OUTER BANKS COAST GUARD HISTORY PRESERVATION GROUP

If you have crossed the Oregon Inlet bridge going to Hatteras Island in the past 30 years, especially since the new bridge, you have seen that station.

​

A brief version of a complicated situation: It started in 1988 when the station was decommissioned, making way for the present United States Coast Guard (USCG) Motor Lifeboat (MLB) Station Oregon Inlet. A lawsuit over ownership generated by property taxes awarded the abandoned station to the State of North Carolina. The state really didn’t know what to do with it, so it offered it to the nearest state agency – which was the NC Aquarium on Roanoke Island (Manteo).

​

The Aquarium had big plans for it; accomplished several designs and set a budget. Then, ironically, a hurricane destroyed Jennette’s Pier, and this happened instead: a new huge, beautiful concrete Jennette’s Pier. That is where all the state money and plans went. That left the Life-Saving station with no future.

​

So, unfortunately, it remained abandoned, isolated, and vandalized. One major effort was made to address the situation: it was raised by quite a few feet, new siding and windows were added, but the interior was stripped.  However, it still remained abandoned, not maintained and more vandalism.

​

To address the situation, the Aquarium then only had two realistic options: (1) give it away, or (2) move it to Manteo where they could at least save it from further deterioration and vandalism. The latter required an expensive move, cutting the building and destroying a major part of Hatteras Island’s history. They had also been talking to another Manteo group, a small museum open one day a year, which would result in the same ruin.

​

Unfortunately, that spawned numerous inaccurate rumors for which the Outer Banks is famous. What was incorrect was that it did NOT need to be moved. It could be resurrected by a nonprofit right where it is an serve many useful functions and benefit hundreds of thousands of tourists. The most common arguments are that a hurricane will soon get it if it stays there. Well, it had been there since 1898… since 1898! It has seen quite a few storms in all those years.

The other is that it is in danger of erosion. Look at that photograph…it is surrounded by a lot of island. The land to its north is actually increasing. Jennette’s Pier is in far greater danger of both.

​

Recently founded is the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization named the Outer Banks Coast Guard History Preservation Group TM to save this Outer Banks treasure. We want it to remain in its original 126-year-old birthplace and serve many useful functions; primarily as a Visitors Welcome Center, a museum celebrating all of the Outer Banks 29 United States Life-Saving Service stations, a gift shop and a meeting venue. One of its “coolest” features would be webcam in the tower! Can you imagine the popularity of such a video portal?! Links would allow people from all over the world to watch the charter fishing boats going in and out of the Oregon Inlet Marina. As well as watching Coast Guard operations, the traffic on the Basnight Bridge, or watching the gulls, cormorants, and pelicans flying by. And watching the eddies of the currents…or just gazing at the world of water as seen from this amazing vantage point. Many will be inspired to plan a vacation here, increasing local economies.

​

There are more details, but that is the basics. We are happy to answer your other questions.