QUICK LINKS TO OUR MUSEUM |
The Museum has launched a new "Education Outreach" page on the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum's website.
This new initiative provides lessons and activities pertaining to the Civil War on the Outer Banks, World War II on the Outer Banks, shipwrecks of the Outer Banks, and piracy on the Outer Banks. The lessons are presented at both a 4th-grade level and an 8th-grade level, and there is also a comprehensive vocabulary list to supplement the lessons.
All of the lesson plans are provided in PDF format and are very easy to print.
The study of maritime history is essential in understanding global and national history. North Carolina's maritime history is rich with vital links to the first people, first colonists, piracy, first Union-won battle in the Civil War, first safe haven for African-Americans in North Carolina, Torpedo Junction and the war between Germany and allied forces during WWII, and the thousands of historic shipwrecks to study that lay off the coast.
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LOG ON EACH MONTH FOR A NEW ISSUE OF SEASIDE NEWS. THE MONTHLY MARITIME NEWSPAPER EXPLORES OUTER BANKS HISTORY THROUGH HISTORIC NEWS WITH A RELATED LESSON AND A FUN ACTIVITY FOR GRADES
4-8.
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View amazing artifacts, including the original Cape Hatteras Lighthouse Fresnel lens and a discussion of Billy Mitchell's connection to Hatteras.
Immerse yourself in shipwreck and maritime history:
Lighthouse Lens
The Enigma
Machine from the U-85
Carroll A. Deering Ghost Ship
The Civil War on Hatteras
Restored Flag from USS Monticello
Ship to Shore
Artifacts from USS Monitor
Vintage Diving Equipment
Sport Fishing on Hatteras
Blackbeard's
Queen Anne's Revenge
Discover Hatteras Island's fascinating connection to Titanic
Restored
Monomoy Surf boat
"North Carolina Piracy"
Centennial of WWI
Activity off NC:
LV-71, U-140, and Mirlo Rescue
The garrison flag from the 9th NY Volunteer Infantry also known as "Hawkins Zouaves"
which flew over Hatteras during the Civil War.
Carroll A. Deering
exhibit (including the wash station donated by Josephine Oden and the Oden Family and the restored Captain's Desk)
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FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF ON THE HISTORY OF THE TITANIC TELEGRAM
( a 2013 article by Catherine Kozak)
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RALEIGH — A stained scrap of yellowed paper with remarkably neat handwriting and a horrifying message might be overlooked among the dazzling detritus displayed in “Titanic: The Artifact Exhibit” at the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences.
But the telegram that recorded some of the worst news in history is a rare new Titanic discovery and the most direct link to the state.“Received Hatteras Station at 11:25 p.m. Titanic C.Q.D,” it says, using the mariners’ distress code. “. . . . He says ‘have struck iceberg.’”
For one more month, museum visitors can see the original log page of the chilling communication sent by the RMS Titanic on April 14, 1912, as well as about 240 other artifacts that help illustrate the spectacular nightmare experienced by passengers on the luxury British passenger liner.
“It’s one of the earliest, if not the earliest,” Albert Ervin, the museum’s special exhibits coordinator, said of the message recorded at the U.S. Weather Bureau Station in Hatteras, “because the time that we typically hear that the Titanic hit the iceberg is 11:38 or 11:40. “
Ervin said it is not clear if the telegram was reflecting a time zone difference.
Officially the vessel began sinking at 11:40 p.m. and disappeared under the sea at 2:20 a.m.
The log page of the Hatteras telegram, the only artifact in the exhibit that did not come from the vessel, was a last minute addition that brings the tragedy to our shores.
“I’m really glad we were able to get it loaned to the exhibit,” Ervin said. “It really ties it to here – to where we are.”
Consistent with other Titanic tales of happenstance, the document was nearly lost forever. In fact, even after it was pulled out of a wall, rolled up with old newspapers, when the weather station was being restored in 2005, it stayed undetected in deep freeze for about six months, said Doug Stover, historian for Cape Hatteras National Seashore.
When he went back to examine the sheets of paper ripped from the station’s old log books, Stover said, he had to strain to read the barely-legible writing. Suddenly he stopped.
“I noticed right away it said ‘Titanic C.Q.D.,” Stover recalled. “At that point, I said, ‘Man, we’ve got some pretty good documents.’”
Immediately, the Park Service sent the log page to its conservator in Harper’s Ferry. The restored document was later returned to the Roanoke Island storage facility for about 18 months, until someone remembered in March 2012 that the centennial anniversary of the Titanic sinking was coming up the following month.
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Dear Friends,
This month we hope to see you at the Underwater Heritage Symposium and know you are going to enjoy the stunning pictures in our Facebook Followers Photography Exhibit. Stay tuned...May is going to be a blockbuster!
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UNDERWATER HERITAGE SYMPOSIUM |
(image courtesy Jim Bunch)
APRIL 2 (Free and Open to the Public)
10 A.M. Welcome: NC Maritime Museums’ System Executive Director, Joseph Schwarzer
10:15: Marc Corbett: Civil War-era Shipwrecks: There are numerous vessels from the Civil War in the waters just off the Outer Banks. Marc will explore some of these sites and talk about additional sites that have yet to be located.
11:15: Hal Good: Oil and Sugar…Not so Sweet: An Exploration of the Wrecks of Dixie Arrow and Manuela. During the month of March 1942, the American steam tanker Dixie Arrow was approaching Diamond Shoals when it was torpedoed by U-71. Arrow was loaded with over 86,000 barrels of crude oil that set the ship ablaze and spread across the water. Three months later, the American steam merchant Manuela was proceeding north in a convoy. She was loaded with 6,500 tons of sugar. On June 25th she was hit by a torpedo fired from U-404. Manuela remained afloat for almost 24 hours before sinking south of Hatteras. This presentation will review details of both sinkings as well a photo review of the wrecks today.
Noon – 1 p.m. Lunch
1:15: Paul Hudy: Beneath the Killing Sea: An exploration of marine life that blossoms on the shipwrecks off our NC coast.
2:15: Mike Lowery: Research and Discoveries Update on WWII Submarine Loss: The Outer Banks was just the edge of WWI U-boat operations but very much in the eye of the storm of German submarine operations in WWII. There’s a popular perception that the submarine wars are very well understood — we know what happened, including how each individual submarine was lost. That’s not true — lots of submarines remain unaccounted for. Mike works closely with divers and others to find and identify such missing submarines. He will share some of the progress made and challenges that remain in this field.
3:15: Dave Sommers: Steamers of Diamond Shoals
From the late 1800s to the first part of the new Century numerous Steamers met their fate on Diamond Shoals off Cape Hatteras. Dave will examine why this occurred and discuss a few of these shipwrecks, which we can still dive today.
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A barometer is used to measure atmospheric pressure. Each three-hour readings of the barometer gives the barometric “tendency.” By the observation of the barometric tendency, mariners can predict the upcoming weather in the surrounding areas in which they have to navigate their ship. This barometer is believed to have been used on a lifeboat.
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GRAVEYARD OF THE ATLANTIC MUSEUM FACEBOOK PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBIT |
Nancy Hall "Cousins First Visit to Rodanthe" |
Over 100 photographs will be on display at the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum from April 2022 until
March 2023. Our Facebook followers submitted photographs of their favorite Outer Banks images and
scenes. Visitors will vote on the Best in Show, and the winner will receive a special award. Images
include land and seascapes, people, animals, and architecture. Visit the exhibit to celebrate the beauty
and nostalgia of the Outer Banks.
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Allison Winters Fisher "A Stroll on Pea Island" |
Erin Miller "Ocean Pursuit" |
FRUSTRATIONS MOUNT OVER IMPERILED OUTER BANKS HOUSES
by Catherine Kozak
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(image courtesy Justin Cook)
RODANTHE — It was a warm and breezy late winter afternoon, a perfect day for a stroll along the ocean. As seabirds dove for dinner just offshore, Hope Lineman and her family were working their way north, weaving between a stretch of large houses on the beach off Ocean Drive. But they weren’t there to watch the waves; they were there to see the devastation wrought by waves.
And like nearly all who see looming destruction on the eroded beach, they wonder why no one is trying to prevent it.
Weeks before, early on the morning of Feb. 9, one of the houses here had collapsed into the Atlantic. Soon photographs of the ruins filled national news sites and social media. Debris, much of it since picked up, stretched for miles.
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HONEY ROSE WATER FRUIT SALAD |
This April we celebrate Easter, Passover and Ramadan. This delicious salad works for all celebrations. The rose and orange waters can be purchased online or found in many ethnic markets.
INGREDIENTS:
2 Kiwis peeled, sliced and cut into chunks
1 orange peeled and cut into chunks
4 pineapple rings cut into chunks
1 cup sliced grapes
12 strawberries cut into chunks
1 mango cut into chunks
HONEY ROSEWATER SAUCE
⅓ cup honey
2 tablespoon rose water
2 tablespoon orange blossom water
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
2 tablespoon pineapple juice
Juice of one lemon
Place all the fruit salad ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk honey, rose water, orange blossom water, ground cardamom and lemon juice in a small bowl.
Pour the sauce over the fruit salad and mix well.
Serve immediately.
Feeds 4
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REMOTE LEARNING FROM OUR MARITIME MUSEUMS IN BEAUFORT AND SOUTHPORT AND THE HISTORY MUSEUM IN RALEIGH AND THE STATE ARCHIVES |
April is a joyous holiday season. Some of us celebrate Easter, others Passover and other friends are experiencing Ramadan. Each celebration includes special foods. Do you know what they are and why? Follow the following links to learn more. How does your family celebrate with food? |
We love welcoming you to our unique shopping experience. As a recent visitor said, "The variety is vast and the prices are reasonable." There is something for every age and pocketbook. Our book selection is growing daily, including a separate section for history buffs, cookbook collectors and children. |
Two can be printed out at home ahead of time. One is the digital scavenger hunt.
The scavenger hunts are under both the “About” and “Gallery” drop down menus on our website.
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TODAY IN NORTH CAROLINA HISTORY |
THE CAPE HATTERAS SEASHORE DEDICATION |
On April 24, 1958, at 11:30 am, a ceremony to dedicate Cape Hatteras National Seashore Recreational Area was held at the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, followed by a 2:30 pm ceremony at Coquina Beach.
(courtesy Outer Banks History Center)
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APRIL SHIPWRECKS
Roll on, thou deep dark ocean, roll!
Ten thousand fleets sweep over thee in vain;
Thy wrecks are all they deed, nor doth remain
A shadow of man's ravage, save his own,
When for a moment, like a drop of rain,
He sinks into thy depths with bubbling groan,
Without a grave, unknelled, uncoffined, and unknown.
Apostrophe to the Ocean, George Lord Byron
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Diving Atlas
(courtesy Olympic Dive Center)
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There are 72 known shipwrecks off the North Carolina Coast in April. The earliest recorded was Horatio on April 2, 1820 which was lost off Diamond Shoals with 8 casualties. I have listed ten of some well known wrecks. Click on the name and you will find a wealth of information:
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U-85 DIVE
JULY 13, 2014
(courtesy Dan Schaller)
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