Just a brief update:…read more If you have been to the lighthouse over the past few years, you know that work has been ongoing at the keepers quarters. What this means in the short term is that three or four parking spaces for the lighthouse on lighthouse road are being taken up by various trucks or construction equipment. This can be mitigated by a short drive down to the Ocracoke Assembly of God Church where they, obviously not during Sunday services, have plenty of parking in two separate areas. (It goes without saying, follow their sign and don't be dick, give them a few bucks in their drop box). The main walkway to the lighthouse is still very much open and you can see what you would have seen prior, the exterior, since climbing here has never been a thing. While the work on the keepers quarters was supposed to have been done by now, but it'll get there when it gets there and the upside is that you'll be able to get inside and see some of it versus it being fully closed to the public.

This was the number one thing I wanted to see on Ocracoke and now that I've seen it, I'm happy! I…read morelove lighthouses, having visited 128 lighthouses across the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Portugal, the Republic of Ireland and even a lightboat in Sweden. Do lighthouses in Oklahoma (Lake Hefner), West Virginia (Summersville) and Vermont (Shelburne) count? They do for me! Ocracoka's lighthouse is easy to access with parking lots nearby and it's maybe a one mile walk from the ferry terminal. It was built in 1823 by Massachusetts builder Noah Porter and is the oldest operating lighthouse in North Carolina and the second oldest still standing in the state. It was constructed to guide ships safely through the treacherous Ocracoke Inlet into Pamlico Sound, a vital route for maritime trade and military supply lines. Standing 75 feet tall with a conical brick structure, the lighthouse was automated in 1955, and while visitors can access the base during summer months, the tower itself is not open for climbing. Its enduring presence and simple elegance make it one of the most beloved landmarks on the Outer Banks. [Review 775 of 2025 - 4207 in North Carolina - 24335 overall]

This marker overlooks the parking area for the Cedar Island Ferry and is one of the first things…read moreyou'll spot as you disembark. It points out the history of a War of 1812 warship. It has the same text on both sides. It reads, "USRC Mercury. U.S. Revenue Cutter in War of 1812. Patrolled Ocracoke Inlet. Escaped British ships offshore, 1813, to deliver warning of threat to New Bern." Online, there is more information. Commissioned in 1807 and based in New Bern, Mercury patrolled the waters around Ocracoke Inlet to enforce customs laws and protect against British incursions. In July 1813, when British forces launched a surprise attack on Ocracoke and Portsmouth, Mercury was the only American vessel to escape, carrying vital custom house documents and funds. Its crew raced to New Bern and delivered a timely warning that allowed North Carolina officials to prepare defenses, ultimately thwarting the British plan to invade the interior. The cutter continued its patrols throughout the war and later contributed to rebuilding coastal infrastructure and preventing smuggling. [Review 774 of 2025 - 4206 in North Carolina - 24334 overall]

This marker overlooks the Ocracoke South Terminal. There is a large parking lot nearby and it is…read moreeasy to stop and read the marker. The same text on both sides, it reads, "Lt. Robert Maynard. Of the Royal Navy. Sent by Gov. Spotswood of Virginia, in the sloop "Ranger," killed the pirate Blackbeard off shore, 1718." In the fall of 1718, the notorious pirate Edward Teach--better known as Blackbeard--was killed in North Carolina waters by British Royal Navy Lieutenant Robert Maynard, marking one of the most legendary episodes of the Golden Age of Piracy. Blackbeard had used the shallow inlets of North Carolina's coast for refuge, prompting Virginia's Governor Alexander Spotswood to send two sloops, Ranger and Jane, manned by Royal Navy crews, to hunt him down. On November 22, Maynard's forces engaged Blackbeard's sloop, the Adventure, near Ocracoke Inlet, leading to a brutal hand-to-hand battle in which Maynard personally shot the pirate captain. It is marker number B-43 and it was erected in 1955 by the Archives and Highway Departments. [Review 849 of 2025 - 4279 in North Carolina - 24406 overall] [7/20]

Located across from the iconic U.S. Weather Bureau Station, the Hatteras Convention Marker provides…read moreinsight into a lesser-known period of Civil War history. It captures the intricate political scheming and allegiances that developed throughout the Outer Banks, where some residents sought safety under the Union flag despite never having favored secession. It honors a daring but brief attempt at reunion during the Civil War. Following the occupation of the region by Union forces, Union Colonel Rush C. Hawkins called the Hatteras Convention on November 18, 1861. In addition to designating Hatteras as the state's temporary capital and appointing Marble Nash Taylor as its interim governor, delegates ruled that North Carolina's secession was void. Taylor even demanded a congressional election, but the U.S. Congress disregarded the results, and the experiment was essentially terminated when President Lincoln appointed Edward Stanley as military governor. [Review 790 of 2025 - 4222 in North Carolina - 24350 overall]

Food always great! Service awsome! We were stranded on the…read moreisland do to an Nor'easter storm. Staff was very friendly and kept us updated on local news. Thank you for taking care of us... breakfast lunch and dinner!

This marker stands at the curve where NC 12 turns to start heading north along the Outer Banks. It…read morepoints out the history of the geographic and nautical vicinity. The marker has the same text on both sides. It reads, "'Diamond Shoals. 'Graveyard of Atlantic.' German submarines sank over 100 ships here, 1941-42, in the "Battle of Torpedo Junction." Shoals are 3 mi. south." Diamond Shoals is a shifting series of sandbars off Cape Hatteras. It has long threatened ships due to its volatile location where the Gulf Stream meets the Labrador Current. Recognizing the danger, Congress authorized the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in 1794 and later deployed lightships and established the U.S. Life Saving Service to aid mariners. Though steamships reduced wrecks by the early 20th century, German U-boats sank numerous vessels near the shoals during both World Wars. Today, modern navigation has improved safety, but the shoals remain a cautionary zone for passing vessels. There is room to stop and read the marker, which is number B-41 and was erected in 1962 by the Archives and Highways Departments. [Review 796 of 2025 - 4228 in North Carolina - 24356 overall]

I was hesitant to write a review for the OVFD because I felt like maybe I wasn't respecting the…read moreisland's privacy in a way. This review is to discuss the awesome time we had on a Tuesday night. If you're on Ocracoke on a Tuesday in June, July or August you may notice signs on 12 advertising for bingo night. This volunteer-run event pits locals and visitors alike in the epic battle that is bingo. The door opens around 7:00pm, and the hall only seats 100, so get in early. $12 gets you 12 games ($6 for kids). If you are really into it, and want to increase your odds, extra cards are $5 for the large, and $2.50 for the small. This is no a spectator sport, so if you ain't playing, you ain't coming in (unless you want to volunteer). Most importantly, part of the proceeds go to the OVFD. Okay, so us being bingo novices we sat nervously and analyzed the board describing the games. They have bingo markers for a few dollars, which makes a huge difference when you are pouring over the numbers. They also have popcorn, hot dogs, and soda, but that's just a distraction. So the games. I was unaware of all the different ways to play bingo. We have the standard diagonal, across, up and down, but then there are four "special" games. The first three special games $1.50 for a card of 3 blocks, and the fourth card is $2.00 each. These games are a higher payout, but I'm sure that changes depending on how many people are playing. From the OVFD website: - Special game number 1 is worth 1/2 of the special games sold for the house and 1/2 for the winner. - Special game 2 is the $100 blackout. Your entire card must be covered before the 52nd or higher number is called. (No one got this and the pot went down to $25) - Special game 3 is the triangle game. You can win the large triangle (2/3 of the pot) or the small triangle (1/3 of the pot). - Special game 4 is the $500 blackout. Your entire card must be covered before the 52nd or above number is called. We left before seeing if someone got it. After each special game and at random times they do a drawing for door prizes. Sometimes this means you get an extra bingo card, sometimes it means getting some cool Ocracoke memorabilia. I started my night lucky. Before I walked in, I found a $1 bill. During the night, I won one raffle that gave me an extra card to play with. Then I got bingo in one of the traditional games. And at the end I won another raffle that gave me a $20 gift card to Zillies! This is a great way to spend a Tuesday night during the summer. Please go support the OVFD either by playing or by volunteering.

On the west side of North Carolina 12 in Hatteras, this marker points out a critical radio…read moremilestone. And here I am listening to FM radio! The marker reads, "From near here in 1902 R. A. Fessenden sent the first musical notes ever relayed by radio waves. Received 48 miles north." It is marker number B-53 and it was erected in 1988 by the Division of Archives and History. On December 24 1902, Fessenden transmitted the first intentional radio broadcast, which included him playing his violin and reading a passage from the Bible. These sounds traveled 48 miles north to Roanoke Island, marking the first time musical notes were sent by radio waves. Fessenden's work introduced the continuous wave principle. His success in transmitting voice and music wirelessly revolutionized communication and laid the groundwork for future broadcasting technology. Fessenden patented more than 500 ideas, mostly in the field of radio, and is recognized as the originator of the continuous wave principle in wireless transmission, the foundation for modern AM radio. [Review 797 of 2025 - 4229 in North Carolina - 24357 overall]

This marker is located in the sand dune outside of Ocracoke proper on the way south. It is easy to…read moremiss but worth stopping for a read. The front reads, "In December 1943, the U.S. Navy Section Base became the Advanced Amphibious Training Base (AATB) for the Beach Jumpers. Experienced officers and men from earlier units were brought back to assist in the training of Units 6, 7, 8 and 9 personnel, who would later serve in the Pacific. These units were trained in bothe classroom and live exercises of seaborne deception. To simulate full forces invasions along the beach while on board the 63 ft. ARBs (air-sea rescue boats). The boats were capable of high speeds and carried time delayed explosives, amplifiers, recorders (sound effects), smoke pots, radar, radios, rocket launchers and two sets of twin 50 caliber machine guns. They also used radio and radar counter measures to deceive the enemy. In making them believe an invasion was taking place along the beach. The base was closed in early 1946, after World War II ended and the boats were returned to Little Creek Amphibious Base, VA." And the rear, "Beach Jumpers were United States Navy tactical cover and deception units which were organized under Vice Admiral H.K. Hewitt, then Commander, Amphibious Forces U. S. Atlantic Fleet, and all U.S. Naval Forces in Northwest African Waters and Western Mediterranean. The concept for Beach Jumpers came about as a result of then-Lieutenant Douglas E. Fairbanks, Jr., the Hollywood actor-turned navel officer during World War II, having been detached from "blue water" duty on the high seas and assigned to duty with British Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten, Combined Operations (Commandos) in England." The monument was installed in 2009 by the Hyde County Heritage Trail. There is room to pull off the roadway. [Review 781 of 2025 - 4213 in North Carolina - 24341 overall]