Harkers
Island, NC
Most
ancestors of Harkers Islanders lived in the Cape Lookout
area or on Shackleford Banks ( which had two primary settlements:
Diamond City and Wades Shore). These areas had their own
school ( 3 months out of the year), and stores. Church
meetings were often held near the shore where visiting
preachers would come by boat. These banks ancestors primarily
fished and whaled for a living, with a few doing some
boat building.
There
was an abundance of trees and the soil was fertile enough
for gardens. Wild Horses, cattle, pigs, sheep and goats
roamed the banks from that time up until the 1980's. In
the late 1890's and early 1900's the salt from hurricane
over wash destroyed the soil. Some homes were dislodged
off their foundations from these storms and folks started
moving to Harkers Island, Marshallberg and the Promised
Land from 1910 - 1920. The Promised Land is part of the
Morehead City Waterfront.
In
the summer of 1999 all the descendants of these "
banks" folk had an all-day reunion here on the island
with 700 to 800 persons attending.
There
were only 13 families living on the island when the folks
from Shackelford banks started moving over. The banks
folk integrated and continued to fish and build boats.
The
islanders are known for their dialect which can be traced
back to Old Elizabethan English. U.N.C.'s Department of
English has published a video on the subject.
Carmine
Prioli has published " Hope For a Good Season"
( featuring the fishermen and folks of Harkers Island).
The
Island was accessible only by boat, with mainland supplies
coming in that manner up until 1926, at which time a one
to two car maximum capacity ferry was started, going from
the north side of the island from the Ferry Dock Road
over to Gloucester.
The Mail Boat
The
first wooden bridge was constructed in 1941 and was replaced
by the present structure in 1968. There was only one road
through the island until about the mid to late 1950's.
Electricity
came in 1939 (REA) and telephone service in 1948. A school
was already here on the island which had existed here
since 1850.
Wachovia
set up the island's first bank in 1972. The first post
office was established in1904. The first Fire and Rescue
was established in 1972
There
are eight churches on the island, the first one established
in 1875, a Methodist. All the churches on the island are
known for their good singing and capable musicians, some
known near and far. The ladies of the churches are also
known for their great cooking, just attend a homecoming
dinner.
Harkers
Island is about 5 miles long (east and west) and 1 -2
miles wide (north and south). It is 17 miles east of Beaufort,
NC, 23 miles east of Morehead City and Atlantic Beach
and about 40+ miles from Cedar Island/Ocracoke Ferry Terminal
( down east). The island with it's local population of
1800-2000 persons is located West of Core Banks and North
of Shackleford Banks. Both areas are part of the Outer
Banks of North Carolina's Coast; these Banks also make
up the Cape Lookout National Seashore of which the Cape
Lookout Lighthouse is the main attraction.
Cape Lookout Lighthouse
Except
for maintained channels, many areas of our waters are
shallow, great for swimming, clamming, etc, but a potential
problem for the boatman unfamiliar with the local waters.
Though
often humid here in summer months, there are usually breezes
which make the summer temperatures more bearable.
Winters,
though windy and damp, are usually free from ice and snow.
While
the island is located far off the beaten path, we are
"Unfortunately" (?) being discovered by the
outside world. Just to prove this point, some recent visitors
have been the actor Paul Newman and former President George
Bush.
How
will all of this affect our culture in the future? Only
Time will tell.
