By James D. “Keeper James” Charlet
To answer that immediately, it is because even though the Outer Banks is world-famous; even though everyone knows about our beaches and our wonderful vacation offerings; and all visitors love our natural beauty; and since everyone knows about our famous lighthouses – it is because almost none of them know about out incredible history of the United States Life-Saving Service (direct predecessor of today’s Coast Guard). Yes, we have three well-cared-for lighthouses, we had twenty-nine Life-Saving stations that saved thousands of shipwreck victims. Almost all of those stations are gone; one more is about to be…unless we all help to rescue it.
You may have heard that we have started the gargantuan task to Rescue-Restore-Rejuvenate & Repurpose the 1898 Oregon Inlet Life-Saving/U.S. Coast Guard Station by forming a new 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. It has already generated much positive support and pleasant reactions.
Right now we need “Starter Funds” to accomplish so much of the groundwork required.
All donations to a registered nonprofit such as ours are fully tax-deductible! You can give those funds to the government or to us. As North Carolina State said in the 2024 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, “Why Not Us?” We agree!
With your help, this eventually will be a First Class, professional organization, with full-time paid staff, operating as a self-sustaining economic organization.
We have made significant progress so far; see our website for details: www.OBXcoastguardHPG.com.
Our proposed floor plan is NOT a restoration. Rather, it is a Repurposing to include a Visitors Welcome Center, a Gift Shop, a museum room to honor all 29 of North Carolins’s twenty-nine US Life-Saving Stations, a Display room to recognize Sponsors, Donors and Supporters, an Event Venue room, a weather station, a webcam in the tower, and other ideas as they develop. What are your ideas? We want significant positive public input.
This fund is so we can begin the Capital Campaign to raise $18.98 million to Rescue and Repurpose the magnificent 1898 Life-Saving/Coast Guard Station!
Send checks to The Outer Banks Coast Guard History Preservation Group (OBCGHPG), P.O. Box 633, Rodanthe, Nc 27968.
For more information, see our Facebook page of the same name and our new website OBXcoastguardHPG.com, which is still under construction.