Treasures of the Outer Banks

Barbara Pardue is a local historian and runs a Facebook page called, Northern Outer Banks History. Her blood lines run deep on the Northern Outer Banks and her passion for the history is unmatched. She was first bitten by the history bug by a grandfather who shared numerous stories and this led to her own, personal research. She started the Facebook page to share this knowledge and research with her family. In this interview, Barbara shares stories of murder, gold bars, brothels, a Revolutionary hero, Blackbeard, the Ash Wednesday Storm, and more. Before we sat down and recorded, Barbara was nice enough to give me a quick tour of the area where she lives in Swan Beach. She showed me where the Currituck Inlet used to be, where the L.R. White Summer Hotel once stood, and where she lives when she's in town. These places are located on private property so I was privileged to see them in-person. Funny side note: Before Barbara and I started the recording we were getting to know each other and we found out we both used to live in the same area of Prince George's County in Maryland. As I was walking out of the restaurant the manager said he heard me talking about Prince George's County and he told me he was from Bowie, which is also in PG County. I should mention we were the only three people in the restaurant when we showed up. And we're all from PG County. What are the chances? Big thanks to Barbara Pardue for sitting down with me. You can find her on Facebook at Northern Outer Banks History.

This is episode #045 and I sat down with local, award-winning DJ, John Harper. John has been an Outer Banks DJ since 1985. His career has evolved over the decades and he currently has a show on the streaming broadcast, Radio Free Outer Banks. He also uses his skills and knowledge for weddings and writing in some of the local publications. In this episode we talk about radio history on the Outer Banks, where the industry is presently, where it's going, and more. If you want to check out his services you can find him online at www.JohnHarperDJ.com And if you want to listen to his show it's at 11am on Saturdays at Radio Free Outer Banks on your streaming device. http://www.radiofreeouterbanks.com/

This is episode #044 and I sat down with Greg Smrdel. If you're out and about on the Outer Banks, you've probably experienced either Greg or one of his companies. He's the owner of Radio Free Outer Banks, a streaming radio station. He's authored 11 books, which you can purchase at local book stores on the Outer Banks. He operates the Laughing Seagull Comedy Club, which offers pop-up comedy shows at various venues around town. He also organizes Trivia Night at various night spots in the area. And finally, during the summer, he owns and operates Manteo Walking Tours through Downtown Historic Manteo.

This is episode #043 and I had the opportunity to sit down with Jenn Crossman, the owner of OBX Travel Concierge. Jenn helps people on the Outer Banks plan parties, dinners, weddings, and more. Jenn has lived here for over 25 years and has used her experience in the food-service industry to learn the skills helpful in preparing meals, holding wine tastings, and other fun events. Jenn is a force of fun energy and is an asset to anyone looking to have a memorable experience on the Outer Banks. https://obxtravelconcierge.com/

This is episode #042 with Charlie Beasley, the author of a book titled, Vietnam War: Lessons of a Lifetime. Charlie, who also goes by Robbie, was born and raised on the Outer Banks and is still a commercial crabber to this day. When Charlie grew up here the area was still very rural and undeveloped. He began commercial fishing at 11 years-old and went to school locally until college when he attended East Carolina University. After college Charlie served as an Airborne Ranger in Vietnam and was part of a 5-man team known as a LRRP, which stands for Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol. These small teams were designed to stealthily enter hostile territory, NOT engage the enemy, and bring back raw intel. Along with his combat stories of Vietnam you'll receive plenty of crabbing information and stories of life on the Outer Banks. He's still a commercial crabber, fishing on the water almost every day. He has no immediate plans of retiring.

Welcome, welcome, welcome, this is John Van Lunen and this show is called Treasures of the Outer Banks, the podcast that celebrates the people and places that make this beach special. This show is about community, history, and adventure. And if you love the Outer Banks I think you'll enjoy this podcast. On this show I talk to locals, historians, authors, business owners, and more. We talk about the people that came before us, the people that are doing great things right now, and finding adventure on the Outer Banks. I've had the pleasure to interview dozens of amazing guests. If I can point you to a particular interview that I think you'll find very interesting, please check out Episode #003 with Wykie Wise. Wykie's story, growing up here in the 1950's, is amazing. His memories of classic Outer Banks landmarks; like living in Nags Head Woods, attending the single room school house in Corolla, driving on Jockeys Ridge, and hanging out at the Nags Head casino, are incredible. Wykie was a wealth of information. You can find his story, and others, right here on the Treasures of the Outer Banks podcast. My name is John Van Lunen. Make it a good one.

Scott Dawson is the author of, The Lost Colony and Hatteras Island. Scott was raised on Hatteras Island and calls it home to this day. Besides being an author of several books, he's also a historian and amateur archaeologist. Having grown up on Hatteras Island, Scott Dawson saw artifacts and heard stories from his ancestors and friends regarding the Croatoan Indians. In his book he explains how Croatoan was a stand-alone island where Buxton, Frisco, and Hatteras are currently located. It was a stand-alone island because there was an inlet somewhere around the north side of Buxton. In his research, Scott Dawson cites multiple examples of evidence proving that the English who were left on Roanoke Island went to Croatoan and were assimilated in to the tribe with the help of their native friend, Manteo. The English had been to Croatoan two other times so they were familiar with the area and had created friendships with the Natives. Nobody was lost and there is no mystery. Besides written evidence the Croatoan Archaeology Society has performed several, successful digs on Hatteras Island, giving them physical proof that the colonists were here.

Hannah Bunn-West is an Outer Banks local and the author of Remarkable Women of the Outer Banks. Her book profiles a handful of amazing women who endured and excelled while on the Outer Banks.

Clark Twiddy discusses his first book, Memories of the Currituck Outer Banks: As Told by Ernie Bowden. Ernie Bowden was an icon on the northern Outer Banks who wore many hats: cattleman, public appointed official, trash collector, sailor, and more. Hear what Mr. Bowden was like and how life was very different on the Outer Banks when he was a young man.

Delia D'Ambra hosts CounterClock Podcast, which investigates unsolved murders. Ranked by Rolling Stone Magazine as a Top 25 True-Crime Podcast, CounterClock is a cutting edge podcast that takes listeners on a journey throughout the criminal investigation.

Clark Twiddy discusses his book, Outer Banks Visionaries: Building North Carolina's Oceanfront. Twiddy researched and interviewed the people that helped turn the Outer Banks from a sleepy, ocean outpost, to the successful destination it has become today.

Marc Corbett is an explorer and adventurer. He dives shipwrecks adjacent to the Outer Banks. Known as The Graveyard of the Atlantic, these waters are difficult to dive due to wind, waves, and currents. He's dived many of the popular wrecks here and he continues a quest to explore new dives.

Joan Collins talks about the Pea Island Life Saving Station and the legacy left behind by the brave crew.

Rebecca Prince-Myers is the owner of VusicOBX which books and organizes concerts on the Outer Banks.

Not related to the Outer Banks, I just wanted to share my experience at the Springsteen Concert in March.

Julie Moye is the founder and owner of KDH Cooperative Gallery and Studios. She opened the gallery 22 years ago and has seen the Outer Banks art community grow and prosper.

I share my personal journey of becoming a very amateur paddleboarder on the Outer Banks.

Noah Snyder is an Outer Banks local who competed for several years as a professional surfer. He's still very active in the community as a surfer, gym owner, and artist. You can find him at https://www.momentumobx.com and https://www.noahsnyderart.com. Cover photo by Ryan Rhodes.

Leroy Hyson is a friend from Northwood High School in Silver Spring, Maryland who relocated to the Outer Banks fairly recently. He shares his joy of assimilating to the community and giving back through his love of fishing.

This conversation is with two of the owners of Kill Devil Rum in Manteo, NC. Kill Devil Rum is a complete distillery that creates their own liquor on-site. "From molasses to glasses", as they like to put it. https://outerbanksdistilling.com/ We discuss how they got started, how things have changed since the first day, incorporating history, and future expansion.

Barbara Miller works at the Frisco Native American Museum in Frisco, North Carolina which is on Hatteras Island. She was nice enough to talk about how the museum was started, how they have acquired their relics, and the history of the tribes that were on our around the Outer Banks. https://nativeamericanmuseum.org/

This episode describes the camping options you can find on the Outer Banks. Helpful links: https://www.nps.gov/caha/planyourvisit/campgrounds.htm www.recreation.gov https://www.nps.gov/caha/planyourvisit/upload/043012-BEACH-FIRE-PERMIT-one-page-508.pdf https://www.camphatteras.com/ https://koa.com/campgrounds/cape-hatteras/ http://www.thefriscowoodscampground.com/ https://www.visitocracokenc.com/campgrounds/ https://www.jernimans.com/ http://www.teeterscampground.com/

Juan Ramirez is the head, boys soccer coach at First Flight High School. We sat down and talked about the soccer community and culture on the Outer Banks, its success, and its popularity. Helpful links for finding soccer on the Outer Banks. First Flight High School, https://ffh.daretolearn.org/ First Flight HS, Boys Soccer, https://www.maxpreps.com/nc/kill-devil-hills/first-flight-nighthawks/soccer/ Storm Soccer, https://obxstorm.net/ OBYSA, Outer Banks Youth Soccer Association, https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064470198615 Coastal Soccer School, https://obxsoccer.com/ Dare County Parks and Recreation, https://www.darenc.gov/departments/parks-recreation YMCA Nags Head, https://www.ymcashr.org/locations/outer-banks-family-ymca

General: Carova to Manteo and Mainland Dare County. Low budget. Excludes basic activities of swimming, fishing, golf, watersports, etc. The harder to get there, the more coveted the experience. Carova - Seclusion - 4WD. https://currituckcountync.gov/beach-parking/ - Horses. https://corollaoutback.com/ Corolla - Currituck Lighthouse. https://obcinc.org/currituck-beach-lighthouse/ - Whalehead Club. https://www.visitcurrituck.com/places/whalehead-in-historic-corolla/ - Historic Corolla Village - Currituck Maritime Museum. https://www.visitcurrituck.com/places/currituck-maritime-museum/ - Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education. https://www.outerbanks.com/outer-banks-center-for-wildlife-education.html Duck- Village is pedestrian friendly. Great place to shop and dine. Southern Shores- residential, secluded, maritime forest, wide and varied. An organized canal system makes for good kayaking. Boat access restricted to owners and their guests. Kitty Hawk- east side very commercialized, minimal free adventures. Small boat launch at Bob Perry Road Boat Ramp Kill Devil Hills- - Wright Bros. Memorial - Run Hill State Natural Area - Outer Banks Disc Golf, https://www.facebook.com/OuterBanksDiscGolf/ - Skateboarding and Roller Hockey at Aviation Park, https://www.kdhnc.com/1002/Parks-and-Playgrounds - Soundside boat access in Kitty Hawk Bay. - Nags Head Woods, https://www.facebook.com/nagsheadwoods/ Nags Head- - Jockeys Ridge, https://www.ncparks.gov/state-parks/jockeys-ridge-state-park Manteo - Shops - The Lost Colony play - Roanoke Island Festival Park- concerts, events Mainland Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, https://www.fws.gov/refuge/alligator-river

Joe Tauber is a resident of the Outer Banks who graduated from Northwood High School in Silver Spring, MD and his mom owned a deli in Capital Plaza before relocating and opening Mrs. T's Deli in Nags Head. In this episode we talk about how being a wrestler at Northwood shaped his work ethic. We also talk about leadership, local education, and community service.

Mark Buckler talks about the great wildlife in and around the Dare County area of the Outer Banks. He also discusses his business, Mark Buckler Photography, and taking customers to Alaska, Africa, and the Arctic. www.bucklerphoto.com

Hardy Peters is the owner of East Coast Sailboats (www.eastcoastsailboats.com) and Sail OBX (www.sailobx.com). East Coast Sailboats is a distributor and dealer for several recreational sailboat lines. Sail OBX promotes his 38' catamaran charter boat, "Surfer Girl". In this episode we talk about how he promotes sailing in the community and what it was like in the Worrell 1000 Race.

Daryl Law used to be a local sports journalist and has played all of the local golf courses on the Outer Banks. We sit down and talk about each one and what makes golfing on the Outer Banks special. Kilmarlic, https://kilmarlic.com/golf/ Carolina Club, https://www.thecarolinaclub.com/ The Pointe, https://www.thepointegolfclub.com/ Holly Ridge, https://hollyridgeobx.com/ Currituck Club, https://www.invitedclubs.com/clubs/the-currituck-club Duck Woods, https://duckwoodscc.com/ Sea Scape, https://www.seascapegolf.com/ Nags Head Links, https://www.invitedclubs.com/clubs/nags-head-golf-links Katherine Schuster, https://clemsontigers.com/sports/womens-golf/roster/katherine-schuster/

John Wright is the General Manager of Sanctuary Vineyards in Jarvisburg, North Carolina. https://www.sanctuaryvineyards.com/. It's part of the farm his family has owned for several generations. They also own and run a small chain of stores called the Cotton Gin which you can only find on the Outer Banks. http://cottongin.com/. We talk about his family's history, Currituck County, agriculture, wine production, and more. This weekend is Sanctuary Vineyard's The Big Currishuck event which provides great food, beer, wine, and entertainment. Tickets can, and should, be purchased early. https://outerbanksthisweek.com/sanctuaryvineyards/events/big-currishuck.

Audra Krieg is author of The Parker House, co-owner of 12th Street Photography, and runs Outer Banks Mom. You can find her at www.outerbanksmom.com and www.12thstreetportraits.com. In this episode we talk about her story writing, owning a summer business, and more. Find out what's coming soon from this mom of four (apparently she has too much free time).

Will Thorp is a legend among restaurateurs on the Outer Banks. He opened Tortuga's Lie, Rundown Cafe, and High Cotton BBQ. We sat down and talked about opening restaurants, what it's like operating a restaurant on the Outer Banks, and how things have evolved. https://www.highcottonbbq.com/

Angel Khoury is an author from Manteo, NC. Her novel, Between Tides, is a love story based on real people who lived in Manteo and Cape Cod. We mostly focused on the back story of this book and how certain ideas were threaded within. You can learn more at www.angelkhoury.com. The book can be purchased online or in local bookstores on the Outer Banks.

In this episode I talk about a few Outer Banks authors, the books they've written, and which book stores are my favorite. Audra Krieg, The Parker House. John Railey, The Lost Colony Murder on the Outer Banks: Seeking Justice for Brenda Joyce Holland and Andy Griffith's Manteo: His Real Mayberry. Angel Khoury, Between Tides and Manteo: A Roanoke Island Town. Downtown Books in Manteo and Duck's Cottage Island Bookstore in Kitty Hawk, Duck, and Corolla

Joe O'Grady has been doing kayak tours on the Outer Banks for over 20 years and has great stories about seeing bear, alligators, and places to paddle. You can contact him at www.coastalkayak.org.

In this episode I talk about the time we evacuated for Hurricane Bonnie, no relation. Our hands were full in 1998. We were the new owners of a watersports business, the new owners of a baby girl (Alivian), and Bonnie was starting a new job at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UT-C). Some parents worry about hoarding formula. We were worried about falling asleep at the wheel and driving in to a ditch. Enjoy, John

Butch Stone and I talk about him helping me during Hurricane Irene, his life on a sailboat, and adventures with the JetPak.

Edward Duffey is a local realtor who spends his free time reuniting people with their lost jewelry. People will contact him when they lose valuables, typically on the beach or in the water. Edward will show up, say a prayer, and start hunting. It should be noted that there are plenty of individuals, both locally and from outside the Outer Banks, who are happy to find your lost items for their personal gain. Edward's pleasure in metal detecting is seeing the joy in people who get their lost valuables back. Edward has an Instagram account with the handle OBX_Ed, https://www.instagram.com/obx__ed/, where he promotes local real estate and shares his success stories. In this episode Ed and I talk about some of those stories, what to do if you lose something, and the best equipment to use. Enjoy, John.

This is a story about me finding the Norris Baum Cemetery in Nags Head Woods. The cemetery contains the grave of David Baum, a former slave. This is interesting to me because there were laws that prevented black people from being buried in a white person's cemetery. Also, slaves were rarely given a properly marked grave.

Meghan Agresto is a force of nature. The energy she brings to her job is infectious. To call her a site manager of the Currituck Lighthouse is a gross understatement. She is part historian, part event planner, part manager, and part problem-solver. In the end, Meghan is a person of action. Meghan works for the Outer Banks Conservationists who maintain and preserve the compound at Currituck Lighthouse as well as the Island Farm on Roanoke Island. Her office is a renovated storage shed on the compound and she lives feet from the facility. https://obcinc.org/ Her knowledge of the Lighthouse is amazing and her energy helps create an outstanding experience for visitors. Meghan also holds the title of President for the Board of Directors, Water's Edge Village School (WEVS), a separate non-profit charter school created to educate the youth in Corolla so they wouldn't have to drive over two hours to a school located on the Currituck mainland. https://www.watersedgevillageschool.com/ This talk with Meghan reminded me I need to get up to Historic Corolla Village and take the time to look around. Enjoy.

Owning a business in an unfamiliar area can be a handful. After moving to the Outer Banks I was fortunate to meet three professionals who made my life easier and became good friends. A CPA, a welder/builder, and an electrician/HVAC/mechanic. These people were personal treasures for me.

In this episode I talk about how I wound up on the Outer Banks. It starts with an uneventful visit to Hatteras after my freshman year of college, progresses to road trips as a windsurfer, is practically sealed by working-honeymoon summer with my wife, and finalized when we buy a watersports business back in 1997. Fate? Maybe. Opportunity? Definitely. Enjoy, John Van Lunen

There's a Facebook group I belong to called Outer Banks Vintage Scrapbook and as I would scroll through the posts, one name kept popping up. After a while I realized this guy would be perfect to have on the podcast. John Railey is a writer and author who spent his summers on the Outer Banks as a child and young man during the ‘60s and ‘70s. John's recall and ability to tell a story are amazing. You can probably tell he's a professional writer. Our conversation winds around the Outer Banks like a gentle, sea breeze. John Railey mentions many of the people and places that remind him of the good times he had here and he speaks fondly of the people who have been nice enough to share their experiences and stories with him. He remembers that in 1967 a friend of the family told him about a murder that had occurred that year in Manteo. In 2021 Railey published The Lost Colony Murder on the Outer Banks: Seeking Justice for Brenda Joyce Holland. As an investigative journalist, John Railey was well-suited to research and write this story. I have since read the book and enjoyed how he painted life on the Outer Banks, in general, but specifically the dynamics and quaintness of Manteo. His upbringing on the Outer Banks gives him immense credibility and insight. It also allowed him to quickly create relationships with the people he interviews. During our interview John also talks about his latest book which has since been released, Andy Griffith's Manteo: His Real Mayberry. As a child, I was a big watcher of Andy Griffith show reruns so I always thought it was pretty cool that he lived in Manteo. By the way, he was still alive when I moved here. The fact that Andy Griffith was just a regular guy who would walk around barefoot makes me like him even more. I purchased the Andy Griffith book and it is currently in line to be read very soon. Hopefully, I can do a follow-up interview with John Railey so we can discuss the Andy Griffith book in more detail. John Railey's books can be purchased at Downtown Books in Manteo, Buxton Village Books, and Amazon. John wanted to give a “shout-out” to the great friends, relationships, opportunities, and experiences that made his time on the Outer Banks so special. Specifically, the Nunemakers, The Joe Lamb crew, The Seafare Restaurant crew, and The Coastland Times. Sit back and relax as John shares his experiences, stories, and friends from the Outer Banks.

#004. Steve The Dream was an Outer Banks original who entertained locals and visitors with his mobile DJ show. In this interview with Steve's sister you'll learn about an entirely different side of Steve Thomas.

#003. Wikey Wise is an 82 year-old friend of mine who was nice enough to share with me what it was like growing up on the Outer Banks in the 1950's. Highlights include his heritage, Nags Head Woods, attending the school house in Corolla, driving on Jockeys Ridge, and working at the casino.http://www.treasuresoftheouterbanks.comCheck out my web site where you can find show notes and links for this episode. You'll also find more podcasts and blogs. While you're there, sign-up to receive regular emails from me, John Van Lunen.

#002: Sam Walker and I talk about growing up on the Outer Banks, some of the interesting things he's seen, and historical events. Sam Walker is news director for OBXToday.com, Beach 104, 99.1 The Sound, Big 94.5 WCMS and Z 92.3. He can be reached at swalker3@jammediallc.com.

#001. In this episode I talk with my friend, Daryl Law, about his experiences visiting the Outer Banks as a child in the 1970's and living here after high school in the 1980's. Daryl has some great stories about how simple things were back then and some of the characters he met. We talk about working in a very sleepy Corolla, living near the Avalon Pier in Kill Devil Hills, and diving wrecks just off the shore.Check out http://treasuresoftheouterbanks.com/ if you'd like to find more information.