Please contact the North Carolina ferry service directly for the latest information, schedules and prices – Ferry Number:  1-800-293-3779, or online at www.ncferry.org. 

The boats to Portsmouth load at the NCCAT docks at Ocracoke.  Park your car and follow the crowd!  Return ferry reservations should be made on the last state ferry to Cedar Island if you are not planning to stay on Ocracoke Saturday night.  Dress for the weather and for the boat ride, and bring bug spray and good walking shoes!

Events for the day include a ribbing cutting for the newly restored Henry Pigott House, hymn singing in the Methodist church, a special stamp cancellation at the Post Office, homecoming program under the tent in the village, and dinner on the grounds immediately following the program.  Ice, paper products and tables will be provided.  Everyone needs to bring food to share and your beverage.  Please label your food containers and coolers.  ATV carts will meet you at the dock to carry your items into the village for you.   Following is the schedule of events for the day:

Beginning at 9:00 AM

Post Office, Visitor Center, Lifesaving Station, School and Church open

10:15-10:30 AM

Ribbon Cutting at the Henry Pigott House – house to be open remainder of the day

10:30 AM

Lionel Gilgo will be on the porch of the Lionel and Emma Gilgo House doing decoy demonstrations Portsmouth -style.

10:30-11:15 AM

Hym singing in the church

11:15 AM

Bell ringing to begin Homecoming Program under tent

12:00-1:00 PM

Dinner on the grounds

1:30-1:45 PM

Tree Planting – under tent – Tolling of the bell seven times for the first seven families who attended the first Friends of Portsmouth Island Homecoming in 1992:  Lucille Fulcher Armstrong, Willard Ira Babb, Marion Gray Babb, Jessie Lee Babb Dominique, Levin Fulcher, Clara Salter Gaskins, and Dot Salter Willis.

1:45 PM

Drawing for Lionel Gilgo’s Decoy

Boats will run until everyone has returned to Ocracoke.  Flush toilets are located at the Visitor Center.  Portable toilets are located behind the church.  Return to boats by the time on your ticket – do not go early!

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Back by popular demand, Portsmouth t-shirts will be available for the following donation prices: 

Without pocket - sizes S, M, L, XL – $12.00 donation.  Colors available in these shirts are light pink, light green, light blue and light yellow.

With pocket - sizes L, XL – $15.00 donation.  Colors available in the pocket shirts are gray and blue.

Henley shirt - sizes L, XL – $25.00 donation.  This shirt is available in gray only, and we don’t have as many of them so first come first served! 

The shirts have a picture of the Portsmouth church on the back, and “Portsmouth Island” written on the left front of the shirt.  These shirts will only be available at homecoming and at future FPI meetings.  They will not be available by mail.

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For the strong of heart and 4WD owners, Portsmouth Village is also accessible by ferry from the beach.  Contact Morris Marina at Atlantic (252-225-4261) for reservations and prices.

In case of inclement weather, Homecoming will be held at the Assembly of God Church on Lighthouse Road at Ocracoke.

For more information about Homecoming, contact Richard Meissner at 252-728-2250, Ext. 3008 (Cape Lookout National Seashore), or click on the “Contact Us” link on this website.  We will do our best to answer your questions.

P.O. Box 2303

Morehead City, NC 28557

UPDATED May 14 , 2012

HOMECOMING 2012!

Homecoming was a wonderful event this year, and the weather didn’t dampen our spirits at all!  We had well over 350 in attendance despite the weather and it was a good day for everyone.   Highlights of the day included the ribbon cutting at the Henry Pigott house, hymn singing in the church, and a wonderful program under the tent.   Chester Lynn led the service with the Invocation, and Ashley Eubanks (great-great granddaughter of Theodore and Annie Salter) led the Pledge of Allegiance.  Speakers included Captain Anthony Popiel (Section Commander-Coast Guard Sector North Carolina), David Quinn (grandson of the late Dot Willis), Pat Kenney (Superintendent of Cape Lookout National Seashore), and Richard Meissner (FPI President) and Phelps Forrest (FPI Board Member and Homecoming Committee member).  We enjoyed special music by Connie Mason, always a treat.   We observed a  moment of silence and tolling of the church bell in honor of the families of Portsmouth.  After the program everyone enjoyed wonderful food under the tent and no one went away hungry!   Seven oak trees were planted to honor the 7 families who attended the first Friends of Portsmouth Island Homecoming in 1992:  Lucille Fulcher Armstrong, Willard Ira Babb, Marian Gray Babb, Jessie Lee Babb Dominique, Levin Fulcher, Clara Salter Gaskins, and Dot Salter Willis.  The winner of Lionel Gilgo’s decoy was Rita Harris of Atlantic, NC.  Congratulations Rita!  We hope to have Homecoming pictures posted soon, so check back soon.   FPI would like to thank all those who helped make Homecoming a success – our Homecoming committee, all the volunteers who helped in so many ways (transportation, tee-shirt, notecard and membership booths, food tent helpers, Lionel Gilgo for the beautiful decoy for the raffle, Ocracoke post office employees who stamped letter and post cards, organist Eloise Collins, pianist Jack Goodwin, singer Connie Mason, Rev. Laura Stern, Rev. Ivey Belch, and those who prepared food and traveled all the way to Portsmouth for this special event.   It takes a special effort to get to Portsmouth, but it is well worth it, and we appreciate all those who attended.  We hope it was a special for you as it was for us. 

For additional information on Homecoming and Portsmouth, click on our “Cape Lookout National Seashore” link and the “Visiting Portsmouth” link and you will find additional information regarding Homecoming, audio tours, brochures, etc. 

 Fall Meeting – September 15, 2012

The next membership meeting will be held on Saturday, September 15, at the Core Sound Waterfowl Museum at Harkers Island.  The meeting will begin at 10:00 a.m.   We will be electing officers for the coming two years, so please plan to attend!  Our meetings are open to the public, so all are welcome to come and join us!  

Doctor’s Creek Journal 

Contact editor Jim White (info@jamesedwardwhite.com) for questions relating to the newsletter or if you would like to submit photos, articles, etc.   Be sure to keep your membership current so you don’t miss any issues of the Doctor’s Creek Journal.  The next issue of the Doctor’s Creek Journal should be out in June, and it will feature Homecoming, so you won’t want to miss is!  

Henry’s House Project

FPI’s newest project is the renovation, furnishing and opening to the public of the Henry Pigott House in Portsmouth Village.   The house has been under lease for many years and considered a private residence.  In December 2010 the Friends of Portsmouth Island received a Special Use Permit from the NPS to renovate the house and associated buildings on the lot.  When the restoration is complete, the house will be open to visitors as a museum with emphasis on the last residents, Henry and Lizzie Pigott (1930-1971).  The cost of the project is being funded by contributions to the Friends of Portsmouth Island-Henry’s House Project Fund.  A lot of work has already been done to the house, and we dedicated the house at Homecoming with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and tours of the house.  The work is ongoing, and we have established a fund for the continuing maintenance of Henry’s House. 

Membership

If you are not a member and wish to join, please click on the “Contact Us” link to request a membership form, and we will get one to you.

Located here are the graves of two seamen who died either aboard ship or at the Marine Hospital located on the Island. There may be other unmarked graves at this location. This cemetery is located on what was then property of the Collector of Customs for Ocracoke Inlet. It is located across the creek from the U.S. Life Saving Station. I find it fascinating that the families of these two men managed to have tombs sent to and erected on Portsmouth Island where most graves were marked with ballast stone or wooden markers in 1810 and 1821.

GREEN, Capt. Thomas W. of Providence, R. I. in his 32nd year d. 1-17-1810

HILZEY, Capt. William, d. 10-4-1821 , age 36 years 2 mo. 27 days

Near the church and behind the Jesse Babb home.

DIXON, Arthur Edward b. 1-14-1888 d. 10-31-1945

DIXON, Nora Elizabeth b. 3-5-1892 d. 9-12-1956

BABB, Lillian M. b. 7-30-1896 d. 1-8-1996

PIGOTT, Elizabeth b. 8-28-1889 d. 9-12-1960

PIGOTT, Henry b. 5-10-1896 d. 1-5-1971

A Fishing Hamlet

Portsmouth´s days as a center of commerce were over. Fishing replaced shipping as the primary occupation for the islanders that remained. In 1894, the U.S. Life-Saving Service was established on Portsmouth and for nearly 50 years played a vital role in the community. Steadily the population declined. In 1956 only 17 residents remained. The walls of time closed in on Portsmouth. Isolation, a depressed economy, and the constant threat to life and property from storms prompted the final abandonment of Portsmouth . With the death of Henry Pigott in 1971, Portsmouth´s last two residents, Marion Babb and Elma Dixon, reluctantly moved to the mainland. Another chapter in Portsmouth´s history had come to an end.

A Quiet Historic Village

In 1976 with the establishment of Cape Lookout National Seashore, new life came to Portsmouth. The 250-acre historic district of Portsmouth is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, an honor roll that recognizes outstanding historic buildings and districts throughout the United States. As one walks the lanes and trails of Portsmouth´s lost lifestyle, the buildings display a close knitted community which was typical along the Outer Banks. The modest houses speak of a working class community.

The People

Buildings alone cannot tell the Portsmouth story. Its history is not so much of ships, wharves, and fishing, but of the people who once lived there. Portsmouth is Miss Mary Dixon, a teacher in the island´s one room schoolhouse. For 37 years Miss Dixon taught readin´, ´ritin´, and ´rithmatic to all the island´s youth. Portsmouth is Sam Tolson. A waterman by trade, “Uncle Sam” and his “dancin´ slippers” highlighted many a Portsmouth social event. “Uncle Sam”, it was said, could balance a glass of water on his head and dance for hours without spilling a drop. Portsmouth is all the proud individuals who have called this seafaring village home.

Glimpses of Portsmouth

The United States Life-Saving Service Station was a leading influence in the community from the turn of the century until its decommission in 1937. Often the local people made up the crew members. Life was disciplined, drills harsh, and respect in the community widespread. The first appointed keeper was F.G. Terrel. From the watchtower, a nightly guard scanned the seas for vessels in trouble. Patrols walked the beach. Behind the large doors of the boathouse, oar powered surf rescue boats waited; ready to be rushed down the ramp and out to sea at a moment´s notice. While the Life-Saving Service played an important role for the islanders, the church filled another niche in their lives. The “Bankers” existence was at the mercy of the sea; their faith was placed in God for guidance. At one time the island had two churches, a Methodist and a Primitive Baptist. Both churches were destroyed in a 1913 storm. The Methodist church was rebuilt the following year and it still stands today. In the center of Portsmouth stands the town´s information and social hub, the United States Post Office, established in 1840. As far back as memory goes, the Post Office also served as a general store. Political discussions, fish tales, and croquet matches were typical afternoon affairs outside this structure. As Portsmouth declined, the Post Office remained one of the village´s few links with the outside world. In 1956 a postage stamp was the town´s only purchasable commodity. In 1959, the Post Office closed its doors for the last time. Summer kitchens and dairy houses provide views of an earlier time without generators or electricity. The kerosene stoves of the past could leave houses sweltering in the summer. Thus cooking was restricted to separate kitchen buildings. With no refrigerators on the island, residents used a shaded-screened dairy house and a cooling sea breeze to keep perishable items fresh.