Outer Banks Historical Places to Visit

Chicamacomico Lifesaving Station Historic Site Most complete U.S. Lifesaving Station site in the nation, with original station built in 1874 and a second station constructed in 1911. Five outbuildings, three water tanks, and one cistern comprise the remaining structures, plus a home built in 1907. Family-oriented programs offered during summer months. Exhibits include artifacts, apparatus, documents, uniforms, photographs, including a display honoring the only all-black crew in American history who served at the Pea Island Lifesaving Station. Hours: Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. beginning Memorial Day; Thursday at 2 p.m. the National Park Service presents "Beach Apparatus Drill" beginning mid-June - late August. Opened weekends off-season, weather permitting, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Admission: Free Services: Interpretive tours available with advanced notice. (252) 987-1552.

The Elizabethan Gardens Flower bordered walkways, antique garden statuary and majestic tree s greet visitors at this 16th century pleasure garden created by The Garden Club of North Carolina as a living memorial to the lost colonists. Highlights include the thatched gazebo, Shakespearean herb garden and formal sunken gardens. Located within Fort Raleigh adjacent to Waterside Theatre at 1411 National Park Drive. (252) 473-3234.

Roanoke Island Festival Park A 25-acre state site offering visitor activities celebrating history, education, arts and environment. Climb aboard the Elizabeth II, a 16th century representative sailing vessel. Meet soldiers in the Settlement Site and explore more than 400 years of history in the Roanoke Adventure Museum. View local art in the Art Gallery. Visit the museum store. Stroll our boardwalks through natural marshes. Location: Across from the Manteo Waterfront and 5 miles from the beaches. (252) 475-1500.

Outer Banks History Center The Outer Banks History Center is a regional archives and research library administered by the North Carolina State Archives (Department of Cultural Resources) with the mission of collecting and preserving the history and culture of the North Carolina coast. Collections include personal and organizational papers; books; photographs; periodicals and newspapers; maps (1584+) and drawings; public records on microfilm; oral histories and other audio and video recordings; ephemera; and original works of art. Exhibits are presented in the History Center Gallery throughout the year on topics as varied as the history of the region itself. Location: Roanoke Island Festival complex. (252) 473-2655.

Fort Raleigh National Historic Site Sir Walter Raleigh's explorers and colonists attempted to found settlements here on the North end of Roanoke Island in 1585. Home to the Waterside Theatre, where you'll find The Lost Colony, a symphonic outdoor drama. You'll also find a visitor's center, interpretive programs, bookstore and nature trail. Location: Off Hwy. 64/264, on the north end of Roanoke Island. Hours: Daily 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. - September through May; Daily 9 a.m. - 8 p.m. - June through August. Admission: Free Services: (252) 473-5772.

The Lost Colony is an exciting, action-packed musical drama about America's beginnings. Written by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Paul Green, the production tells the story of the English colonists - men, women and children - who came to the North Carolina shores in search of a better life, struggled to make a home in the New World and then vanished without a trace. First to launch a quest for the American Dream, the colonists-by their disappearance-have become the subject of one of our country's most famous mysteries and one of our most enduring legends. Celebrate their legacy on the actual site where they once lived, and experience their story as it is brought to life in a theatre under the stars, through the magic of music, dance, action and dramatic spectacle. The Lost Colony is a lavish production, designed by four-time Tony award-winner, William Ivey Long. Location: Waterside Theatre in Fort Raleigh National Historic Site on Roanoke Island. Box Office: (252) 473-3414.

Wright Brothers Memorial The first successful sustained powered flights in a heavier-than-air machine were made here by Wilbur and Orville Wright on December 17, 1903. A 60-foot granite monument dedicated in 1932, is perched atop 90-foot tall Kill Devil Hill commemorating the achievement of these two visionaries from Dayton, Ohio. A visit should include touring the museum exhibits, participating in a ranger conducted program, touring the reconstructed camp buildings and first flight trail area, and a climb up Kill Devil Hill to view the memorial pylon. (252) 441-7430.

The Freedmen's Colony of Roanoke Island The Roanoke Island Freedmen's Colony is recognized as a historic National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Site. A marker was erected in 2001 to designate the site of a permanent colony on Roanoke Island between 1862 and 1867. Most of its 3,000 residents had been slaves three years earlier in northeastern North Carolina. A path through the woods north of Fort Raleigh leads visitors to a commemorative park along Croatan Sound.

The Whalehead Club Mr. and Mrs. E.C. Knight built their private residence, now known as the Whalehead Club, along the Atlantic flyway to enjoy their passion for waterfowl hunting. The restored museum is the finest representation of art nouveau architecture in the state. An exhibit in the downstairs gallery features the house's original furnishings. (252) 453-9040.