No trip to Ocracoke Island can be complete without a visit to the Preservation Society’s Museum and Gift Shop. The building that houses the Museum, along with the Society and its collections are a testimony to the island’s rich historical heritage.
The foursquare with a deep hip roof and deep-hipped porch is believed to have been built in the late 1800s by David Williams who served in the Coast Guard. It was moved to its present location near the current Coast Guard station and restored by Ocracoke Preservation Society in 1989.
The Museum Gift Shop is a popular place to find that special keepsake of your visit to the island, with an assortment of momentoes - including locally crafted Christmas ornaments - along with music, postcards, photographs, cookbooks and other books of local and regional interest.
Housed upstairs in the Museum is OPS’s unique research library - a growing number of historical, genealogical and photographic collections and other resources relevant to Ocracoke history. Here you can find just about anything you want to know about the island’s lighthouse, it’s British Cemetery, wild ponies, hurricanes and WWII Naval Base - and even how to square dance Ocracoke style. For locals and other descendants of the island’s original settlers there’s lots of resources for tracking down your ancestry.
Throughout the summer, the Museum hosts weekly porch talks on local history on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 11 a.m. and Backyard Kids Talks, usually on Wednesdays. It also hosts exhibits by local artists. Research materials can be viewed by prior appointment. And you can shop online for many Gift Store items.
Is this your business? Update your listing by messaging us
The Ocracoke Harbor is easily the busiest quarter mile stretch of Ocracoke Island. Consisting of a small, lagoon-like section of saltwater, and lined by a semi-circle of docks, restaurants, shops, marinas and motels, visitors will find that any and...
Once you have your coastal recreational fishing license in hand, it’s time to start thinking about gear. Anglers will find tons of options when it comes to equipment for casting into the surf, from custom designed rods and reels at local...
Bodie Island tends to cause a lot of confusion, for both the pronunciation of its name as well as its precise location. This small strip of the Outer Banks doesn't get a lot of attention, and most North Carolina visitors simply pass through the area...
If you're searching for an oceanfront home that feels like its own private beach resort — with space, comfort, and amenities that keep everyone entertained — “Still Salty” delivers one of the strongest vacation experiences on the Outer...
- Nags Head
- 9 Bedrooms
- 8 Bathrooms
