North Beach Sun Real Estate Spring 2023

Spring 2023

WE DELIVER ON THE PROMISE

“We were amazed by how many custom colors and options we could choose from. They made it very easy to create something unique and special, and we love the way everything turned out.”

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Colorful succulents are just one of the hundreds of plant species thriving at Nature's Harmony nursery in Manns Harbor. Photo by Lori Douglas.

THIS PAGE: Photos courtesy of Diana & Rachel Saddlemire (top), Village Realty (lower right), and Lori Douglas (lower left).

Savor every second of spring.

SPRING HAS ALWAYS BEEN A BIT OF A TRICKY CONCEPT HERE ON THE OUTER BANKS. In part, at least, that can be chalked up to weather – with sub-zero temps one moment, sweltering highs the next – but on an even more fundamental level, spring can simply start to feel a little inconsequential.

Think about it: Winter means the holidays, maybe a bit of downtime or traveling, and then chances are you’re either planning or gearing up for summer, some fun in the sun or (quite possibly) the chance to pick up a few extra shifts. With an offseason that’s markedly less pronounced than it was even just a few years ago, spring here can seem more like a blip on the radar rather than a distinct interval of time.

But maybe – just maybe – that’s only a matter of perspective? While that feels like a pretty fair assessment to the two of us, who have lived and worked on the Outer Banks for many years, the truth is that this area attracts people from all over for a variety of different reasons – and you don’t have to love sunbathing to fit right in.

Recently, that got us thinking about the parable of the blind men and the elephant. The gist of the story is that a group of men each try to make sense of the odd animal by examining its parts, but the man touching its ear, say, comes to radically different conclusions about what the animal looks like than the men who only encounter its tail or its tusks. By the end, the blind men are so caught up in their descriptive disagreements that none of them have solved the full puzzle in the slightest.

Funnily enough, there’s actually a rather famous real-world example of that tale’s basic premise. In 1515, the German artist Albrecht Dürer created a seminal woodcutting of a rhinoceros – the only problem was that he’d never actually seen the creature with his own eyes. Basing the animal’s appearance on one hastily written description, Dürer’s somewhat fanciful masterwork went on to become THE gold standard of mass-produced images in natural histories for the next two centuries.

More true-to-life depictions of rhinoceroses weren’t widely available until much later in the 1700s, but by then, Dürer’s rendering had secured its place in the world’s collective imagination. As many have pointed out over the past 500-plus years, his image is really only inaccurate when viewed from a purely scientific perspective – as an enduring work of art, it’s truly so much more than the sum of its parts.

And in a very roundabout way, that’s perhaps the best way to think about the Outer Banks – an area that can similarly defy description: To some, it’s an exciting island escape; to others, a close-knit community of sleepy neighborhoods. People flock here for everything from charters to charming locales, historic sites to sunsets, and everything else in between.

So, no matter what’s brought you here, please don’t forget to slow down while you’re here. To take in each moment, or even, possibly, consider entertaining another perspective of said moments. And, above all, don’t let the seasonal notion of a calendar rush you. While summer can be wonderful, there’s a lot yet to be gained by savoring every second of spring.

As always, we hope you enjoy this issue!

PUBLISHERS

Adam & Cathy Baldwin

EDITOR

Amelia Boldaji

ART DIRECTOR

Dave Rollins

CONTRIBUTORS

Cathy Baldwin

Amelia Boldaji

Lori Douglas

Cory Godwin

Steve Hanf

Catherine Kozak

Katrina Mae Leuzinger

Maggie McNinch

Diana & Rachel Saddlemire

Corinne Saunders

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Dylan Bush

SALES MANAGER

Helen Furr

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Faith Turek

The North Beach Sun is published quarterly by Access Media Group. All works contained herein are the property of the North Beach Sun

The views expressed in the articles contained herein do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, editor or Access Media Group. The published material, advertisements, editorials and all other content is published in good faith. Access Media Group and North Beach Sun cannot guarantee and accepts no liability for any loss or damage of any kind caused by errors, omissions or the accuracy of claims made by advertisers.

NORTH BEACH SUN

115 West Meadowlark St. Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948

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editor@northbeachsun.com

Albrecht Dürer's famous 16th-century woodcutting of a rhinocerous.

but first...

All Washed Up

SHIPWRECKS AND WARTIME RELICS, thousand-year-old coins and 18th-century Spanish olive jars. Though no one’s found Blackbeard’s treasure (yet), plenty of strange things wash ashore on the Outer Banks – but one of the oldest and oddest was a fossilized walrus skull. Discovered by a visiting beachcomber on Hatteras Island in 1989, the skull was promptly analyzed by researchers at the Smithsonian Institute who determined that the find was more than 36,000 years old. Despite the Smithsonian’s interest in acquiring what they deemed the most well-preserved specimen of its kind, the Stone Age skull remains part of the National Park Service’s cultural artifact collection right here on the Outer Banks. (Photo courtesy of the National Park Service, Cape Hatteras National Seashore.)

when the supercontinent Pangea reigned supreme, NC was actually pressed up against present-day Morocco. Like most of the southeastern United States, it was also largely submerged under a shallow body of water until about 200 million years ago during the Triassic period – but that doesn’t mean that prehistoric life didn’t have a chance to flourish. From a trilobite-like creature known as a

Pteridinium to early reptiles such as the Carnufex and the Postosuchus, a lesser-known dinosaur called Hypsibema, and giants of the deep like the Eocetus and the mighty megalodon, ancient remains abound in North Carolina –reminding us that footprints were once quite a bit bigger in the Tar Heel State.

Class: Erniettomorpha

Time Period: Pre-Cambrian –more than 550 million years ago

First found in NC: 1973

CARNUFEX CAROLINENSIS

Class: Reptilia

Time Period: Late Triassic –approximately 231 million years ago

First found in NC: 2005

POSTOSUCHUS KIRKPATRICKI

Class: Reptilia

Time Period: Late Triassic –approximately 225-208 million years ago

First found in NC: 1992

approximately 75 million years ago

First found in NC: 1869

A River Runs Through It

EOCETUS WARDII

Class: Mammalia

Time Period: Early to Late Eocene –approximately 40-37 million years ago

First found in NC: 1990s

CARCHAROCLES MEGALODON

Class: Chondrichthyes

Time Period: Early Miocene to Pliocene –approximately 23-3.5 million years ago

First classified in 1835, numerous megalodon teeth have been found off the coast of NC, and they were named the official state fossil in 2013

LONG BEFORE THE OUTER BANKS’ COASTLINE earned the moniker “The Graveyard of the Atlantic,” something else was buried in the deep: An ancient river system. Thanks to a team of geologists who surveyed offshore areas along the towns of Kitty Hawk and Nags Head, evidence of a series of old channels dating back to the last ice age was discovered below our present-day sea floor. Researchers estimate that this river system developed around 75-80,000 years ago and lasted until sea level rose over the continental shelf about 10,000 years ago – but it isn’t all just ancient history. According to scientists, narrower portions of the Outer Banks – like those found around Kitty Hawk Bay – are often the direct result of those old channels, which continue to affect the shape of our barrier islands to this day.

town report

Manteo

COMPILED BY CATHERINE KOZAK

Currituck County

A proposed new development on the northern Outer Banks known as the Corolla Boat Club overcame an initial hurdle this past January when the Currituck County Board of Commissioners passed conditional approval of the project’s first-phase preliminary plan and a special-use permit. Developer Outer Banks Ventures intends to eventually build a combined commercial and residential project on 36 acres at Monteray Shores, just north of the Timbuck II shopping center, that includes a total of 36 residential units, three commercial retail buildings and a boat basin with 10 boat slips. For now, the first phase of their plan calls for five single-family homes and one commercial operation.

Duck

The United States Army Corps of Engineers’ Field Research Facility – better known as simply as the Duck Research Pier – officially unveiled a significant new research annex at a ribbon-cutting ceremony held in January. Known as the Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC), the $4.3 million annex includes laboratory and research spaces as part of center’s expanded military research mission. The Corps’ pier, founded in 1977 and now part of ERDC’s Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory, has gained worldwide attention for its research on nearshore processes and engineering studies. The secure 176-acre site, with an 1,840-foot-long research pier and 140-foot-high observation tower, is located on the north end Duck.

Southern Shores

Southern Shores Town Manager Cliff Ogburn announced at a January council meeting that the beach nourishment contractor for the town’s most recent project agreed to return in March 2023 to deliver an additional 37,500 cubic yards of sand to the shoreline on the north end of the town.

Contractor Weeks Marine initially completed work on the $11.5 million project in November, widening close to four miles of beach with about 894,500 cubic yards of sand, but a discrepancy in the distribution of sand resulted in complaints about the skimpy appearance of beaches north of Fifth Avenue. Ogburn also noted that Weeks Marine had not shortchanged the town, however, and that the problem arose at least in part due to differing rates of natural erosion.

Kitty Hawk

Melody Clopton, who served as Kitty Hawk’s interim manager after Andy Stewart’s resignation in November, was officially named the new town manager at the Kitty Hawk Board of Commissioners meeting in December. Clopton, who lives in Manteo, joined the Kitty Hawk staff in 2010 according to the town website, and served as their administrative services director prior to taking over for Stewart.

The town also announced that Kitty Hawk Police Chief Joel Johnson retired as of February 1 after nearly 21 years of service with the town police department. A search is currently being conducted for his replacement as of press time.

Kill Devil Hills

Faced with a speeding problem on some of its roads and neighborhoods, the town of Kill Devil Hills has decided that a lower speed limit is not the correct remedy. At the town’s board of commissioners meeting in December, a divided board ultimately voted against decreasing the speed limit from 25 miles-per-hour to 20 miles-per-hour in westside neighborhoods.

Kitty Hawk Town Engineer Pete Burkhimer, speaking as a town resident, expressed doubt that a lower limit would discourage those who drive at high speeds, and instead recommended installing stationary speed-recording machines to collect more data. Assistant Police Chief Dana Harris also noted that only a fraction of the town’s speeding tickets issued in 2022 were the result of incidents in westside areas.

Nags Head

The town’s first Estuarine Shoreline Management Plan was approved by the Nags Head Board of Commissioners at its February 1 meeting, establishing a comprehensive, scientific approach to mitigate erosion, flooding and storm damage along 17 miles of the Roanoke Sound shoreline. The plan includes a study of the existing and historic shoreline, examines regulations and legal issues, and considers the impacts of coastal hazards. With a primary goal of coordinating both restorative and proactive actions whenever possible, the plan’s innovative solutions include green bulkheads, resiliency terraces, living shorelines and geo-textile tubes, among other things.

In order to create this plan, the town has partnered with the Coastal Studies Institute, The Nature Conservancy and the North Carolina Coastal Federation, along with assistance from the consultant teams of Biohabitats and Moffat & Nichol.

A building that once housed the local telephone company office in downtown Manteo will soon become a new health clinic after the town’s planning and zoning board voted to change the property’s use during a special meeting held on January 31. Working off of recommendations from the town’s healthcare taskforce, the change will allow for a medical facility that serves all community members at the 402 Budleigh Street property.

The Manteo Board of Commissioners created the healthcare taskforce on July 20, 2022, in response to the lack of medical care in the community. The taskforce has worked with staff from the Ocracoke and Engelhard medical centers, Manteo planning and zoning board members and Manteo officials in order to determine a suitable location for what will be known as the Manteo Medical Center. The zoning permit application and an attached building plan have been submitted, but more details about the construction of the center had yet to be determined as of press time.

Dare County

In response to requests from Rodanthe property owners for a beach nourishment project designed to widen the severely eroded shoreline in the village, the county has authorized a beach survey to update a 2013 report on the feasibility of nourishing Hatteras Island’s northern-most beach.

Rodanthe’s shoreline has the highest erosion rate on the Outer Banks, averaging a loss of about 14 to 20 feet a year. Three beachfront houses collapsed into the ocean last year alone, and many others remain threatened. A grant from the NC Division of Coastal Management will provide $25,000 toward the study, with Dare County supplying $8,335. During a January meeting, Dare County Manager Bobby Outten told commissioners that the study is expected to be complete by the end of summer 2023.

What’s happening in your town? Here’s a report from all over the Outer Banks.

business briefs

COMPILED BY CATHERINE KOZAK

New Shopping Options Coming Soon

Construction of Marshalls and Rack Room Shoes at The Marketplace shopping center off U.S. 158 in Southern Shores is scheduled to be complete in time for their projected opening this spring. Marshalls, a small-box store, is owned by TJX Companies, which also owns the T.J. Maxx and HomeGoods stores currently located in Nags Head. A new Target department store is also expected to open this spring on a site that was formerly occupied by Kmart in Kill Devil Hills.

Brand-New Branding for Health Care

In February, The Outer Banks Hospital and Medical Group announced that it has changed its name and logo. Now known as Outer Banks Health, the new name will be introduced gradually in the community over the coming months, according to hospital president Ronnie Sloan.

“Our refreshed brand brings 500 individuals together under one name,” he said. “We are stronger than ever and laser focused on the needs of this community. Together, our sights are set on the brightest horizons for health, and we rise every day to meet this opportunity head-on.”

In addition to the Outer Banks Hospital in Nags Head, Outer Banks Health includes six primary-care and six specialty-care practices, two urgent-care centers, and an outpatient rehabilitation therapy center. A new stateof-the-art cancer center in Nags Head – the Carol S. and Edward D. Cowell, Jr. Cancer Center – is also slated to open in late 2023.

Millions Still Flocking to Outer Banks Parks

Even as air travel has largely returned to normal post-Covid, car travel to the Cape Hatteras National Seashore has barely slowed, with the 2022 season being ranked the seashore’s third busiest on record. According to a press release from the National Park Service, a total of 2,862,844 visits were made to the seashore last year, including outdoor lovers who booked 60,973 campsites during their stay – numbers which were exceeded only by the total quantity of seashore visitors in 2021 and 2002. With the addition of trips to the Fort Raleigh National Historic Site and the Wright Brothers National Memorial, the combined number of visits to Outer Banks national parks in 2022 totaled 3.6 million.

Negotiated Insurance Rate Lowered for Some Properties

North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey announced in January that dwelling insurance rates have been negotiated down to a 9.9% statewide average rather than the originally proposed average increase of 42.6%. The NC Rate Bureau, which represents property insurance companies, proposed the increase in August 2022, according to a NC Department of Insurance press release.

With the settlement, which is 32.7% lower on average than the rate bureau initially requested, homeowners in NC will save a total of more than $104 million a year in premiums, Causey said. Dwelling policies cover non-owner-occupied residences of four or less units, including rental and investment properties. The highest average premium increase, which will go into effect on or after June 1, would be $31.

Currituck Welcome Center to Remain

After entertaining an offer to sell the Currituck County Welcome Center property to a developer for a Wawa convenience store, the Currituck County Board of Commissioners voted at a special meeting in November to keep the center at its current prime location. Although the spacious building, situated by the VirginiaNorth Carolina border in Moyock, is barely more than 12 years old, an unsolicited offer for the site that was hundreds of thousands of dollars over market value prompted commissions to consider the deal before ultimately declining. Numerous community members likely contributed to the board’s decision by vocally defending the value of the Welcome Center to visitors and the local business community.

Real Estate

market snapshot

Although Outer Banks real estate sales figures may not be as financially sunny as they’ve been in recent years, the bright side is that median sale prices are going up, according to the Outer Banks Association of Realtors’ (OBAR) December 2022 MLS Statistical End-of-Year Report.

To illustrate, the number of year-to-date sales in the town of Duck dropped 44% from 2021 to 2022 – the largest decrease in property sales from Corolla to Ocracoke – but, at the same time, Duck reported the highest median sale price increase of 38%

On the Outer Banks overall, residential median sales pricing is up around 17%, while lot/land median sale prices are up 20%. And while sales were down 28% at the start of 2023, inventory shows promising signs of recovery – with 872 units for sale in December 2022 versus 757 units available for sale in December 2021, a jump of 15%. According to OBAR’s report, this trend is expected to continue with inventory further increasing by this spring.

Photo courtesy of the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau.

Upgrade the Easy way

WHETHER YOU’VE JUST made a move or are in need of a fresh start, upgrading rather than overhauling can be a great way to scratch that redecorating itch – and the impact could cost less than you might think.

BY MAGGIE MCNINCH

Let it all hang out

If you’re limited on space, consider hanging a few things – the right items won’t only be eye catching, they’ll also add a layer of depth and texture that might not be there otherwise. For a wall that feels particularly stale, consider stringing fairy lights to automatically freshen things up, or draping a dried-flower garland over furniture and window ledges for a touch of low-maintenance romanticism. A multipletier hanging basket is another option for freeing up counter space (bonus points for tacking on additional storage) – while a set of budget-conscious decorative wall hooks can be the perfect go-to for hanging everything from plants to tapestries, photos or even coats.

Make the most of it

Living in the same space for a long time can make it seem hard to stay in the present, so sometimes it’s best to take a step back and take a good look at what you already have – because finding new purposes for items you already own is perhaps the easiest way to upgrade your home. Upcycle an old trunk as a coffee table, transform a wooden ladder into a blanket rack or simply add a few sprigs of wildflowers to some otherwise unused glass jars or bottles. And if you’re on the search for something you don’t already own, thrift stores or flea markets are some of the best places to find vintage décor of all types – from stools to glassware and funky picture frames. With a little ingenuity and imagination, the sky’s the limit!

Optimal organization

Organizing doesn’t have to be ugh – there are plenty of different ornamental options that can combine functionality with flair. Overwhelmed by a stack of bedside books? A set of floating shelves is perfect for that, while also adding dimension to room that otherwise falls a little flat. You can also add a bed skirt to your bed – it not only conceals under-the-bed storage, but the right pattern can liven things up quickly. For a finishing touch, woven baskets (whether cloth or wicker!) can minimize clutter by providing a home for everything from toys to extra linens in virtually any space while still maintaining your desired aesthetic – and without breaking the bank.

Under cover

If you’re operating on a really tight budget, remember that a bucket of paint can go a pretty long way. Painting a single accent wall can completely change the ambience of a room and revitalize it with a pop of color – and you can also design a gallery wall for a similar effect with a creatively arranged display of curated photos, posters or prints. Peel-and-stick wallpaper or small accent rugs can be another way of sneaking in subtle bursts of color, particularly if you’re open to mixing various textures and going bold. And don’t forget that other items like decorative pillowcases and slipcovers can be used to swap out color accents when you want to revamp things on the fly.

OF THE Land

Reclaimed

THE DISHES SIT STACKED IN NEAT ROWS on wooden shelves in the corner of the kitchen, just like in countless other kitchens in countless other houses.

These, however, are no ordinary shelves.

“These are from an oak tree that was literally right about here,” homeowner Louisa Farr says with a wave of her hand toward a nearby window and the ground below.

BY STEVE HANF

Same goes for the bookshelves in various rooms throughout the house. And those beautiful pine floors? They also came from this very spot in Nags Head Woods, where an ever-so-careful culling of the heavily wooded lot opened up just enough room for Louisa’s beautiful new home overlooking the Roanoke Sound.

But a transformation like that doesn’t just magically happen overnight. When it was time for Jason James of Albemarle Contracting Services (ACS) to clear the lot and start building, he had to contend with a unique set of instructions from Louisa first: Rather than simply removing the trees on the property, she wanted to use as much wood from the lot as possible throughout the home.

“My mom’s an environmentalist, so I was raised very aware of our consumption and recycling,” Louisa explains. “I really appreciate the land a lot and think it’s beautiful, so I wanted to live on it while respecting it – to be the least destructive that I can.”

For the most part, trees are regarded as impediments to getting the job done when it comes to new construction – so

timbers ground the soul of this eco-friendly Nags Head home.

even for Jason, a well-respected builder with more than 20 years of experience working on the Outer Banks, this wasn’t exactly a common request.

While pine trees from local worksites might get hauled to the pulp mill in Plymouth, Jason notes that many oaks and other trees can unfortunately end up at the dump. His first hurdle for this project, then, was the tricky prospect of figuring out the logistics for a mini-logging operation.

From the property’s wooded lot located near The Villas condominium complex in Nags Head, the smaller felled trees – none larger in circumference than 17 inches per the town’s zoning ordinances – first made a short trip to East Lake on the

Dare County mainland where Bill Beety of Beety Lumber Company turned them into manageable pieces of timber. Then came a long trip to Wilmington, NC, where the boards were kiln-dried by Old Growth Riverwood to remove any excess moisture. Afterwards, Louisa personally drove down there to bring her wood home.

“Everyone I worked with thought it was really cool,” she says.

“I met so many interesting people during this process, honestly.”

Once back on the Outer Banks, Tri-H Molding in Powells Point took the newly dried pieces of wood to mill and plane them before turning them into tongue-and-groove flooring. Finally, Jason Riddick of Custom Wood Floors installed, sanded and sealed them.

A wood-centric home known as “Bootleg Shoals” fits right in with the natural landscape in Nags Head Woods (above left). The house boasts a spacious deck overlooking the Roanoke Sound, as well as stylish mid-century modern details in areas like its bathrooms (above, from top to bottom). (Photos courtesy of Rachel and Diana Saddlemire.)

Clockwise from top left: Personal details like a stained-glass transom add a pop of color; Reclaimed wooden bookshelves and flooring provide an earthy appeal that extends to the home’s cable rail stairways; A wide view of the house’s open living space is washed in of plenty of natural light. (Photos courtesy of Rachel and Diana Saddlemire.)

“It was quite an extensive process just to line everybody up,” Jason admits. “And it’s unusual for somebody to do because there are extra costs involved: This flooring probably cost twice the amount it would’ve if you just went to the store and bought it off the shelf. But they’ve got a distinctive look, and they turned out really nice.”

Besides cost, time is also a factor. From purchasing the lot to having it ready for move-in day took close to two years, with the first year alone reserved for getting through the initial permitting and planning stages – during which Louisa and Jason worked closely with engineering project manager Brian Rubino of Quible & Associates and engineer Michael O’Steen on the site plan and design.

For Louisa, it was well-worth the extra effort – because in addition to utilizing the natural resources on hand, she was also inspired by the passive house concept that emphasizes energy efficiency to further reduce a building’s ecological footprint

“I wanted something that looked like it came out of the land and meshed well with the surroundings,” she says of the house’s eco-friendly design. “I also wanted it to be really wellbuilt, and to be as green as possible in order to respect this property.”

So, while the breathtaking views of the sound through the windows might steal the show at first glance, visitors to the house Louisa’s dubbed “Bootleg Shoals” can’t help but notice the natural beauty along the home’s walls, at their fingertips and under their feet.

“It was a little bit more involved than most that I’ve built,” Jason says good-naturedly. “But it was definitely quite a fun project, for sure.”

“I love it!” Louisa adds enthusiastically about her new home. “It feels like my forever place.”

Treasure Legends in Corolla.

Ready To Explore Corolla, NC

The Currituck Beach Lighthouse

A beacon helping guide travelers for well over a century, the Currituck Beach Lighthouse towers over the Outer Banks landscape. For a small fee, visitors can climb the winding staircase for a wide-open view of the Currituck Sound and the Atlantic Ocean.

Whalehead in Historic Corolla

In the heart of Historic Corolla Park you will find the Whalehead Museum, a restored 1920s era Art Nouveau architectural masterpiece with a storied history. Whalehead is host to several seasonal events, and offers tours Monday through Friday.

The Currituck Maritime Museum

Located just across the park from Whalehead, the new Currituck Maritime Museum tells the integral story of the history of wooden boats on the northern Outer Banks and their craftsmen through exhibits and artifacts. Open Monday through Friday.

OBX Center for Wildlife Education

The Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education houses exhibits on the area’s natural wildlife history, and includes an impressive decoy collection and a theater for viewing an educational film, and offers free educational programs on the Currituck Sound.

With the arrival of spring, many families are planning to hit the road and find their way here. So head north up Hwy. 12 to Corolla where you will find the legendary Corolla

Wild Horses, iconic sites like the Currituck Beach Lighthouse, Whalehead and the new Currituck Maritime Museum. Find your local treasure in Corolla Outer Banks.

877.287.7488

Meet the driving force behind Manns Harbor's beloved local nursery

Harmony IN

Sherry Foreman moves energetically around her Manns Harbor home. Her slight frame belies the fact that she and her late husband, Ron Foreman, built this house themselves when they were in their 20s, along with some help from her father. They also assembled a crabbing boat they used for more than a decade, and they painstakingly constructed another central structure that still graces her front yard: Nature’s Harmony nursery.

“I don’t know why we felt like we had to build everything,” she laughs, shaking her head of short white hair and turning to gaze out a window.

Now in her mid-70s, Sherry grew up on this land, and she’s continued to reside on it for most of her life. Once part of a larger 48-acre family property, her grandmother gave small parcels to Sherry’s parents and two of Sherry’s aunts before selling the rest for $1,800 in 1952.

“Manns Harbor wasn’t very valuable back then,” Sherry explains. “Before it was developed, it was just dry marsh in the wintertime where I played.”

But that’s exactly why her roots here run so deep. After graduating from Manteo High School, she attended East Carolina University for a year before homesickness drove her back to the Outer Banks. With a natural flair for storytelling, Sherry recalls the time her mother – who she was particularly close to – sewed a prom dress for her based on a Seventeen magazine cover photo. Even without a pattern,

her mother not only managed to finish the dress, she also stitched matching red gingham “dancing slippers” 30 minutes before Sherry’s date arrived.

“My mother just did so much for me,” Sherry adds with obvious affection. “The amount of crabmeat she picked for me wouldn’t fit in this room.”

Getting up from her desk, Sherry makes a short trip to the kitchen and returns with a heavy hardback book her father, fisherman Melvin Twiddy, wrote about his life in Manns Harbor. It’s a treasured piece of her family’s past that she helped edit, and it’s ties like these that have spurred her to slowly buy back some pieces of her grandmother’s original acreage with help from her late cousin Rob Baum.

“I feel like I cannot leave this land,” she says. “There’s something about this place that helps me spiritually.”

Part of what makes the land that Nature's Harmony sits on so enchanting is – without question – its location. It’s not a place you’d likely stumble upon unprompted, but when you do arrive there’s something hypnotically labyrinthine about the seemingly endless rows and arrangements of everything from shrubs to succulents, herbs and houseplants, towering trees and trailing vines that stretch out over every corner of the property.

Much of what you’ll encounter depends on the season, but that – and the sage advice Sherry’s gardeners can offer on the habits and hardiness of virtually any

Photos by Lori Douglas / Story by Corinne Saunders

Nature’s Harmony owner Sherry Foreman spends her morning watering in one of the nursery’s large greenhouses.

specimen – is precisely why Nature’s Harmony has built a quiet but dedicated following over the past three decades.

Though people fairly regularly tell Sherry she should charge an admission fee, she’s never considered doing that – even when they compare the experience of being at Nature’s Harmony to visiting The Elizabethan Gardens on nearby Roanoke Island.

“It is a bit more compact [here],” she simply admits with amusement.

It’s an observation that comes from some hard-won experience: At the age of 30, long before opening Nature’s Harmony’s doors, Sherry was actually the first woman on The Elizabethan Gardens’ official payroll. Prior to that, Louis Midgette, who served as the Gardens’ superintendent during its first 28 years of operation, had only ever hired women on a volunteer basis.

During the six months she spent there, Sherry was paid the then-minimum wage of $2.22 an hour, and Louis would only allow her to do certain types of jobs

like weeding. “’You’re a girl; you don’t dig irrigation ditches,’” she recounts lightheartedly. “But it was [still] the hardest work I ever did.”

Most of the other staff members then were 20-something boys who were fresh out of college and thought being over 30 meant being over-the-hill, but they still had her back – including one time they helped get rid of the evidence after she accidentally weeded some of Louis’ precious groundcover.

“My favorite job – and the worst sunburn I’ve ever gotten – was from picking pansies,” she recalls. On that particular day, she was deadheading the flowers in the full sun when her t-shirt slid up to expose a small strip of skin on her lower back.

She still has a scar from that burn. And pansies still remain her favorite flower.

As a whole, Sherry truly enjoyed her job at the Gardens – and for all his rough edges, Louis taught her some valuable lessons about things like propagation.

But she also cried every day when it was time to leave her husband’s side. “[Ron] and I hated to part every morning,” she says. “It was just painful.”

In order to be together more, she quit the Gardens, and the couple began crabbing. Over the next decade or so, they also ran a videography business for weddings and special events, which kept them doubly busy. After their daughter went off to college they thought about retirement, and spent a few years tinkering around in their organic garden during their downtime.

As fate would have it, the outboard motor on their boat finally gave out, however – to the tune of $5,000 for a replacement. Inspired to try a new venture, Sherry noted that it would cost the same amount to build a fully functional greenhouse. Though Ron was a bit reluctant at first, she announced that she was doing it with or without him – and by the end of the week, he was so enthusiastic about the project that he came up with the name they still operate under today.

More than 30 years have passed since then, and Nature’s Harmony has grown well beyond its original footprint. Other life changes have occurred as well: In 2017, Ron passed away from cancer on the day of their 51st wedding anniversary. The couple was on vacation at the time, as they had been decades earlier when they also suffered the unexpected loss of their then two-year-old son.

“I try to make light of death,” Sherry says of surviving those very real heartaches. “[It’s] not the end, just the beginning of something better.

“And we had a really good life together,” she adds before pausing a moment to think about all the places – both hard and heartwarming – that her journey has taken her. “Gosh, I’ve had fun!”

Though people fairly regularly tell Sherry she should charge an admission fee, she’s never considered doing that.

From flowering annuals and perennials to trailing vines and colorful shrubs, Manns Harbor-based Nature’s Harmony positively brims with life come springtime.

a golden goose

38.1%. Dare County’s population is also projected to grow by a slight 12.3% over the same time period, while nearby Hyde County’s population is expected to shrink by 9.9%.

BY CATHERINE KOZAK

CURRITUCK COUNTY, LAND OF THE WILD GOOSE, has taken off to new heights far beyond its origins as an isolated duck hunters’ paradise and farming community. Now a behemoth of tourism on the northern Outer Banks and a booming Hampton Roads-adjacent community on the mainland, Currituck’s Algonquin namesake is more golden than wild these days.

“We’re seeing another spurt of unprecedented growth,” says Currituck County Manager Ike McRee. “In the late ‘80s [and] early ‘90s, it was all Corolla, and now the northern mainland has certainly become very attractive [too].”

McRee, who previously served as the county attorney for a total of 14-and-a-half years is now poised at the helm of Currituck County’s astonishing transformation from a quiet rural area to one of the region’s hottest addresses. In fact, by the time the next census rolls around, Currituck is on course to be the fastest-growing county in North Carolina.

According to the NC Office of State Budget and Management’s growth projection for 2020-2030, Currituck’s population is estimated to expand by an eye-popping 46.1%, from approximately 28,298 in 2020 to 41,335 in 2030 – with net migration most likely being responsible for an additional bump of around 12,835 new residents.

For comparison, the forecast for the second fastestgrowing county in NC over the course of the next decade is Brunswick – which encompasses suburbs such as the port city of Wilmington – with a population increase of

In the last few years alone, numerous Currituck subdivisions, schools and other expansions have either been built, are under construction or are in the initial planning process. A waterpark opened in lower Currituck in 2017, a larger ABC store in Corolla is about to be built to replace the existing liquor store, the improved county airport in Maple is bustling with aims to rehabilitate its runway, a new public safety building has been completed, and the first Royal Farms convenience store in NC is slated for construction in Grandy by the end of 2023.

As part of a recent restructuring to manage these rapid changes, the county replaced the former planning department with a Development Services Department that’s responsible for everything from planning and zoning to code enforcement, permits and building inspections – and the county is currently awaiting state approval on its draft of an updated land-use plan called “Imagine Currituck 2040,” which is a comprehensive document intended to help guide development well into the future.

“There’s a different kind of development on the mainland,” says the county’s new Development Services Department Director Kevin Kemp, who readily acknowledges that this growth is happening at an unprecedented rate. “Especially up in Moyock, you’re seeing what was farmland transitioning to single-family neighborhoods. On the other end of the spectrum, you have Corolla, [where developers] are buying older homes and replacing them with larger ones.”

In Moyock, the county’s northern-most community bordering Chesapeake, Virginia, it can be hard to keep track of the new neighborhoods. Two such subdivisions at various stages of development include Fost, a mixture of townhomes and large homesites that will eventually

total 479 living units; and Flora, a 277 single-family home subdivision that has yet to break ground.

Prices of the townhomes will likely start in the low-$300,000s, while single-family homes will likely start at about $400,000 and up according to Kemp, which is a typical range for the current Currituck market.

Other subdivisions such as Waterleigh, Glenmoor Ridge and Wentworth, could ultimately supply a total of about 425 new Currituck-area homes, while a proposed 80-lot community called Baxter Station is also under review for residents ages 55 and up. An even more ambitious proposal for a combined commercial, residential and industrial-use area on 3,000 acres of land in Moyock known as Currituck Station doesn’t currently have any projects attached to it, but the plan to develop it was adopted several years ago.

In order to address concerns about school capacity in light of these various projects, Kemp notes that the county is expanding both the elementary school and the middle school in Moyock. Though it’s only in the preliminary stages, the county is also planning to construct a new $50-million elementary school off Tulls Creek Road near the proposed Fost and Flora developments, and the two existing school expansions are already under construction with anticipated completion dates that will allow them to be ready by the start of the 2023-2024 school year.

In lower Currituck, a few proposed developments also include the potential for more multi-family housing: Currituck Way, with 60 units, and another called Jarvis Landing, with an estimated 39 units. In Corolla, a new residential and commercial subdivision called the Corolla Boat Club has also been proposed in Monteray Shores, while recent changes to the flood maps have resulted in a flurry of construction in the off-road community of Carova, where 32 new certificates of occupancy were issued within the last year alone.

A large part of addressing the explosive growth on the mainland in particular requires upgrading the county’s utility infrastructure, according to McRee. To this end, plans are in the works to expand the capacity of the Moyock wastewater treatment plant from 100,000 to 300,000 gallons a day – with the potential for expanding wastewater facilities at the commerce park in Barco and another in Waterside Villages as well. When it comes to freshwater, McRee reports that the county is in the process of expanding its reverse-osmosis plant in Maple, and another deep well is also being developed to provide an additional 200 gallons per minute.

Like most of the coastal areas in northeastern NC, drainage remains an ongoing issue too, so the county has been focusing on efforts to clear outlets such as blocked canals and ditches. The county’s Unified Development Ordinance also requires extensive best management practices for stormwater, such as including holding ponds, in new developments.

Moving forward, McRee notes that an additional public safety location will likely be needed in Moyock, along with further expansions of other public works such as the county’s solid waste facility. But with the tax base currently hovering around $7 billion and growing, the county certainly seems to have the deep pockets necessary to sustain this type of progress.

“There are some challenges,” Kemp says. “But it’s also exciting to see this much growth.”

Explosive growth (and the challenges that come with it) are coming to Currituck County.

The new Fost subdivison sits on former farmland in Moyock.

Coastal Comforts

EVEN WITH DECADES OF EXPERIENCE IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY, this four-bedroom Powells Point home presented a lot of firsts for Stan Belvin of The Rosewell Group – including the opportunity to partner with his wife, Jacqui, on nearly every element of the finishing details. For them, the main vision for this property was to show what they could accomplish as a well-established company building thoughtful custom homes designed for year-round living – while also making a high-end statement.

“We had a lot of spirited discussions,” Stan says of their collaboration with a laugh. “But in the end, it was a very organic process.”

1 Solid Oak Kitchen Cabinets

With a open floorplan of nearly 1,100 square feet to accommodate the living, dining and kitchen spaces, the Belvins focused first on the kitchen’s sleek flat-paneled oak cabinets before making any major decisions on items such as countertops or flooring. Once the cabinets were in place, they were finally able to select other elements to complement – and, at times, even contrast – that soft wooden hue for an overall “old world meets coastal modern” vibe.

2 Going With the Grain

Rather than relying on stark whites to create a neutral backdrop, the Belvins opted for warmer touches – including engineered plank wood floors with a wire-brushed appearance that matches up against the cabinets more seamlessly. “It’s a blank space, but it isn’t,” Jacqui explains. “There’s so much to look at when it comes to the grains and the colors – [plus] the lighting really plays on the textures so it never looks the same way twice.”

3 Cobalt Blue-Veined Countertops

Though the Belvins originally imagined using a deeper type of nautical décor, they quickly realized that dark navies and heavy brass accents were perhaps too specific. In the process of toning that idea back a bit, inspiration struck: For a cleaner, crisper appearance, cobalt blue-veined countertops ultimately amplify the surrounding wooden finishes – while simultaneously sneaking in a touch of something seaworthy.

4 Island Adventure

As avid home cooks themselves, a “dream kitchen” was always part of the Belvins’ goal. With a number of luxurious details such as a commercial-grade range hood over a black gas-powered cooktop, the next step was to deliver a fully functional island masterpiece, complete with a dishwasher and wine cabinet. Stan also decided to equip the island’s overhang with free-floating legs – rather than enclosing that space – in order to further emphasize the room’s comfortably open theme.

Compiled by Amelia Boldaji • Photo courtesy of Cory Godwin

Ray Meiggs Briann Mehfoud Hunter Davis

Matt Preston Bill Hogan Ashley Ladd

Kim Endre Jason Summerton

Rob Ladd Kaleigh DiPietro Steven Gross Mitzi Thompson

sun salutations

Beach Realty & Construction

Ilona Matteson Named Agent of the Year

For the third consecutive year, Ilona Matteson was named the Beach Realty & Construction / Kitty Hawk Rentals’ Agent of the Year. Ilona was also named agent of the year in 2012, 2015 and 2016. Her knowledge of the local market, industry trends and superior negotiating skills combine to offer her clients a comprehensive customer-focused experience. You can reach Ilona at ilonamatteson@gmail.com.

Beach Realty & Construction/Kitty Hawk Rentals

Welcomes Carolyne Haas and Brenda Davis-Williams to the Firm

Carolyne Haas will assume the role of business development director. Carolyne has more than a decade in real estate sales and vacation rental management experience, and she will work primarily to generate and oversee inventory growth. She can be reached at carolyne@beachrealtync.com.

Brenda Davis-Williams comes to Beach Realty with 15 years of valuable property management experience. She joins the vacation rental management team in an administrative role alongside the director of property management. Brenda can be reached at brenda@beachrealtync.com.

Brindley Beach Vacations and Sales

Brindley Beach Vacations Announces Catherine Strachan and Edith Rowe as Top Two Sales Agents, Year-to-Date

A resident of the Outer Banks since 1988, Catherine Strachan has worked as a fulltime broker and realtor for the past 17 years. She is passionate about her job, working diligently to see that all of her clients are satisfied, whether buying or selling. Contact Catherine at (252) 489-9540 or obxproperty@gmail.com.

Edith Rowe has won the Top Sales Agent Award for the last six years. This award is based on closed sales volume. She holds a broker’s license and has been in sales on the Outer Banks since 2000. She brings to the table a degree of local sales acumen and familiarity with the area found in few agents. Contact Edith at (252) 202-6165, or by email at edithroweobx@gmail.com.

Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty

Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty Names VanderMyde Group 2022 Team of the Year

Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty is pleased to announce that the VanderMyde Group is the firm’s Top Producing Team for the sixth consecutive year. Heather VanderMyde, along with team members Kiirsten Farr, Will Gregg, Kasey Rabar and Trish Berruet ranked number one in listings, sales volume and units for the year. They also earned the prestigious Coldwell Banker International President’s Elite Team award, ranking them in the top 7% of all Coldwell Banker teams (4+) worldwide. Team leader Heather VanderMyde can be reached at (252) 202-2375 or hvandermyde@gmail.com.

Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty Names Brook Sparks 2022 Agent of the Year

Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty is pleased to announce that Brook Sparks is the Top Producing Agent for the firm. This award is based on closed sales volume for 2022, and this is the second year in a row that Brook has taken home this award. Brook also earned the Top Listing Agent Award and was awarded the Coldwell Banker International Society of Excellence award, which is presented to less than 1% of all agents worldwide. Brook can be reached at (252) 619-1177 or brook@cbseaside.com.

Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty announces the Heather Sakers Team as the Top Producing Kitty Hawk Team

Heather Sakers, along with team members Charles Gill and Ann Taylor Lusk, has once again earned the firm’s Top Producing Team Award for the Kitty Hawk location. This award is based on closed sales volume in 2022. The team has also earned the Coldwell Banker International President’s Circle award, which is presented to the top 14% of all teams (1-3) worldwide. Team leader Heather Sakers can be reached at (252) 599-6814 or heather@cbseaside.com.

Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty Welcomes New Agent Kim Hansley

Kim Hansley has joined Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty in the Elizabeth City location. Kim recently relocated from Savannah, Georgia, where she was a successful Coldwell Banker agent. Kim will work in both the Elizabeth City and Outer Banks markets. She can be reached at (912) 660-3647 or kimhansley@cbseaside.com.

Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty Welcomes

Chardae Brightman to the Kitty Hawk Location

Chardae Brightman has joined Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty in the Kitty Hawk location. Chardae and her husband relocated from West Virginia where they owned and operated a successful security business. Chardae is also an online health and fitness coach and can be reached at (252) 202-9990 or chardae@cbseaside.com.

Joe Lamb, Jr. & Associates

Joe Lamb, Jr. & Associates Acknowledges Sales Team of Shelley O’Grady and Bobby Williams

Shelley O’Grady has been with the Joe Lamb family for more than a decade. Due to her extensive counseling and communication experience, she provides an ethical approach to the buying process. She is also involved in various Outer Banks community activities and is a member of the OBAR board. Contact Shelley at (252) 261-7721 or shelley@joelambjr.com.

Over the course of his career, Bobby Williams has been one of Joe Lamb’s longest-serving team members. He

knows Joe Lamb, the Outer Banks and the real estate world better than most. He shares his joys of the beach, fishing and camping with all of his clients. Contact Bobby at (252) 261-7721 or bwilliams@joelambjr.com.

SAGA Realty & Construction

SAGA Realty & Construction Announces Sarah Pritchard and Jessica Arnett as 2022 Top Producers

Congratulations to Sarah Pritchard and Jessica Arnett for an extraordinary year. Sarah and Jessica provide a wealth of knowledge and top-level customer service for each of their clients who are looking to build, buy or sell. SAGA Realty & Construction is a full-service real estate firm that provides an innovative approach for all your real estate needs. Contact our experienced team today at sales@icrsaga.com or (252) 301-3090.

Landmark Sotheby’s International Realty

OBX Homes Team Joins Landmark Sotheby’s International Realty

The OBX Homes Team and Landmark Sotheby’s International Realty recently joined forces with a new Duck location. Since the beginning of 2021, this team, led by broker-in-charge Heather McLay, and assisted by Crystal Swain and Mandi Jones, has generated more than 140 million in sales. Contact them at team@obxhomes. com or (252) 678-5867.

Top Producer Brad Beacham Joins Landmark

Sotheby’s International Realty

A top producer on the Outer Banks for more than 22 years, Brad Beacham joins Landmark Sotheby’s International Realty. “I am excited and grateful to partner with Landmark Sotheby’s International Realty,” says Brad. “Their rich history, unrivaled marketing and global reach are creating amazing opportunities for me and my clients.” Brad can be reached at (252) 202-6920 or brad@bradbeacham.com.

Landmark Sotheby’s International Realty Welcomes Melanie Day Real Estate Team

Renowned realtor Melanie Day, and buyer specialist Chris Corbett, have proudly joined Landmark Sotheby’s International Realty. With decades of experience, Melanie is a top 1% realtor with sales of $54 million in 2022 alone. Dedicated and energetic, Melanie and Chris are passionate about helping clients achieve their goals. Reach out at (252) 207-6138 or melanie@melanieday. com.

Southern Shores Realty

Southern Shores Realty Names Mike Ross Agent of the Year

For the thirteenth time, Mike Ross, associate broker for Southern Shores Realty has earned the Agent of the Year award. Mike has been the recipient of many sales awards, is a graduate of The Realtor Institute, and is an accomplished multi-million-dollar producer year after year. He values his success not in dollars but in the satisfaction in helping so many people realize their dreams. Mike can be reached at (252) 202-4444 or rossobx@gmail.com.

Southern Shores Realty Adds New Agent

Southern Shores Realty welcomes Rick Thompson as its newest sales agent. Rick grew up just north of the Outer Banks before serving on active duty in the Air Force for 20 years. After he retired, he moved with his family to the Outer Banks. Rick can be reached at (405) 434-6769 or rickthompson76@gmail.com.

Sun Realty

Michael Davenport Named 2022 Agent of the Year

Sun Realty recognizes the 2022 Agent of the Year, Michael Davenport. Also recognized as a 2022 Sun Realty Diamond Agent, Michael has been in Outer Banks real estate for more than 35 years. With a consistently high sales volume at Sun Realty year after year, Michael upholds the highest standard of service and professionalism as designated by the REALTOR® Code of Ethics by the National Association of Realtors. Michael volunteers his time in positions on committees for both the state and local levels of NC REALTOR® associations. Michael can be reached at the Sun Realty Kill Devil Hills office or at (252) 202-6113.

Richard Hess Honored with 2022 Agents’ Choice Award

Richard Hess was named the 2022 Agents’ Choice Award recipient. Voted on by their peers, this award is given to the agent in the company who provides the most support to their fellow realtors. Richard is always available for guidance and recommendations, and is a successful agent in own right. Richard understands the changes in technology in the real estate industry and is positioned to stay ahead of the game. He uses innovative advertising and marketing techniques to attract potential buyers for sales listings. You can find Richard at the Sun Realty Kill Devil Hills office or at (252) 256-2112.

Twiddy Premier Sales

Matt Preston Named Top Agent for January

Twiddy Premier Sales congratulates Matt Preston on becoming the top agent of the month in January with more than $3.5 million in sales to start the year. An Outer Banks native, Matt possesses a wealth of information about the area and is a tremendous advocate for his clients throughout their ownership and investment journey. Contact Matt today at mpreston@twiddy.com or (252) 207-6143

Jason Summerton Celebrates His 18th Year with the Firm

Jason Summerton is consistently one of Twiddy & Company’s top agents and is a leading agent on the 4x4 beaches. Twiddy & Company is honored to celebrate Jason’s 18th year with the firm in 2023. His clients become clients for life, and he’s helped countless individuals and families realize their Outer Banks real estate dreams. Contact Jason at jasonsummerton@twiddy.com or (252) 202-0105.

Kim Endre Celebrates Her 3rd Year with the Firm

Twiddy & Company is thrilled to celebrate Kim Endre’s 3rd year with the firm. Her passion for real estate and her active role within local, state and national organizations make her the perfect agent for any client. Kim was also recently selected for the extremely competitive National Association of Realtors' Leadership Academy. Call Kim at (252) 202-3696 or email kendre@twiddy.com.

Lauren Nelson 252-207-6504

First Colony Inn THE

BY KATRINA MAE LEUZINGER

THE FIRST COLONY INN HAS THE DISTINCTION of being the oldest building on the Outer Banks that has continuously operated as a hotel. Since it opened its doors in the early 1930s, its cedar-shake tiles and cottage-style appearance have blended in well with many of its neighbors in Nags Head’s historic district along the southern end of Virginia Dare Trail – but its history is more colorful than its tastefully classic exterior might suggest. Now in its 91st year, the old building has seen a lot: From the burgeoning beginnings of local tourism to brushes with fame – and even a dramatic relocation that split the building into pieces before placing it in just the right spot.

A Seaside Start

While visitors first started flocking to the Outer Banks in the 1800s, tourism looked a lot different back then – and only very well-to-do families could afford to make the trip by boat. That all changed when a flurry of new roads and bridges paved the way for more visitors by the 1930s, and a businesswoman named Marie LeRoy was one of the first to recognize the opportunity in offering shorter-term beach accommodations. Pivoting away from her original sound-side rental home, LeRoy’s Cottage, Marie purchased eight adjacent oceanfront lots for approximately $750 apiece to build a hotel she named LeRoy’s Seaside Inn in 1932 – which rented more popularly affordable rooms for about $14 a night on what she dubbed the “American Plan.”

2

Adding on the Amenities

Marie didn’t hold onto her seaside investment for long. In 1937, she sold the inn to Captain Neil Midgett and Ernest J. Jones, who rechristened it the First Colony Inn. With Neil at the helm alongside his wife, Currituck native Daisy Harrison (who was more widely known as “Miss Daisy”), the inn kept pace with the changing times and tastes of its visitors over the next 24 years. Sixty small 12-square-foot rooms transformed into 27 more spacious quarters with private bathrooms, air conditioning units and even water heaters – amenities that were practically unheard of then. But their crown jewel was an on-site restaurant headed by a man named John White, whose culinary creations drew crowds – when he wasn’t also serving as the inn’s night watchman.

3

Big-Time Business

Rumor has it that Miss Daisy was particularly fond of entertaining “big shots,” and during the Midgetts’ tenure, the First Colony Inn had its fair share of illustrious guests. United States Congressman Lindsay C. Warren, who served the North Carolina House of Representatives for eight terms, once stayed there, as did 12-term Congressman Herbert C. Bonner – both of whose names eventually wound up gracing Outer Banks bridges. In addition to the hotel proper, the First Colony Inn also boasted a number of more private cottages while it was under the Midgetts’ care, including one that became known as the “governors’ cottage” because no less than five NC governors stayed there, including the state’s 60th governor, Joseph Melville Broughton.

4

Little-Known Lost Colonists

In hindsight, the Midgetts turned out to be pretty good at name dropping. Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Paul Green’s The Lost Colony premiered in 1937, the same year that the Midgetts rebranded LeRoy’s as the First Colony Inn. Wanting to capitalize on the play’s near-immediate success even more, the Midgetts also renamed the inn’s rooms after individual members of that ill-fated British settlement attempt in the New World. While many surely recognize monikers such as Ananias Dare (room #5) and Simon Fernando (room #9), other early British colonists such as Elizabeth Glane (room #10) and Ambrose Viccars (room #25) memorialize some of the lesser-known women and children who made the journey to Roanoke Island in 1587 – and subsequently vanished without a trace.

5 Three’s Company

Time took its toll, however, and by 1988 the once-majestic building had sustained extensive storm damage. A developer named George Kemp purchased the property with the intention of setting it ablaze to make way for duplexes until Nags Head passed an ordinance against burning historically significant buildings. Unwilling to pay for a conventional demolition, Kemp offered a deal: Anyone who wanted the inn could have it for free – they just had to move it elsewhere. Lawrence Property Management claimed it and hired Virginia Beach-based Expert House Movers to carefully saw the inn into three sections, haul the pieces several miles south, and reassemble them on a 4.4-acre site on the west side of the beach road – in the location where it still remains to this day.

Photo courtesy of Village Realty.

2022 LEADERS

LEADING

LEADING THE OBX MARKET FOR Nine YEARS!*

LEADING THE OBX MARKET FOR Nine YEARS!*

For the 9th year in a row, Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty has sold the most real estate on the Outer Banks! With over 30 years of local knowledge and experience, our family-owned and operated company offers real estate services across the entire Outer Banks as well as all of northeastern North Carolina.

THE OBX MARKET FOR Nine YEARS!

For the 9th year in a row, Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty has sold the most real estate on the Outer Banks! With over 30 years of local knowledge and experience, our family-owned and operated company offers real estate services across the entire Outer Banks as well as all of northeastern North Carolina.

For the 9th year in a row, Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty has sold the most real estate on the Outer Banks! With over 30 years of local knowledge and experience, our family-owned and operated company offers real estate services across the entire Outer Banks as well as all of northeastern North Carolina.

BROOK SPARKS INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF EXCELLENCE

STEPHEN SMITH INTERNATIONAL DIAMOND SOCIETY

heather sakers TEAM INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT’S CIRCLE

BURRUS KING TEAM INTERNATIONAL STERLING SOCIETY

VanderMyde TEAM INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT’S ELITE

JOANNA KANE INTERNATIONAL STERLING SOCIETY

EMILY BRAY INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT’S ELITE

SUNNY BERLE INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT’S CIRCLE

CAMERON GRIGGS INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT’S ELITE

SANDMAN TEAM INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT’S CIRCLE

HEATHER HULING INTERNATIONAL DIAMOND SOCIETY

DEBBIE SHEALEY INTERNATIONAL DIAMOND SOCIETY

DARCEY RENFROW INTERNATIONAL DIAMOND SOCIETY

DAWN MIDGETTE INTERNATIONAL STERLING SOCIETY

MELISSA MORGAN INTERNATIONAL DIAMOND SOCIETY

LAUREN RICKARD INTERNATIONAL DIAMOND SOCIETY

BETH GARCIA TEAM INTERNATIONAL DIAMOND SOCIETY

MARTY GRIFFIN INTERNATIONAL STERLING SOCIETY

JEFF KLUGER INTERNATIONAL STERLING SOCIETY AGENT OF THE YEAR KILL DEVIL HILLS listing AGENT OF THE YEAR KILL DEVIL HILLS

AGENT OF THE YEAR ELIZABETH CITY *

CHelSEA JORDAN INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT’S CIRCLE