Kitty Hawk, NC 1926. Notice the tags are from Virginia. We even welcomed visitors back then!
From the family album. I'm working to put together some pages of old photos like this to preserve the history of the family and the area, and will post a link when it gets published.

So is your mom or grandmother in the picture? Just curious!

Thanks Kimco for a blast from the past. This proves that you can get to the beach without a vehicle the size of an Excursion or Hummer.

Kimco

When did your family move permanently to OBX?

Legend has it that my great-great grandfather washed up on shore of the Outer Banks from a shipwreck,immigrating from Ireland. I don't know if I believe the lore but it does make a good story. Seriously, my mothers family has been here since the 1800's. My maternal grandmother's father moved to Roanoke Island from Tyrell county in the late 1800's. My grandmother, my mother, and myself were all born on Roanoke Island (Manteo). My maternal grandfather's family moved here also in the l800's but not sure when. We go WAY back. I own land that has been in my family for four generations since before Dare County was Dare County. Will never sell it either. I definitely claim the title "native".

The little girl second from the right is my husband's mother. She was born in a house next to the "Paul Gamiel's Hill" life saving station, where her daddy was a member of the U. S. Life Saving Service, which became the Coast Guard. "Paul Gamiel's Hill" life saving station was located where the present day beach access parking lot is between Eighth and Ninth Ave. in Southern Shores.

Good for you, don't ever sell. You sure are a real native, how great is that

Great photo! Has your husband's family been there for generations also?

Yes, they have been here since the 1800's as well. A lot of them were US Life Saving/Coast Guard members. We actually found a blueprint of a plot of land for 90 acres of Kitty Hawk purchased by one of my husband's mother's side the other day while digging thru the relics.

I just love reading about the old Outer Banks, but a question for you, what was the area called before it was Dare County, was it part of Hyde County or another neighboring county?

Until 1870, the land that is now Dare was part of Currituck County.