Each summer , thousands of tourists descend on the Outer Banks for fun in the sun. Though the region is long on history, many visitors don’t grasp the rich past of North Carolina’s coastal region while on their beach trips.
Recently, Cultural Resources Secretary Susan Kluttz got to see one institution that’s working to change that when she joined the Outer Banks History Center for its 25th anniversary celebration. The center, one of two regional branches of the State Archives, is located within the Roanoke Island Festival Park in Manteo. The nearly 300,000 items in its collection cover everything from coastal military operation to shipwrecks and lighthouses to North Carolina’s discovery and early exploration. There is something for everyone in their vast collection.
Sec. Kluttz with a costumed interpreter for the Elizabethan Gardens, Jen Joyce, Friends of the Outer Banks History Center Chiarman Clark Twiddy and Joan Brumbaugh
During her visit, the Secretary moderated a visioning session in the Elizabethan Gardens about the importance of cultural arts and preservation, browsed the center’s "An Eye for Art, A Heart for History" exhibit, thanked the center’s staff and supporters for their service , toured the History Center and ended the exciting day enjoying cake and ice cream in the Elizabethan Gardens. She also took part in the Ace Hardware Spring for the Arts Home & Garden Tour of Roanoke Island which was organized by Elizabethan Gardens.
Legislative guests included Representative Paul Tine who attended the visioning session and Senator Bill Cook, the birthday celebration.
Learn more about the Outer Banks History Center on the State Archives website, and check out the center’s Flickr site for awesome photos from Outer Banks vacations past.
Sec. Kluttz explores the Outer Banks History Center's collections with OBHC Site Manager KaeLi Schurr and Archivist Stuart Parks