Author: Rosanne Penley

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FALL MEETING – SEPTEMBER 21

We’d like to thank all who attended our meeting on Saturday; there were 39 in attendance. Here is our newly-elected board who will serve a 2-year term beginning in January 2025. From left to right: Kathy McNeilly (Immediate Past President), Barbara Gaskins-Eugene (Director), Julius Coronel (Treasurer), Frances Eubanks (Director), Emily Summey (Secretary – peeking up in the back), Jean Webber (Director), Connie Mason (President), Rosanne Penley (Director), Glenn Dunn (Director), Rudy Austin (Director), David Brown (Vice President).

Thanks to the Sanitary Restaurant for letting us host our meeting there, to our speakers, and those who helped with arrangements, set up and clean up. Several people stayed after the meeting to enjoy some good seafood. It was good to see everyone and we look forward to our spring meeting at Ocracoke on May 17, 2025.



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Fall Meeting – September 21, 2024

Our Fall Meeting is less than 4 weeks away! It will be at the Sanitary Restaurant in Morehead City at 10:00 on Saturday, September 21; all are welcome, whether or not you’re a member. Election of officers and board of directors will be held, and we’ll be having two guest speakers! Members of Erin Seekamp’s team from the NC State Coastal Resilience and Sustainability Initiative will speak about the results of the Research Request Survey for Cape Lookout National Seashore. Our second speaker will be Walter Steele Jr., president of Carteret County Historical Society’s Board of Trustees, who will be speaking about ancestry connections and available resources at the county museum. Immediately following the meeting, there will be a Dutch Treat lunch at the restaurant. We hope everyone will stay for that! T- shirts, sweatshirts and books will also be available.

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Harry & Lida Dixon/Dennis Mason House Update

Check out the work the maintenance crew at Cape Lookout National Seashore has done on the Harry & Lida Dixon/Dennis Mason House in the village! The roof has been completed! The crew is working on the rotting floors inside the house as they are waiting to get some new siding in for the outside. If you happen to be visiting the village this year and see our great CALO crew working, go say hello and thank them for all they do. Thanks to Ricky Daniels for these photos.

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Village Update!

Those of you who have been to Portsmouth recently – at Homecoming or otherwise – undoubtedly noticed what terrible shape the Harry and Lida Dixon House is in. Work has begun! This photo of the Park maintenance crew working on the roof was taken June 27 by current Park volunteer Ted Summey. Thank you, maintenance staff!! And thanks, Ted, for taking and sending us this photo.

Below are earlier pictures of the progress as they got started. CALO’s maintenance crew is the best! Ted took these photos also.

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MEMORIAL DAY AT PORTSMOUTH

Thanks to volunteers Glenn and Kathi Dunn who took this picture today, May 27, in remembrance of those who lost their lives in service to our country.

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Homecoming 2024!

Homecoming 2024 was a huge success! Look at this crowd, and this was not everyone. We are so thankful for the great weather we had and that so many could gather again. There were a lot of first timers and we hope they come back! Many thanks to the FPI volunteers, the Cape Lookout National Seashore staff under the leadership of Superintendent Jeff West, and all attendees who made the trip. We are indebted to the Austins, who somehow seem to get everyone there and back for the day. We were happy to see lots of folks who came on their own boats as well.

The winners of the two raffle items were Suzanne Williams (antique coverlet) and Marshall Hamrick (framed original drawing of the Portsmouth Lifesaving Station by Bruce Tarkington). Congratulations to these winners, and thank you to Jeanne Robertson and Bruce Tarkington for these incredible donations.

We’ll have more to come, but enjoy the group picture above taken by Ann Ehringhaus of Ocracoke.

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HOMECOMING SCHEDULE OF EVENTS – APRIL 27, 2024

Don’t forget to make your ferry reservations to Portsmouth with the Austins! Also, be sure to get your ferry reservations to Ocracoke now if you are coming via Swan Quarter or Cedar Island – ferries are filling up fast! If coming from Hatteras, plan to be on the earliest one you can to get over in time to be with us. Be sure to stop by the sign in table to pick up your Homecoming 2024 pin!

All descendants are invited to bring family photographs, scrapbooks, displays, etc. to the McWilliams-Dixon house (next to the church). Your items will be safely displayed and can be picked up on your way back to the boat at the end of this fabulous day.

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FERRY RESERVATIONS!

The Austins are now taking reservations for their ferry to Portsmouth from Ocracoke for our April 27th Homecoming! The fare is $25 round trip per person. Please give them a call at 252-928-4361 to reserve your spot. We look forward to seeing everyone!

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HOMECOMING RAFFLE!

MEMBERS – your raffle tickets are in the mail! If you haven’t received them yet, you should be getting them soon. Read the instructions on your flyer, fill out the appropriate part of each ticket that you wish to purchase, and send those and a check for your payment in the enclosed envelope. Tickets will also be available for purchase at Homecoming for all who attend, of course! We have a couple of wonderful prizes this year!! Below are photos and descriptions of these prizes.

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PORTSMOUTH VILLAGE UPDATES!

Thanks to Jeff West for providing us with pictures of rehab work in the village! These pictures of the Theodore and Annie Salter house (Visitor Center) were taken in late January. Scroll down for more pictures!

These pictures of the Community Cemetery rehab were taken last month during the rehab work. Maintenance crews applied slow acting cleaner and planted grass seed.

This picture is from last week. The school house has had lots of termite damage and the crew is making great progress on this!

We are excited about the rehab work going on in the village and thank Jeff and the maintenance crew for all the work they are doing. If we get more updates we will post here. We can’t wait to see the continued progress in the village at Homecoming!