Island History: A spotlight on stories from the Outer Banks’ Life-Saving Service
The Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station (CLSS) is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year, as one of the seven original Life-Saving Stations to be built in North Carolina in 1874.
As such, the Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station and Historic Site in Rodanthe will be sharing stories about the seven 1874 Outer Banks stations in the months ahead, leading up to the official October celebration of the United States Life-Saving Stations’ 150th anniversary in the state.
The following is the next of these Life-Saving Station feature articles to honor the #LegacyofLifeSaving, written by Jen Carlson for CLSS.
Above and Beyond – A historic rescue by the Kitty Hawk and Kill Devil Hills Life-Saving Stations
On January 20, 1895, a barge had broken free from its towline and ended up being stranded about a mile north of the Kill Devil Hills Life-Saving Station. She was discovered, however, by the south patrolman from the Kitty Hawk Life-Saving Station.
After not meeting his counterpart from Station #13 while on beach patrol, the patrolman continued walking the beach realizing a rescue must have been in progress.
Discovering there were two men on board who were without supplies, the patrolman waded into the surf and used a heaving stick and line to establish a connection to the barge before assisting the men ashore. He led the men to the closer Kill Devil Hills Station where they were met by the returning crew who had indeed been responding to a vessel in distress south of the station.
The two sailors stayed with the Kill Devil Hills crew for two days while waiting for a tugboat to haul the barge to Norfolk.
All in a Day’s Work at the Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station
Sometimes it’s just about patience: Just before daybreak on December 27, 1895, Keeper Little Bannister Midgett, Jr. was in the lookout stand and spotted a schooner about 3.5 miles south of the Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station.
Moments later, a signal was spotted from the schooner indicating help was requested. Immediately, Keeper Midgett led his crew into the early morning hours.
Upon arriving on scene, it was discovered that there was nothing that could be done to assist, as the crew of the Lou Willis actually landed themselves onshore before the Chicamacomico crew arrived and the tide going out had left the schooner high and dry. It was going to take skids to get the vessel off the sandbar. Nearly a month later, the vessel’s master requested help once again, as the skids were now acquired and he needed assistance in launching the schooner. He was very appreciative of the work the surfmen did to help him relaunch his vessel.
