In response to many shipwrecks along the coasts of America, the federal government decided to create a lifesaving service. The Kitty Hawk Lifesaving Station was first constructed in 1873 and 1874 near the current intersection of Kitty Hawk Road and NC12. This station along with seven others along the Outer Banks were charged with saving people, property and ships when in distress. They also alerted mariners when they came too close to the coast.
OBX Life
At that time, the Outer Banks was an isolated place with no bridges to the mainland. Communication was limited as radio and the telephone were either non-existent or just invented. Surviving a shipwreck must have felt like you landed on a deserted island!
Most locals provided for their families by hunting, fishing and farming. The lifesaving service offered a new career opportunity for the local population. For many, the transition from fisherman to surfman was easy since they experienced the dangers of these waters their entire lives. As a result, hundreds of people were saved.
Buildings
In 1911 an additional building was built on this Kitty Hawk site to better serve this busy station. That’s the building in this historical picture. This photo was taken by D. Victor Meekins in the early 20th century. You can see this picture as well as many others in the state archives at Outer Banks History Center in Manteo.
As navigational tools and ship technology improved, the lifesaving station was no longer needed. This lifesaving station closed shortly after the end of World War II. Both buildings still exist today. The older building is now part of the Black Pelican Restaurant and the newer building was moved to southern Kitty Hawk and is a vacation home.
Most of this historical information was gathered from the book Up-The-Road Down-The-Road. Bill Harris, the author, was Kitty Hawk native, who loved the town and its history. For more detailed information on the Kitty Hawk Lifesaving Station and the history of Kitty Hawk, this is a good source of information.
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