The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1953-11-06
CLARION CALL TO OCRACOKE
TO BE ISLAND EMPIRE ANEW
BY UNION WITH NEIGHBORSI
Diverse Winds of History, Economic Changes,
Ambitions of Travellers and Political For
tunes Have Buffeted This Famed Island In
to Wide Awakening to New Opportunities.
By MARVIN HOWARD
OcracOke. N. C..

1nSI9 is -CudllSIlSe IOOoy 1Ol
Ocracoke people to unite and
once again become an Island En-
pire. For two centuries it was
such, complete within itself.
There are now new conditions
facing it, there are golden oppor-
tunities knocking every day at
the door of its people, and unless
we bestir ourselves, we are go
ing to lose rich rewards such as
are bringing great prosperity and
progress to our seashore neigh
borS to the north and to the south
of us.
Orphaned by the wide water
which divides it from the main
land. Ocracoke for many decades
has not been so fortunate even as
Hatteras Island, where although
apparently forgotten at times, its
people could if they desired reach
their county seat and ask for re-
cognition, even though it took
them a day to make the trip. But
a trip to Ocracoke's county seat
for most people most all the year,
has been entirely out of the ques-
ton. And while Hatteras has
gone forward, this has come of its
having been part of more ia
vored county and now has good
roads, Ocracoke's situation is not
improved and in relation to
changing times is worse off than
ever, and there is no likelihood of
an improvement unless good
roads are provided like other
stretches of the outer banks. On
the other hand, Ocracokers may
now travel north with ease and
Ieach the county seat of Dare
Thin three hours.
VOcracoke's plight, while con-
sidered by some as neglect on the
part of the officials of its county,
is more the result of chance and
circumstance. It never seemed
practical to the mainland people
of Hyde County to do much for
Ocracoke Island. 1t was just too
far away, assuming there were
the desire and the inclination
which obviously has been lack
ing. A century ago, even a decade
ago, before the days of good
roads, Ocracokers were just as
well off as anybody. 1t was a
small but independent empire. It's
people were resourceful and had
plenty. They needed no help. 1t
was their nature to live as thrift
tily on Gods abundance as did
the Banker ponies roaming the
green meadows in the spring
time.
In fact, Ocracokers in those
days were better off than the
people of the mainland who had
their wet years or their dry
years, or their crop failures and
maybe like other farmers lost one
crop out of four, Yet on Ocracoke
Island nature lavished bounty
abundantly upon the people, in
season after season, throughout
the year. 1t just wasn't natural
for Ocracokers to ask for any
thing because the waters teemed
the year round with CLAIMS, oy-
sters, fish, in fact all kinds of
seafood. Throughout the winter,
rnultitudes of ducks and geese
came from the north to further
enrich the livelihood of the peo-
pie. And again the sea often
yielded unexpected bounty from
shipwreck and flotsam useful to
the people
Once Money Didn't Matter.
What matter about money in
those old days. Gardens flourish
ed with green vegetables and
there were fruits and anything
else needed was easily obtained
by barter. 1t was easy to salt and
save plenty of fish and trade
them off with neighbors across
the water, bringing home corr
and beans and potatoes ano
household goods and supplies fol-
Rtfnen and fishermen.
But after a time drearier days
dawned, not once but several
times through the years fol
Ocracoke and the whole coast
land and each one of them be-
came more dismal than the pre-.
ceding one. And Ocracoke was
not only less fortunately situated
but less interested in building the
hedge against disaster that sc
many other communities had the
foresight to build and by which
they now profit.
The loss in income to the PEG,
pie of Ocracoke, has followed {
chain of events. In comparative
years, the Coast Guard anc
Lighthouse service which EN-
Il See CALL, Page Eight