The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1957-04-19

today in Selling upon the oppor-
tunities opening up.
The airport is a vital facility in
this air age to build sound tour
lists business, with more and more
individuals with their own air
crafts. It is a necessity to attract
busy men with the means for
leisure. A landing field would also
be an adjunct to facilities in Man
teo, Washington and nearby towns.
With enlargement of tourist at
fractions one of the major oppor-
tunities opening up, this seems to
be one Of the forward-moving steps
to assure progress. And if the
dreams of some are to come true
and this is to become a, part of
the foremost playground on the
Atlantic seaboard, it seems to be
a necessity.
What are thu opportunities OPEN
ing up?
/. Tourist businesses, created by
promotion of the Mattamuskeet
Wildlife Refuge, Outer Banks at
fractions and those in neighboring
areas.
2. Better farming, with markets
made more accessible.
Those who are looking to the
future foresee the area getting a
bigger share of the money being
spent by a nation on the move and
with a population that is finding
more time on its hand as labor
gets more time off.
They cite opportunities for new
services to provide for these peo-
pie; a chance to promote real
estate investments catering to
part-time residents and retired
people; and overall a chance to
turn the tide and grow.
Still others see an opportunity
for a new and more profitable type
of agriculture which will keep
farmers on the farm raising dairy
cows and poultry to be sold in
nearby resort and metropolitan
areas. And also a more intensive
program of cultivation which will
bring a greater return.
And with it all an opportunity
to promote some small industry,
impossible in the decades of isola-
ton just past.
But while tomorrow is another
day, the past has not been easy.
improvements have come slow,
with isolation as the brake on
progress.
Here is part of the story as re-
called by Mr.. Watson:
Something like 20 years ago, to
be exact-Oct. 10th, 1935-several
of the citizens from four counties
south Of the Albemarle Sound
Dare, Washington, Tyrrell and
Hyde-met in Columbia, the county
seat Of Tyrrell and made plans fo1
the Southern Albemarle Associa-
EtiOn, with the principal objective
being to get roads and bridges
built in this section.
"At this time there were nc
roads and bridges connecting coun-
ty seat-to-county seat from Hyde
County to Tyrrell nor to Dare. To
make this first meeting / had tc
drive around by Plymouth and or
into Columbia. The same situation
existed between here and Manteo
the county seat of Dare. To attend
the gathering at which time Presi.
dent Roosevelt visited Dare County
Aug. 49, 1888, to see the "Lost
Colony" we had to drive to Co.
lumbia, cross by ferry the Alliga.
tor River and into Manns Harbol
and again by ferry across Croatar
Sound.
During these 20 or more years
things have happened in the way
of development far beyond the
dreams, ideas and detectives anc
resolutions sponsored and adopted
at this first meeting. Today we
have direct outlets to Belhaven and
Washington; to Pantego and Plym-
outh, with a more direct routing
in the making through Pioneer and
on into Plymouth; by Fairfield
direct into Columbia; and now with
the William B. Umstead Memorial
bridge completed we are in close
touch with Manteo and the Outer
Banks and last but not least, sur
faced road via Oregon and Hat
teras Inlet ferries into Ocracoke