Work underway to repair the Midgett House after issues from a 2017 lightning strike resurface

Sometime during the night of July 2, 2017, one of the most popular structures at the Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station in Rodanthe – the 1907 Midgett House – was hit by lightning.

The lightning strike made contact with the original wiring in the home, which is no longer in use, but nevertheless runs through the entire two-story structure.

From there, the effects of the strike rippled throughout the home – damaging the roof and the original panel box, causing old paint to shake loose from the walls, and destroying the brick chimney.

A campaign followed to replace the roof, and the Midgett House reopened to the public weeks after the damage occurred.

Now, years later, issues associated with that 2017 lightning strike are starting to resurface, and a team effort is underway to ensure the site can open to the public, and remain one of the Rodanthe landmark’s most popular attractions.

“The lightning strike kind of made everything off-kilter, and some of the repercussions came years later,” said John Griffin, Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station Executive Director. “You could see the lightning went through the house, because of the burn marks, and now there are paint chips, issues with the floor, and other things that need to get done.”

The Midgett House was donated to the Chicamacomico Historical Association in 2006 by local residents Bette Gray and Trish Midgett, who used their own funds to have the original 1907 structure relocated to the Life-Saving Station site, but the home had nearly a century of use before the move.

“Cornelius Midgett first purchased the home from Sears, Roebuck [Company], and we get visitors over the years that say, ‘I’ve been in this house before, and know this layout,’” said Site Manager Dinah Beveridge. “That’s because it’s a traditional Sears, Roebuck house – it was very popular in the early 1900s to buy those packages.”

The home functioned as an original keeper’s house, with rooms rented to family members and/or life-saving station personnel. “It was the hub of Chicamacomico back in the day,” said Beveridge.

Though not officially on the National Register of Historic Places, as part of the five structures that are found at the Chicamacomico Historic Site – (which includes the main 1911 Life-Saving Station, the original 1874 Life-Saving Station, and two cook houses) – the Midgett House is a favorite component for many visitors.

“It’s a very popular building on the site because of the history of the house,” said Beveridge. “It was cleaned up and a new roof [was installed] after the lightning strike, but now, as the years have gone by, because of the effect of the electricity that went through the house, we need to make sure it’s all fresh and new again.”

The primary issue that needs to be fixed is the flooring, in order to make the house safe for the public. Beveridge’s husband Mike is overseeing the project, although there will be some volunteer assistance from the modern-day lifesavers of the Outer Banks.

“Master Chief Petty Officer Christopher Hinote of the [U.S. Coast Guard] Oregon Inlet Station is going to get his crew to periodically help us with the recovery efforts of the old Midgett house,” said Beveridge.

Flooring supplies are being ordered locally, and the floor replacement is imminent to keep the house stabilized and safe for visitor explorations. Once the floor is complete, however, there will be other work that needs to be done, like painting, plastering, or repairing windows.

“The Midgett House really is an ongoing project,” said Beveridge.

It is unclear whether the flooring will be finished in time for the official Spring opening of the Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station, but hopes are high that with donations, volunteers, and a lot of effort, the damage from a years-old lightning strike will finally be remedied.

“It’s worth it. It’s historic, and it is so loved by the public,” said Beveridge. “So, we’re going to give it our best Girl Scout/Boy Scout try to open it as soon as possible.”

For more information and to make a donation:

For more information on the Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station Historic Site & Museum, visit https://chicamacomico.org/ or https://www.facebook.com/Chicamacomico/. To make a donation online towards repair efforts, click here.