For the second season, Keeper James will be presenting at the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. The brief July programs will be at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 18 followed by the second at 4:00 that day.
These are brief story-telling segments plus snippets of readings from his best-selling book, Shipwrecks of the Outer Banks: Dramatic Rescues and Fantastic Wrecks in the Graveyard of the Atlantic, Globe Pequot Press. The stories are more about the dramatic rescues of the shipwreck victims.
The rescuers were the heroes of the United States Life-Saving Service. It is one of the least-known yet is also one of the most fascinating and inspirational aspects in all of America’s storied history. Author Ralph Shanks says, “They were the greatest heroes of the American coast, routinely risking their lives in the grand maritime rescues…yet somehow, America forgot these peaceful heroes.” During their 44-year history from 1871 to 1915, nationwide, using no more than small, open, wooden boats and cork life belts, often in violent and dangerous storms, they responded to over 178,000 lives in peril from shipwrecks…of which they saved, OVER 177,000… one survivor at a time; yet, somehow, America forgot these peaceful heroes. In 1915, the United States Life-Saving Service merged with the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service and was renamed the United States Coast Guard.
The 3:30 story is about the origin of one of the most famous mottos of today’s Coast Guard. The 4:00 story is a preview from James’s sequel Volume II due out in the Spring of 2025. It is about one of the most daring and dramatic rescues that succeeded against all odds.
The August presentations will be on Thursday, August 8 also at the same times of 3:30 and 4:00 PM.
Keeper James has also recently founded a nonprofit organization, the Outer Banks Coast Guard History Preservation Group, TM specifically to save and rescue the majestically placed 1898 Oregon Inlet Life-Saving Station No. 16.
Keeper James was recently featured in a segment of a TV series on the Discovery Channel and is the subject of an article in the current issue of Our State Magazine. His book is being sold internationally and is available at all major booksellers including the Eastern Nation Book Store at the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. Keeper James will be available to sign and personalize them for you.
Keeper James Presentations TM is a series of live programs presented by local historians, historical interpreters and performers Keeper JamesTM Charlet and Linda Molloy. Each program about the U.S. Life-Saving Service consists of vignettes of true, exciting, highly dramatic Outer Banks stories of ‘America’s Forgotten HeroesTM.’ For more information, see www.KeeperJames.com/programs.
