The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1952-09-26
WHAT THE SEASHORE
PARK CAN M E AN
TO OCRACOKE ISLAND
By JIM RUSH

lin The Winston-Salem Journal)
Since the plans for the National
Seashore park were revived few
weeks ago by the donation Of
$618,0O0 to help acquire the nee
essary land, and the state gave a
similar sum, there have been re-
ports of opposition to the park
by residents of the Outer Banks.
One person went so far as to say
that 95 percent of the registered
voters on the island opposed the
park.
This estimate is undoubtedly an
exaggeration, and if a public
meeting which was held at Ocra-
coke recently is any criterion, the
opposition which exists arises
mostly from a lack of information
on the part of the Outer Bankers.
The proposed series of public hear
ings dispel much Of the present
opposition.
Representative Herbert Bonner
of the First District paid a visit
to Ocracoke early in August. No
ordinary tourist, Mr.. Bonner stay
ed at the Coast Guard station.
The purpose of his visit to the
island, other than the obvious one
of politaical fence mending, was
to talk with the residents about
the proposed park. Several days
before the meeting was to be held,
typewriter cards were posted a..
bout the town informing the citi-
zens of the time and the : place.
On a Thursday evening at the
recreation hall of the Ocracoke
School, about Is persons Ia good
turnout for a community which
numbers only a few 'hundred)
gathered to hear Mr.. Bonner. Aft
er taking about half his allotted
time to tell the people about him
self and what he was doing for
them in Congress, Mr.. Bonner dis
cussed the proposed park. -
Mr.. Bonner minced no words.
He said he was Fundamentally
in favor of the park, and that he
was sure all of the Outer Bankers
would be too, when they knew the
facts. A question period followed
the talk, and it was through the
questions that an observer could
most easily determine what was
on the mind of the residents. The
questions indicated no opposition
to the park, merely a desire to
find out just what the park would
mean to the Bankers.
The questions asked by the Oc-
racoke residents were: What is
going to happen to my land?
What will happen to my taxes if
a large amount of the county is
going to be taken from the tax
rolls? How will the exact bounda-
ries of the park be determined?
How will the land be taken over?
What changes can the National
Park Service be expected to make
in the area? What about our hunt
ing and fishing rights? Will the
park mean that Ocracoke Island
will finally geta road, as Bodie
Island has had for some years
and as Hatteras is now getting?
In answer to a question as to
! the limits of the park with re-
spect to the various towns on the
Outer Banks, Mr.. Bonner replied
that the exact boundaries will be
determined by conferences between
the National Park Service and the
towns; that each town would be
left with sufficient space for fu-
ture expansion without encroach-
ing on the park property.
This will probably be more diff
ficult than it appears because the
towns on the Outer Banks have no
municipal organization comparable
to that of Winston-Salem. There
are no Mayors, for instance; and
no city halls or police departments.
The towns will undoubtedly have
to name representatives to deal