Newsletter from the Friends of the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum
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(image Darlene, Bill and Suzanne)
Bill Francis began working at the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum in 2008. He supervised Facilities maintenance and security including new construction, exhibit installation, creating exhibit cases, implementing new security programs, upkeep of building and grounds and installation and monitoring of all HVAC systems. Bill supported all aspects of the Museum. His love of diving and understanding of local history proved invaluable. He transported the Krupp Gun to South Carolina and Pennsylvania for conservation. He facilitated community events and even designed game booths for the "Holiday at the Museum". He took pride in the Museum and made every effort to ensure the Museum facility functioned and looked its best. Bill was a devoted employee. His retirement began April 1, 2024. He loved working at the museum and the decision to retire was not an easy one. He will be greatly missed and impossible to replace.
Darlene Francis, Bill’s wife, Retired Technology Facilitator at Cape Hatteras Secondary School began working in the Meekins Chandlery Gift Shop in 2017. She took on renovating and rebuilding the gift shop. With the help of Bill and her grandson Ross they brought the gift shop to life with a new look. Working with the Friends of the Museum, she managed the buying, displays, and sales of the shop. After two years of getting the shop to run smoothly, with demands pressing in her life, Darlene found it was time to step down and trained her daughter Suzanne Francis to take her position. She continued to help when needed and especially loved volunteering for "Holiday at the Museum" with a Cookie Decorating Booth. We are so grateful for Darlene's devotion to the Museum.
Suzanne Francis, Assistant Manager at First National Bank started working in the Meekins Chandlery Gift Shop in 2019. Suzanne brings fresh energy to the gift shop. She is enjoying filling the shop with new merchandise, working with vendors, employees and greeting the visitors of the museum. She is a joy to work with and her energy is boundless.
Since the beginning, the Francis family has been and continues to be a vital part of the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum.
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RODANTHE'S OWN OUTDOOR DRAMA RETURNS FOR THE 2024 SUMMER SEASON
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(image courtesy: Don Bowers)
The Lost Colony in Manteo may be the best-known live entertainment option on the Outer Banks, but Hatteras Island has its own historic outdoor drama that has been a weekly event for decades, and which has returned again for the 2024 summer season.
During the heyday of the life-saving stations, the crews at all island stations had a set, weekly routine that was only interrupted when a rescue was required. The routine included mundane tasks like housekeeping and chores, but it also included regular and repetitive training on the requirements for conducting a rescue in ocean waters.
Considering that rescues were typically orchestrated in less-than-ideal conditions, (like hurricanes, nor’easters, or during times of warfare), the drills helped ensure that tasks like setting up the breeches buoy and firing the line-throwing Lyle Gun were second nature for the surfmen.
CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING THIS ARTICLE BY JOY CRIST FROM THE ISLAND FREE PRESS
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FORT RALEIGH NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE OPENS NEW FREEDOM TRAIL EXHIBIT ON NATIONAL TRAILS DAY, JUNE 1
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Fort Raleigh National Historic Site (Fort Raleigh) and the Dare County Trails Commission will celebrate National Trails Day, June 1, 2024, by unveiling newly installed educational exhibits along Fort Raleigh’s Freedom Trail.
Roanoke Island was a place of community for thousands of freedom seekers during the Civil War. Following the island’s occupation by Union forces in 1862, it became a haven for African American families throughout the region. Their presence prompted the Union army to establish a Freedman’s Colony on the northern end of Roanoke Island.
The new exhibits along the 2.5-mile roundtrip Freedom Trail include eight educational signs highlighting the hardships and triumphs experienced by the formerly enslaved and missionary teachers at the Freedmen's Colony on Roanoke Island. Nine life-sized steel silhouettes accompany the signs throughout the trail. These exhibits, brought together through original research and community connections, are the first to bring personal narratives about the Freedmen's Colony to Fort Raleigh.
CLICK HERE FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM THE ISLAND FREE PRESS
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VIDEO "EXPLOSION ON THE PULASKI" (courtesy NC Maritime Museum Beaufort) | |
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Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum | 252-986-0720 |
59200 Museum Drive
PO Box 284
Hatteras, NC 27943
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