The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1926-12-03
BRIDGING THE BARRIER
TO ROANOKE ISLAND
Work Begun on Proposed Bridge to Nags Head
as First Step Toward Opening up Historic .
Points to The World
By ID. v. MEEKINS

ROdnOke lSldlll - Sooii w cS
opened up to the world! A
bridge nearly two miles long.
connecting it with the beach
at Nags Head will be built.
Work has begun and another
Christmas will bring a string
of cars from everywhere in the
country, viewing the spot
where the first Englishman
planted their colony. and where
the first white child on Ameri-
can soil. opened her eyes to
the daylight. more than three
hundred and fifty years ago,
Thousands and thousands of tour
lists, are expected TO take advantage
of the first opportunity in history
10 visit this remarkable section or
the coastland. see Nass Head. rich
ia song and story. hunt. fish. bathe.
bask in hospitahle waters. and en-
Joy the free. open. wholehearted-
ness Of natives where the latch
string always hangs outside and the
stranger Is more welcome than In
his own home.
This greatest Of all interesting
news from the island was disclosed
by Theo. $. Mepkins. Manteo's pre-
mier realtor, who came 10 Elizabeth
City Yesterday and pui out the news
that Dare County had already be-
gun work OH the approaches Of this
road. that will mean so much to
region that always had a great ap-
peal to the tourist, yet for centur.
les has been isolated and inacces-
siblp because of rough waters that
barred it firm the outside world.
Three thousand people dwell on
Roanoke Island For nearly forty
years Capt. Martin JohnSon's steam
ers were the only means of COM
mnnication from Manteo TO Eliz-
ahcth City. For nearI? 90 years DC
has carried ali the mail that goe5
TO Dare County. Before that time
the man who got away from the
island. took slow sailing vesSpl
when he set out upon his 45-mile
tourney to Elizabeth city. Some
times the vessel would be bccalmed
for hours and days. the trip might
REQUIRE two or three days. Mails
were :infreduenh and nndependabie.
Modern Realtors 40 To Work
Bit great forces aren't work in
bare County now. Northern real
tprs have bought thousands of acres
Of the cheap beach land OF the conn-
tS that heretefhra have been worth
only ~ cents to one dollar an acre.
Many acres were considered by the
owners as nor worth listing for tax
cs. Nobody dttamed that There
would ever he the means Of trnns-
portation to make them worth pay
ing taxes on. But they will sell
10 wealthy people Of leisure who
want Summer homes.
"a couple Of ""ars ago. Theo. ).
NIcpkins was looking for new fields
to conuuer. lie dreamed of a for
tune in the Carolina Coast. In this
nrrnt section Of the greatest state
in the union. where nature had pro-
yided region suitable for great
habitat of fish and fowl. where the
I, uriSt could find more real pleasure
than anywhere else for the dollars
and cents expended. he foresaw
poteu,ialities TO attract a great
tourist movement. and he began TO
huy up the barren acres or the
teaches.
With options secured on thou
yands Of acres he went 10 Northern
capitaliSts. He told them OF the
fish and fowl. Of the boating and
bathing. Of the genial. invig0rating
and all year round climate that
would interest the average man
from the north who wanted TO get
AWAY from the hurry and hustle OF
the world. He showed them that
the Carolina coast had everything
and more TO offer than Florida with
IFS sudden change in temperature.
And they became interested.
They Looked 1t Over and Loved 1t
The men from the North looked
over the Carolina cOastland. They
raved over It's natural beauty. They
warmed up to the warm. whole
heartedness Of the natives. Land
was cheap and they invested heav-
iIy. because they knew that the
pleasure seeker would not hesitate
to invest and to build homes. once
they had learned Of its many at
fractions.
Dare County officials took notice
Of the activity that was going on.
Natives became interested I'm the
real estate movement. Hundreds
took advantage of the hectic grab
bling Of real estate and many of
the "a ,.ishrd in for themselves by
. inys Optinhs, :2...I. ,aelr an.