History
Originally considered a part of the “Kitty Hawk community” of Dare County, the Town of Southern Shores was founded as a resort in 1946 and subsequently incorporated as a municipality in 1979. This section of Dare County embraced portions of the Kitty Hawk Woods and Duck Woods forests. Only two sand roads provided access north and south through this unpopulated area. Telegraph wires (later telephone and electricity) transited through the area along the eastern most road. In 1878 the United States Lifesaving Service constructed and commissioned the Paul Gamiels Hill Lifesaving Station in the area. It was re-constructed in 1909 and continued to be manned through World War II by the U.S. Coast Guard. The abandoned station burned in the early 1960s and was located near the present day Hillcrest Drive beach access.
David Stick's Early Years of Southern Shores
Reprinted from CoastalReview.org :
Uncovering the improbable tale of multifaceted Frank Stick 10/13/2023 by Gilbert M. Gaul
‘Millions Have Been Made’: Frank Stick changes careers 10/18/2023 by Gilbert M. Gaul
‘Faith In the Future’: Troubles befall Virginia Dare Shores 10/27/2023 by Gilbert M. Gaul
A future tied to tourism: Stick presses for national park 11/03/2023 by Gilbert M. Gaul
Frank Stick finds success, designs signature Banks cottage 11/06/2023 by Gilbert M. Gaul
History Videos
KERN P. PITTS CENTER
Most meetings of the Southern Shores Town Council, and its various Boards and Committees, are held in the Kern P. Pitts Center located at 5377 N. Virginia Dare Trail, Southern Shores, NC 27949. The building is named in memory of Kern P. Pitts, Mayor of Southern Shores 1979-1997.
FORMER PRACTICE AIRCRAFT TRAINING AREA SAFETY PROTOCOL LETTER
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NOVEMBER 2016
Some property owners in Town have recently received a safety protocol letter from the US Army Corps of Engineers regarding the former practice aircraft training area in Southern Shores which existed in the 1940s. According to the Corps of Engineers’ FUDS (Formerly Used Defense Site) Project Manager overseeing this notice, since the former training area is so low on the DOD’s priority for a full investigation and funds are not currently available for a closure investigation, the US Army Corps of Engineers is notifying property owners of safety protocols. Unfortunately, the local government administration was not notified prior to these notices going out, and the Project Manager has expressed regret over that. View a copy of the safety protocol brochure. View a copy of the Corps’ recently made available 2007 report.
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SEPTEMBER 2021
USACE will provide landowners on a FUDS MRS a notification letter and a site-specific safety guide at least once every five years. 2021 Safety protocol letter from the US Army Corps of Engineers
