In the Spotlight: Manteo Waterfront—Roanoke Island

420 April

After a morning filled with colorful blooms and a quiet stroll (post here), and a trip back into history to learn about the first English settlers that came to the New World (post here), it was time to take a break.  The temperature had climbed quite a bit; as had the humidity.  We were in need of fresh breezes to cool us off and a place to sate our growling tummies.

After consulting the map, we decided to head to the Manteo Waterfront where we were sure to find a casual dining establishment overlooking the water.  We found something even better; but first a stroll on the boardwalk was in order.

Manteo, the seat of government for Dare County since 1870, is one of the oldest communities in the Outer Banks.  It overlooks scenic Shallowbag Bay and is named for a Roanoke Native American who accompanied the scouts that came to the island in 1584 back to England.

Weather’s always a concern in any waterfront community.  Today, modern communication devices provide instant access to important weather information.  Back in the day, there was a simpler means of communicating approaching storms — weather towers.

The 1904 tower, which is situated on the waterfront, was used to fly flags day and night to ‘telegraph’ (so to speak) weather information to the locals, especially to mariners and fishermen.  Beyond the symbolic shapes and colors that foretold rain or a flood tide, used in various combinations, the flags also signaled that it was time to take in the laundry or set the fishing nets.  In other words, the tower was integrated into everyday life in town.

The tradition continues today.  Looking at the helpful chart attached to the tower, we were able to interpret the blue and white flag as signaling a chance of rain.  True for the morning, but by the time we saw the flag, the blue skies and sunshine were telling us otherwise :-)

Our next stop was just a short walk across the pier near the weather tower — the Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse.  Today’s lighthouse, which sits on pilings where the town’s wastewater treatment plant once stood, is a reconstruction of the square cottage-style building that served as the home and workspace of the keeper of the 1877 screwpile lighthouse.

The original lighthouse stood in Croatan Sound; it wasn’t nearly as easily accessible.
[the light was horrible in this direction, so I processed this with an ‘old time’ filter.]

So, why a reconstruction?  Why not move the original building that was decommissioned in 1955 to this spot?  You see, that building was lost to the sea.  The story, according to the Lighthouse Friends website goes like this:

When the Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse was decommissioned by the Coast Guard in 1955, it was suggested that the town of Manteo purchase the lighthouse and relocate it to the Manteo waterfront.  Before the town acted, a private citizen named Elijah Tate acquired the lighthouse along with two other screwpile lighthouses in the area.  The structure was cut from its foundation and placed on a barge to be transported to its new home.  Not far from its original site, rough seas caused the lighthouse to topple off the barge and sink into the sound.  Apparently, the effort to retrieve the submerged lighthouse was deemed too great, and the structure was abandoned.

"In the years to come, as islanders mingle with visitors along the Manteo waterfront,
let us remember that on this spot, where so many vessels have been built and
launched, dreams still light the way.  For how else can you explain how a lighthouse
now casts its reassuring beam into the night sky …"
[from signage at the pier]

A small exhibit inside the building gave us a chance to learn a bit about the lighthouse, the fifth one I alluded to in my post about the lighthouses we visited on this trip.  It was interesting to note that the original of this structure was actually a replacement for an earlier hexagonal building with a cupola-style lantern room that housed a 4th order Fresnel lens capable of focusing the light of an oil lamp so that it was visible 10 miles (16 km) out to sea.

TOP (L to R): location of the screwpile lighthouse; the 1877 lighthouse – historic photo of the original and one from today showing the  reconstructed one.
bottom (L to R): the Lighthouse from the American Revolution Bicentennial park; the 1857
screwpile lighthouse; stairs to the lantern room in the reconstructed lighthouse.

We wrapped up our visit to the Manteo Waterfront with a picnic lunch ‘on the water’.  And I mean right on the water.  With a view of the lighthouse to boot.  Yes, I posted these next two photos when I first blogged the Quick Look post for the day … but it was a hi-light of our visit to the waterfront, so I see no reason why I can’t post them again :-)

A gazebo that juts out over the water makes a perfect spot for a simple al fresco meal.

Can’t beat the view even if there is a glare from the mid-day sun.

One more site to explore on Roanoke Island and then we’ll call this day quits.