter Issue 2013-14
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SWAN QUARTER COMMUNITY YARD SALES
Back in 2006 several Swan Quarter residents, all looking to clean out their closets, decided to have their yard sales on the same day. Throughout the years they each had individual sales, but with limited success. The village was a long drive for many buyers, and it was decided that holding several sales in close proximity would increase attendance.
The original idea of a community yard sale was broached by Jimmy Williams. He had often attended similar events in other areas and thought the idea would work in Swan Quarter. Margie Brooks was familiar with the “World’s Longest Yardsale,” which runs 600 miles along US 27, from Ohio to Alabama, and is held on the same August weekend each year. She felt that a smaller version along Main Street would be perfect. With help from Patsy Jo Newman and Emily Thomas, the "Swan
Quarter Community Yard Sales" was off and running! The first Saturday in October was chosen as the annual date, mainly because the weather is usually better by that time of the year. Margie said if they wanted her to help, she needed to do it when it was cooler. The second October Saturday was chosen as a rain date, but so far it’s never been used. Planning for the event begins in late summer, although folks stash away items for the sale all year-long. Each family that participates pays a small fee to help defray the cost of
Back home from the sale! Swan Quarterly Winter Issue 2013-14
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advertising in regional newspapers and to pay for signage. From the initial three or four sales, the 8th sale held last month had over 60 sellers and stretched several miles along Main Street, adjoining side streets and looped around to include Quarter Road and US 264. The sales are not limited to only Swan Quarter residents, but also include Hyde County residents. The County of Hyde offers the use of their parking lot in the heart of the village for sellers to set up. Several nonprofit and/or church groups also participated, and this year the Swan Quarter Volunteer Fire Department held their Fried Shrimp fund-raiser lunch/ dinner on the same date. Avid yard sale goers, always the early birds, began arriving in car loads well before the posted 7 am start. Walking, biking, and pushing strollers, buyers rushed to find the best bargains. Residents called greetings back and forth to each other and tried to find the time to shop as well. The village took on an air of festivity.
kitchen items, collectibles and clothing for all age groups and sizes. Automobiles, hunting and fishing gear, tools and lawn-care items, in addition to the usual yard-sale wares, could be purchased. The male population, not usually known for such junkets, was also participating -- both as sellers and as buyers.
worth all of the hard work on everyone’s part. Sellers have some extra money in their pockets and more room in their closets. Buyers have found treasures in someone else’s discards. The community comes together on this one day and it is a fun day of old friends and making new friends and fellowship.”
A lot of hard work goes into the preparation for the sale, not only by individual sellers but by the organizers. Fees must be collected and sellers accounted for. There are press releases and public service announcements to be prepared and distributed. The week before the sale, signage must be put up directing visitors to the sales, and then must be taken down after the sale. Margie sums it up pretty well: “When you look at the success of these sales, it is
“I would make a conservative guess that there was in excess of $15,000 that came into our community during this last sale. Over the eight years, I suspect that well over $50,000 stayed here. This helps the economy of this rural village and is invaluable,” she added.
NOT A HAPPENSTANCE
From antiques to zip drives, shoppers found furniture, appliances, jewelry, Swan Quarterly Winter Issue 2013-14
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HYDE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT
ACCREDITED BY STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA On June 21, 2013 the Hyde County Health Department became accredited by the state of North Carolina. As described by the North Carolina Local Health Department Accreditation (NCLHDA) Board, “Accreditation is achieved by appropriately meeting a set of capacitybased benchmarks as evidenced by documented completion of prescribed activities”. These standards must be met in order to ensure protection of the public’s health. Many of these activities were already being performed by the Health Department. These activities included performing a community health assessment every four years, updating policies and procedures annually, and educating staff as appropriate. In order to pass the initial Accreditation process, proof of Swan Quarterly Winter Issue 2013-14
these activities had to be provided from the past two years. This required the staff to work very hard to pull together all of the necessary documents. Luana Gibbs, Nursing Supervisor and Agency Accreditation Coordinator, says “The accreditation process we went through in the spring was only successful because the staff united and dug our heels into the work. We were up for the challenge and above all else
wanted to see ourselves pass this hurdle, not only because we deserve it, but to show the big dogs that little, old Hyde County has a place on the porch, too.” The staff at the Health Department certainly deserved
this recognition, for all the hard work they have done over the years for the health of Hyde County and also for doing all of this work in the middle of a construction project! In the midst of this extensive accreditation process, the Health Department’s building was being remodeled. Hurricane Irene had caused water damage to portions of the building. This damage was repaired, the interior was repainted and offices were rearranged. However, even through the hammering and paint fumes, the staff completed the necessary tasks. In April, the NCLHDA Board visited the Health Department over three days to assess whether or not they had achieved Accreditation status. In June, it was announced that the Hyde County Health Department had received Accreditation status, along with four other newly accredited Health Departments in North Carolina. Over ninety percent of Health Departments in North Carolina are now accredited. www.SwanQuarterly.net
This is just the beginning of positive initiatives at the Hyde County Health Department. Also in the spring of 2013, they began providing primary care five days a week through telemedicine technology. In 2014, they plan to further expand their services, by beginning to provide wellchild visits as well as dental varnishing for children. The availability of sexually transmitted disease exams will be expanded to five days per week. These services are in
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addition to the many services they already provide, such as family planning, maternal health, environmental health, immunizations, health education, WIC and communicable diseases to name a few. Be on the lookout for even more changes in the future, as the Hyde County Health Department continues to strive for a healthier Hyde! Photo below – The staff of the Hyde County Health Department, along with members of the Board of Health and the County Manager, celebrated their
accreditation status on November 4, 2013. Pictured above (L-R): Randy Hignite, Board of Health Chair, Wes Smith, Hyde County Health Dept Director, Bill Rich, County Manager, and Luana Gibbs, Nursing Supervisor at Hyde County Health Dept.
Accreditation Seal – a symbol of commitment to public health.
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BACON-WRAPPED SHRIMP? TRY OYSTERS! INGREDIENTS 5 Dozen Raw oysters 30 Strips raw bacon, halved 1 Stick butter 1/4 Cup Italian salad dressing 1/4 Cup Worcestershire Sauce Tsp Tony Chachiere's or Season-All 3 Cloves garlic, chopped 1 Tsp onion powder 1 Tbs chopped parsley 1/2 Cup chopped green onions
Juice of 1 lemon
PREPARATION Preheat oven to 400 degrees Wrap each oyster with 1/2 strip of bacon and secure with toothpick Place in 9 x 13 baking dish In saucepan, over medium heat, mix remaining ingredients until butter is melted Pour mixture over oysters Bake 10-15 minutes Turn oysters and broil for 5 minutes, or until bacon is browned Recipe published on GroupRecipes by ‘Swampwalker‘ from Houma, LA
SOUTHERN OYSTER FRITTERS INGREDIENTS 48 Shucked oysters with liquid 6 Eggs, beaten 4 Tbs baking powder 1/2 Tsp of oregano 1 Tsp of crushed black pepper 2 Tsp of hot sauce or Tabasco 2 Cups of all purpose flour 1 Cup of milk 1/4 Tsp of salt 1/4 Tsp of Old Bay seasoning 4 Tbs of unsalted butter 1/2 Cup of vegetable oil
PREPARATION Melt the butter in a large pan on medium heat. Saute the oysters about two to three minutes, then remove them from the pan and cut them into quarters. In another large pan, preheat a skillet to high heat and add the 1/2 cup of oil. While the oil is heating up, mix the other ingredients into a bowl, including the liquid from the oysters. You can control the thickness of the fritter batter by adding additional oyster liquid. Place the quartered oysters into the batter. Drop about a tablespoon of batter for each fritter into the pre-heated oil and fry the fritters until they are golden brown in color. Serve immediately.
7KH )ULHQGV RI +\GH &RXQW\·V Historic 1854 Courthouse
Christmas in Hyde with
David Roach On Piano
www.hyde1854courthouse.org
Swan Quarter Baptist Church 336 Main Street ~ Swan Quarter Friday, December 13, 2013 7:00 pm
Tickets $10 Available on-line at www.hyde1854courthouse.org or at the door
EXCERPT FROM OCRACOKE: THE PEARL OF THE OUTER BANKS BY RAY MCALLISTER
Blackbeard, likely an Englishman born about 1680 as Edward Teach, terrorized the waters between the mainland and the West Indies and then the middle Atlantic coast in 1717 and 1718. North Carolinians, leery of their own governor’s involvement with Blackbeard, asked Virginia Gov. Alexander Spottswood for help. Spottswood sent two Royal Navy men, Lieutenant Robert Maynard and a Mr. Hyde, with two sloops and 54 men to encounter Blackbeard on Ocracoke Island. They reached Ocracoke Inlet late on November 21, 1718. Myth freely intertwines with fact about the man, in part because of a dearth of solid information. Blackbeard the Pirate was likely born Edward Swan Quarterly Winter Issue 2013-14
Teach or Ned Teach, though possibly Edward Drummond, though perhaps more possibly Edward Thatch . . . or Thach . . . or Thache . . . or Tash . . . or Teache. His early life is simply unknown. He was born about 1680, give or take a few years, the date calculated backward from his estimated age of 35 to 40 at his death in 1718. He is most often said to have been born in Bristol, England, though school records there do
not indicate he attended — and he clearly was educated somewhere. London, Jamaica and Philadelphia have been offered as alternative birth sites. So, too, have the Carolinas.
Virtually nothing is known of him before his days of piracy, which began sometime after 1713, perhaps as late as 1716. It was during 1717 and 1718 that he lived his short public life, terrorizing the high seas. BLACKBEARD WAS A PHYSICALLY IMPOSING and exceedingly dangerous man, as well as an intelligent one. Captain Charles Johnson, in A General History of Pyrates, published in 1726, eight years after Blackbeard’s death, described how Blackbeard carefully created his striking name, along with his appearance, to enhance his reputation for evil: Our Hero, Captain Teach, assumed the Cognomen of Black-beard, from that large Quantity of Hair, which, like a frightful Meteor, covered his whole Face, and frightened America more than any Comet that has appeared there a long Time. This Beard was black, which he suffered to grow of an extravagant Length; as to Breadth, it came up to his Eyes; he was accustomed to twist it with Ribbons [and] turn them about his Ears. Continues... www.SwanQuarterly.net
FOR JUST THOSE TWO YEARS, 1717 AND 1718, Blackbeard haunted the waters between the mainland and the West Indies, then those off the Atlantic coast from Charleston, South Carolina, northward to Pennsylvania. His men ruthlessly attacked merchant ships, stealing goods and, when the occasion demanded, the ships themselves. He killed some crew members in battle, took others into his own crew, and simply set others adrift or put them ashore. Interestingly, there are no accounts of Blackbeard’s killing anyone outside of battle. Perhaps his fearsome reputation made it unnecessary. A preliminary database compiled by researchers at the North Carolina Maritime Museum in Beaufort shows Blackbeard’s men captured more than 50 ships. Among them was the French slave ship Concord, which he took as his own. Blackbeard outfitted it with 30 guns and rechristened it the Queen Anne’s Revenge. This was a powerful warship now, boasting a crew of 300 men. TO BE FEARED STILL MORE, Blackbeard Swan Quarterly Winter Issue 2013-14
began enhancing his physical image. His beard remained long and wild in an age when nearly all men were clean-shaven. He added other affectations as well. According to Johnson, he “stuck lighted Matches under his Hat, which appearing on each Side of his Face, his Eyes naturally looking fierce and wild, made him altogether such a Figure, that Imagination cannot form an Idea of a Fury, from Hell, to look more frightful.” In battle, the smoke drifting around his face gave him a demonic look. This was psychological warfare at its finest. Crew members of merchant ships under attack often gave up simply upon seeing him. BLACKBEARD MOVED ON TO THE CAROLINAS in the spring of 1718 with a fleet of four vessels and between 300 and 700 pirates — 400 is the usually accepted number. He and his men famously blockaded Charleston Harbor that May, capturing eight or nine ships over a week, taking their goods, and ransoming the vessels. Blackbeard’s raids and those of other pirates, however, were turning public sentiment sharply against them.
Afterward, Blackbeard sailed north. He and his cohorts apparently sank two of his own ships, including the Queen Anne’s Revenge, in North Carolina’s Beaufort Inlet, marooning 17 of his most troublesome pirates on an uninhabited island. (The Queen Anne’s Revenge would remain lost underwater for the better part of two centuries until its rediscovery in 1996; an archaeological exploration, documentation and recovery of the ship’s remains have been under way since then.) He sailed on to Bath, where, during a crackdown on piracy, he apparently “retired.” Blackbeard, whose desire for women was exceeded only by his lust for piracy, took a teenager as his 14th wife. He also offered her intimacies to some of his mates, as he had with other women. Meanwhile, he was granted amnesty by supportive North Carolina governor Charles Eden. This interlude proved something of a working retirement. Blackbeard had downsized, to be sure. For several months in the summer and early fall of 1718, he set sail from Bath and his new base, www.SwanQuarterly.net
Ocracoke, on “trading voyages.” Though his operation was smaller now — he had far fewer crew members on his sloop Adventure — the results were oddly familiar. In early September, according to [historian David] Stick, the pirate arrived off Ocracoke with a French ship laden with sugar and cocoa. Blackbeard’s explanation: He had discovered the ship at sea, wrecked and abandoned by its crew. He proceeded to divide the cargo with Governor Eden and the North Carolina colony’s secretary. The coincidences became harder to accept. Soon, his “trading voyages” no longer involved just French ships at sea but small vessels in the sounds. Coastal residents bemoaned their loss of livelihood and feared for their safety. About this time, in the early fall of 1718, a number of pirates gathered for a dayslong party near Blackbeard’s base at Springers Point, close to the south end of the island. Several of the most notorious were there, including Blackbeard, the murderous Charles Vane, Calico Jack Rackham, Robert Deal and navigator Israel Swan Quarterly Winter Issue 2013-14
Hands. So, too, was Blackbeard’s bodyguard, Caesar. Rum was in abundance. Hogs and cows were butchered and barbecued on the beach. The party came to the attention of Virginia Gov. Alexander Spottswood. At the behest of North Carolinians leery of their own governor’s motives, and because harm had come to Virginia shipping — and possibly also because it would help him politically — Spottswood offered rewards and enlisted two Royal Navy men. The leader of the mission was Lieutenant Robert Maynard. Accompanying him was a Mr. Hyde. Given sloops and a total of about 54 men, they headed south. They reached Ocracoke Inlet late on November 21. [BLACKBEARD] ADROITLY MOVED THE ADVENTURE into a small channel obscured by a hidden sand bar. The pirate was always a crafty tactician, and this early move paid off. The two navy sloops, flying the Union Jack, followed — and were immediately hung up
on the sand bar. Blackbeard and the navy lieutenant, according to reports at the time, were close enough to communicate. Blackbeard yelled a demand that Maynard identify himself, followed by a demand that he come on board. Maynard’s reply made it clear he would come aboard only when he stormed Blackbeard’s vessel. The pirate took a bowl of liquor and drank to the two sloop captains with these words: “Damnation seize my soul if I give you quarter or take any from you.” Maynard yelled back, “I expect no quarter from you, nor shall I give any!” The Battle of Ocracoke Inlet was under way...
WWW.RAYMCALLISTER.COM
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LAKE MATTAMUSKEET world-wide on iPAD mini! “Wow! Apple uses my (Lake Mattamuskeet) image to introduce it's new retina display on the iPad mini. A million more pixels than HDTV. Humbled...� said Robbie George
Robbie George is a professional photographer who is represented by National Geographic Creative. He specializes in wildlife and landscape photography and loves to shoot in Hyde County! www.robbiegeorgephotography.com www.facebook.com/robbiegeorgephotography Swan Quarterly Winter Issue 2013-14
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MATTIE ARTS CENTER CELEBRATES ITS FIRST YEAR ANNIVERSARY
WITH INTERNATIONALLY RENOWNED SCULPTOR, JIM GALLUCCI! On Saturday, October 26, 2013, MATTIE, eastern North Carolina’s newest teaching art center, celebrated its one year anniversary. On this day, in
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conjunction with the 7th Annual Down East Arts and Crafts Show being held in the Hyde County Government building across the square in downtown Swan Quarter, the public engaged with local artisans and artists as they wielded their crafts inside and outside of the MATTIE teaching studios. MATTIE Arts Center is located in the historic courthouse building at the corner of Main Street and Oyster Creek Road in downtown Swan Quarter. MATTIE’S celebratory kickoff began at 10 AM with the
installation of an interactive outdoor sculpture built especially with MATTIE in mind- a fine art consignment designed and fabricated by renowned metal sculptor, Jim Gallucci of Greensboro. Gallucci’s works appear throughout the U.S. and as far away as Australia…and now, here in the little village of Swan Quarter thanks to his dedication and commitment to help small grassroots organizations like the Friends of Hyde County’s Historic Courthouse further the arts. Continues ...
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Jim Gallucci has been a sculptor for more than 35 years. He is a graduate of LeMoyne College, where he received a BA in English, and of Syracuse University, where he received a BFA and MFA in Sculpture. He has worked as an art instructor at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and the University of Alabama at Huntsville. He was an Exhibit Designer for the North Carolina Zoological Park in Asheboro, NC. Presently, Gallucci works in his Greensboro, N.C., studio. Most of his pieces are commissions for public, corporate and residential spaces around the country. His work has been seen at Pier Walk Sculpture Show in Chicago Ill, Swan Quarterly Winter Issue 2013-14
and has been selected for such international shows as the World Expo ’88 in Brisbane Australia and the 7th Annual Henry Moore Grand Prize
Exhibition at the Utsukushi-gahara Open-Air Museum in Hakone Japan and the UBE Japan. Other projects include the “Veteran’s Memorial Archways” for Rockville, Md.; the “Gate of Opportunity” for
South Trust Bank building in Jacksonville Fla.; ”Play Ball,” the baseball gates for UNCGreensboro; the gates for First Horizon Park, the home of the Greensboro Grasshoppers Baseball team; and in 2009, the 55-feet tall Oak Leaf Light Towers in Raleigh, N.C. He was one of 7 leading southern sculptors selected to exhibit in the first phase of the Sculpture for New Orleans public outdoor art exhibit project which opened for Super Bowl 2013. The Administrator of the Arts Center, Judy McLawhorn, met Gallucci in February of this year at the Southeastern Entrepreneurship for the Arts (SEA) conference at UNCGreensboro, and after an engaging conversation at his studio, Gallucci made the magnanimous offer to build one of his famous interactive ‘gateways’ to help make www.SwanQuarterly.net
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MATTIE a tourist destination. McLawhorn states “the fact that Gallucci and I have a very close personal friend in common (Jerry Jackson, deputy director of Penland School of Crafts) certainly did not hurt the facilitation of the arrangement”. The metal sculpture, which incorporates a revolving gate in its center, is 8 feet tall, 14 feet long, and 4 ft. deep with a theme absolutely exclusive to Hyde County as its revolving centerpiece is a depiction of the Governor Hyde Ferry vessel which has served the Swan Quarter to Ocracoke route since 1977. Flanking the gateway on one side is a trawl boat at dock and on the other, an ibis perched on a stand of sea oats. Other motifs incorporated include a pelican on a dolphin of pylons, and numerous sea gulls in flight. Gateway sculptures are a Gallucci specialty, and in this case not only symbolizes Hyde Swan Quarterly Winter Issue 2013-14
County as the “gateway to the Outer Banks” but more importantly it represents a “passageway into the arts”, as Gallucci explained in his dedication speech. “The outside of your arts center is just as important as what is inside, so I thought you needed something
that interests people into coming inside and also symbolizes your county”. Throughout the day, local and area artist were ‘in motion’ at MATTIE demonstrating their techniques and answering questions (including Gallucci). For this celebratory event, 9 artists participated, including Ed Clarke (Middletown) stretching canvass decoys; Gregory Berry (Engelhard)
detailing wood decoys; Jessica Credle (Fairfield/Bath) etching glass; Jane Gibbs (Engelhard) carving edible art; Mark Hierholzer (Richmond/Swan Quarter, and regular instructor at MATTIE) painting en Plein Air, and also offering portraits in charcoal; Jimmy Huggins (Belhaven) crafting continuous chain link necklaces from walnut; blacksmith Joe Pugh (Gull Rock) at the forge; Cathy Clayton (Ponzer) wood burning and painting; and Laura Hayes (Engelhard) crafting faux stain glass. The MATTIE Sales Gallery was abuzz offering a broad selection of unique local artwork and gifts perfect for every occasion, customized art was commissioned, and folks were signing up to take classes and to be included in email announcements of upcoming events.
FROM MATTIE ARTS CENTER www.SwanQuarterly.net
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MATTIE THEN AND NOW 2003- The historic Hyde County Courthouse, which conducted its first court session on Nov. 5, 1838, was vacated by the Hyde County government in the flooding aftermath of Hurricane Isabel. The building lays dormant, forlorn, and under threat of demolition. The Old Courthouse needed a friend. 2008- The Swan Quarter Service group endorses a committee to save the courthouse. They would eventually be known as the Friends of Hyde County’s Historic Courthouse. 2010- The Friends attain 501 C (3) status and begin their attempts to gain control of the courthouse and save it from inevitable demolition. 2011-The MATTIE Arts program was conceived by Friends board member Mack McLawhorn not only as a way to utilize and sustain the historic building but also as part of the economic development of Hyde County. Envisioned is that the arts center will expand throughout and beyond the Swan Quarterly Winter Issue 2013-14
village of Swan Quarter with resident art studios and additional teaching studios as other artists relocate temporarily or permanently to teach, learn, and work. The idea developed in Oct. 2011 during McLawhorn’s week long stay with close family friend, Jerry Jackson, deputy director of Penland School of Crafts. 2012-Mack’s wife, Judy, also a Friends board member, accepted the task at hand (though skeptical of the outcome) and followed the proposal up with an 8 month feasibility study assisted by a core group of artists. During those 8 months, from Jan. 2012 through July, local artists were identified (to much surprise, upwards to 40 artists were located in the recesses of this sprawling rural county) and weighed in, followed by a polling of mainland county residents to determine community support and interest. With positive results, 2 pilot art programs, held at the Hyde Co. Sr. Citizens Center, were offered which resulted in 22 student enrollments. The Beaufort County Arts Council chipped in with a small
grassroots grant to assist in the development of the program. Shortly after, the Friends board of directors put the proposal to a vote and decided to make the arts program pivotal to sustaining the old courthouse, the name MATTIE was selected (an acronym for Mattamuskeet Artisans, Teaching, Training, Instructing, and Educating) to invoke a sense of community for all the villages in Hyde County, and the Friends went in hot pursuit of a lease from the county for the newly refurbished first floor of the building. On Oct. 1, the Friends secured a one year lease for the space and swiftly went into action to furnish it accordingly. Two weeks later, On Oct. 13, the first art class was conducted in the center and on Oct. 27, in the semblance of a grand opening, MATTIE opened its doors to the public for the first time. 5 artists in motion wielded their craft and the sales gallery opened for the first time. In spite of the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, approximately 300 people visited the arts center that day, and folks signed up for classes and to be included on MATTIE’s email data base. www.SwanQuarterly.net
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Sales flourished and excitement was in the air that this idea might actually work! 2013-Since that timeone year ago-MATTIE has arranged and facilitated more than 40 art classes and workshops in 12 different media and has had a total of over 240 student enrollments. This has translated to more than $10,000.00 in income for local and area art instructors, and through the MATTIE Art Gallery, which provides a centralize location for local artists to offer their work for sale, art sales payable to artists in excess of $2,000.00. In June of this year, the Friends succeeded in re-negotiating their lease from 1 year to 5 years which was critical to their long term planning. Friends fund raising efforts have resulted in defraying some start up costs including the purchase of tables, chairs, signage, and a much needed utility sink, and citizens and local business have assisted with special projects such as the 12 new murals of local artwork on the outside of the building. Board members dug into their own pocket to purchase and install not only 4 of the murals but also the plants Swan Quarterly Winter Issue 2013-14
now in the flower beds next to the building. Thousands of volunteer hours have been spent bringing and keeping the program alive. Volunteers include the Friends board of directors, (including Judy McLawhorn, the administrator of the arts center), and numerous citizens, artists and non-artists alike, who have helped “man the store”, clean up and repair the building exterior, install fixtures, murals, plants, signs, a yard hydrant, grounds maintenance, etc. Again, this year, MATTIE will benefit, albeit modestly, from the support of the NC Arts Council through their grass roots grants administered by the Beaufort County Arts Council. Unfortunately, the available funds will dwindle to zero in the upcoming year. Numerous citizens and businesses throughout Hyde County have come to the aid to help sustain the program, assist with special projects, and start a student financial aid fund. Tideland Electric Membership Co-op has sponsored numerous advertisements for MATTIE in the Eastern Living magazine and the Hyde County ChamberGram. The Beaufort
Hyde News, The Coastland Times, and the SwanQuarterly publication have been consistent in their coverage since the program’s conception and continue to publicize the MATTIE class calendars, special events, and press releases as does the Hyde County Government through their website. Finally, the Hyde County Chamber of Commerce selected the organization for their 2013 Tourist Award.
ON TAP- 2014
Plans are underway to expand the media offerings of classes and workshops and to gear some of those classes to the younger set. MATTIE will continue to offer painting classes in oil, acrylic, and watercolor, in wood burning and faux stain glass, in clay hand building, drawing and pen and ink, and jewelry making. Potentially added to the mix will be gourd art, dremel wood crafting, glass etching, origami, textiles, basket weaving, and a repeat of the popular ornamental concrete design workshop. Though, without a doubt, the first year has been successful, the amount the www.SwanQuarterly.net
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Friends retain from the art program (25% of the instructors’ fees and 30% of the art sales) is just enough to pay the overhead, leaving nothing available for expansion, and relies entirely on volunteers to keep the program going. Though a short amount of time, the one year track record is a beginning toward engaging the private sector to assist with some major funding - one of the main objectives for 2014.
WANT TO HELP?
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MATTIE is the program of the Friends of Hyde County’s Historic Courthouse, a 501 C (3) private non-profit organization (www.hyde1854courthouse.org). Donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. If you would like to help, as an individual or business, monetarily or by in-kind donations of equipment or supplies, please contact us at info@hyde1854courthouse.org or call 252.943.8991.
Likewise, volunteers are always needed and visiting instructors are always welcome! The MATTIE Arts Center offers classes and workshops year-round. Watch for their announcements at their website www.hyde1854courthouse.org or call 252.943.8991 to be included in their undisclosed recipient email data base.
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Winter 2013 - 14
Photo by Brian Carter
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