The Ocracoke Preservation Society will bring back its popular Historic Home Tour on Friday, Nov. 28.
This will be the first home tour since before Hurricane Dorian in 2019.
That evening will include a holiday lighting of the public Commons, the Parade of Boats and an Ocrafolk Opry concert.
Four unique homes along Lighthouse Road within the nationally recognized Ocracoke Historic District will be featured on the tour from 2 to 4 pm.
“The home tour is an incredible opportunity to step back in time and experience the design and details of historic structures on the island from folks so intimately involved,” said OPS Administrator Warner Passanisi. “This event is a unique opportunity for visitors to experience Ocracoke inside and out.”
The tour will culminate at 4:30 pm with a first look at the renovation of the Island Inn.
Built in 1901, the building has been an Odd Fellow’s Lodge, a school, a Navy officer’s club, a coffee shop, a hotel and more.
Purchased by the Ocracoke Preservation Society with community participation, the building is being renovated as a community, education and visitors center.
The history of the Inn will be shared by two local island elders.
A limited number of tickets for the tour and the talk inside the Inn are $50 each and are already going quickly.
The home tour will be followed by the lighting of the Commons at 5:30, a public garden space next to the Inn, and the Boat Parade sponsored by the Ocracoke Seafood Company (the Fish House) from 5:30 to 7 p.m.
“The Ocracoke Parade of Boats is a celebration of life on the water: if it floats, it’ll be lit up!” said Susie O’Neal, manager of the Fish House.
Spectators can view the parade from anywhere on Silver Lake Harbor.
The evening will end with an Ocrafolk Opry concert at 8 p.m. in the Deepwater Theater.
“The Opry features the incredible musical talent of the island, spanning three generations,” said David Tweedie, the fiddler for Molasses Creek.
For more information and to purchase a ticket for the Home Tour, go to https://www.ocracokepreservationsociety.org/ops-events/historichometour
Not mentioned in the article is the 125 year old Capt Bill Thomas house that stands fast on the west side of Silver Lake. It was built for 50 bucks by Charlie Scarborough from sketches drawn by Capt Bill of a house he saw in St Kitts, West Indies. As I understand it, the house was the first on the island to have a built-in trap door to prevent rising tides from lifting it off the foundation.
In my mind’s eye I can see the Captain standing on the second floor porch-there was one before a hurricane blew it off 80 years ago-coffee cup in hand, watching storm clouds build over the Sound and thinking well, maybe tomorrow. (Thanks to P Howard and C Leinbach for pointing me to info about this island treasure, my dream house.)
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