The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1955-01-14
MANY THOUSANDS ATTRACTED
BY MANY HISTORIC SITES
GOVERNMENT ADMINISTERED
Dare County Enjoys Splendid New Income From
Throngs Of Tourist Visitors Resulting From
Promotion Of Our Beautiful Historic and
Park Sites

Park Sites
Cape Hatteras Seashore Recrea-
tional Area and other National
Park Service sites along the
Outer Banks and on Roanoke Is
land attracted many thousands of
vacationists from each of the 48
states, the District of Columbia
ad at least % foreign nations or
possessions during the 1854 travel
year ending December 81.
Travel figures obtained from
various sources on the Dare Coast
rejecting these facts in year-end
reports of Allyn Hanks, superin-
tendent of Americas first publicly
owned oceanside recreational area
the Cape Hatteras National Sea-
shore and Horace Dough, superin-
tendent of the Wright Brothers
Memorial at Kill Devil Hills, Mr..
Hanks report also includes at
tendance figures of Fort Raleigh
National Historic Site, on Roam
oke Island.
Monument Visitors
Visitors counted at Wright
Brothers Monument exceeded the
previous all-time high of 1858, the
golden anniversary year of avia-
ton, by 1856 persons, or total of
1854 visitors counted. Remark
able for in December 1854 only
4,430 persons were counted at the
Wright Monument as compared to
12,648 in 1858 when the big four
day celebration was staged at Kill
Devil Hills.
Fort Raleigh Loses
While attendance at Wright
Memorial showed a small increase
the number of visitors at Fort
Raleigh considerably decreased
for the year, some say largely due
to the admission charge.
During the year ending Decem.
Der 81, total of 1864 persons
visited Fort Raleigh; included If
the count were 1927 patrons Of
The Lost Colony. In 1858, a total
of 166,385 persons were counted
at Fort Raleigh. While some per-
sons may see cause for alarm in
the approximately $4,000 drop at
Fort Raleigh last year as COM
pared to 1858, it is general con-
coded that many visitors counted
in former years were local resi-
dents who entered the fort merely
for the ride or as a place to make
a circle turn. During the current
winter there is no gate entrance
fees at Fort Raleigh, but a charge
of 25 cents is made to persons en-
! tering the museum, it was stated.
National Seashore
Cape Hatteras National Sea-
shore was probably the most visit
ed area on the Dare Coast during
1854. Superintendent Hanks esti-
mates that 10000 persons OF
those going to Hatteras Island
had as their main purpose to visit
the Seashore area.
Under a cooperative arrange
ment with the Coast Guard. the
National Seashore has made il
possible for tourists to visit his
toric Cape Hatteras Lighthouse
during certain hours and certain
days of the week. In 1854, 10,30s
persons visited the lighthouse
Since July 10, 1854, when it wa:
opened to the public, a total Of
12,940 persons have visited the
new Maritime Museum at Cape
Hatteras. No entrance fee i:
charged at the museum or light
house, it was stated.
Electric Counters
On September 4, last year cleo.
trio or automatic counters were
placed at two turmoil roads with.
in the National Seashore area
From that date until December 81
a total of 10,471 vehicles crossed
the counter on road from MAR
highway to Cape Point at Buxton
or a total of more than 10000 per.
sons estimated. At Oregon Inlet
Fishing Center since September
4, a total of 9,082 automobiles
were counted. These figures rep.
resent traffic in only one direc
On October A counter was placed
on highway at the National Sea.
shore headquarters and until the
end of the year, 1865 auto.
See THOUSANDS, Page Two