Island Voices: Personal Memories of Carolina Beach Preserve the Past
Proposal:
Carolina Beach is undergoing rapid change. In the summer of 2004 the first major hotel
chain established a presence with the opening of the Marriott. In spite of major
controversy, high rise multi-use complexes have been approved, and Park Place and
Arcadia will begin construction soon. Even Jubilee Park, the last of the beach’s
amusement parks, has been sold and the site will become the home of another multi-use
complex.
With all of this development taking place, the age old question remains- what will
become of the boardwalk. For those newcomers taking their first stroll there, it probably
doesn’t make much difference. At the moment, it isn’t a very impressive site. Among the
mostly empty buildings, there is a scattering of businesses- a beach shop, a fudge shop,
an aging arcade, a coffee shop, a couple of restaurants, Britt’s Doughnuts, and several
bars. Not much to get excited about. What they don’t see is the bigger story. While the
boardwalk began a decline in the 1970’s, it had been a popular attraction for decades
prior to that and was actually called “the South’s Miracle Beach” for years.
Interest in topic:
While Pleasure Island has been my home for the last ten years, my ties go back much
farther. My grandparents vacationed at Carolina Beach when my mother and her sister
and brother were young. They were actually here when my parents quietly married in
Durham, N. C. From the time I can remember, my family spent summer vacation here,
and often my grandparents came with us. We always stayed at the same little place, a
small motel run by Mr. and Mrs. Hancey. It certainly wasn’t up to the standards of
today’s motels-we didn’t have air-conditioning, televisions, telephones, or any of the
other conveniences we now take for granted. However, being regular visitors, we came to
know the Hancey’s and would visit their apartment to watch television. In fact, years
after Mr. Hancey died and Mrs. Hancey gave up running the little motel, my mother and I
would visit here at the gift shop she ran on the boardwalk. I have fond memories of both
my grandfather and my father holding me up to jump the waves in the surf, and nights
spent on the boardwalk, eating cotton candy and playing the carnival games. There was
something for the whole family. My grandfather and grandmother would sit on the
benches near the old wishing well, watching the crowds as they strolled around the
boardwalk. My grandfather especially enjoyed this as it was a good way to watch the
pretty girls. Usually my father had the pleasure of taking my sister and I to the rides, and
it was something to rise above the boardwalk and view the beach from the top of the
Ferris Wheel. Oh the sights and sounds are unforgettable. It was like being at the state
fair whenever we wanted. As I got older, we enjoyed the freedom of strolling along the
boardwalk by ourselves, or with the cute guys we met. There was very little concern for
our safety, except the admonition to watch out for the soldiers, as they were a little too
old for us, and a probably a little too experienced.
By the time I got to high school in 1969, those family vacations became a memory. My
sister graduated and got married, and I began to have other interests. My family did,
however, continue to come to Kure Beach. My dad sometimes came to the area with my
mother’s brother and father for fishing. Then in 1973, his half-sister died and he bought
the small beach house she had owned. He and my grandfather enjoyed spending
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weekends here, fishing and working on the little “fixer-upper.” Later, my husband and
my father bonded over fishing trips on the Winner Queen and charter fishing trips, and
began a tradition of spending Thanksgiving holiday closing the house for the winter.
Over the years, I spent time in the summer and at Christmas here, and in 1985 we moved
into that same little cottage.
Now, as a resident of Pleasure Island, I am witnessing the changes that are taking place,
some good, some not so good. And as real estate value increases, for sale signs are
popping up like mushrooms after a rain. Many resident are selling older properties, which
in turn are being torn down and replaced with townhouses. In fact, my eighty plus year
old neighbors, a couple I have know for over thirty years, recently sold their house across
the street from me. This is a couple who enjoyed their summers here; Jean would stay for
the summer months while Frank would arrive from Raleigh on Friday evening and leave
again early Monday morning just in time to get back for work. With his retirement, they
sold their home in Raleigh and retired to their little cottage at Kure Beach, and Frank
eventually served on the town council and as mayor. Their little house was torn down in
May, and I now look at a vacant lot that will soon be home to townhouses which will
probably be bought by people who have no idea what this island was like in the past.
Many of these newcomers are drawn here by the quiet, peaceful small town atmosphere.
Ironically, it is just this atmosphere that we are losing as more and more development
takes place.
There will be a time in the not too distant future when no one will remember the Bame
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Hotel, Blue Water Court, the A&P, fisherman’s steel pier, the Wave Theater, the Pavilion
and all those other landmarks that once were as familiar as one’s own name.
MALS Connection:
While taking Dr. Wentworth’s GLS-592 course “Main Street USA,” I began to look at
Carolina Beach as an actual small town. Most people view it as a resort area, a vacation
spot. It is that, but it is much more. It is a small town in it’s own right, and has been from
its beginning. While it was actually developed as a resort community, it was also home to
some, only a few at first, but the permanent population grew over the years. As a small
town, it claimed its own post office, town hall, grocery stores, schools, and all those other
facilities found in other small towns across the country. In addition, it boasted facilities
aimed at attracting tourists, from dance pavilions, to bowling alleys, to bath houses, to
amusement games and rides, to gift shops and food stands.
While working on a paper for this course, I began to actually look at Carolina Beach and
the changes it was experiencing. I took a stroll down the boardwalk for the first time in
years, and was disappointed to see how little was actually there. There was barely a
suggestion of what it had been in its heyday. A few of the old businesses remained, but
many of the buildings were empty and it was certainly not the center of activity for
families that it used to be. Looking at the new Marriot next to the declining boardwalk, I
realized that there is a very good chance that what I had known will probably be gone
completely in the coming years. And with the loss of the boardwalk and those familiar
old buildings, there will be a loss of those days gone by. Some information is preserved
in the archives of the newspaper, the library, and the local history center, but not as much
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as there could be. Looking at old postcards of the area displayed in one of the businesses
brought back vivid memories, and encouraged me in the idea of trying to preserve some
of that history. In talking with Darlene and Leslie Bright at the Federal Point History
Center, I decided that it would be interesting and beneficial to talk to some of the people
who had been around Carolina Beach for a long time. By collecting their memories, I
would be helping to preserve a way of life that has now vanished, and just maybe, those
memories would be enjoyed by others.
Methodology:
I will begin by visiting the Federal Point History Center. With their help, I will compile a
preliminary list of people to interview, using the History Center as a point of contact and
as a reference. After contacting people on the list, I will conduct basic research on that
person and develop a list of interview questions. After each interview, I will transcribe
the tapes, eliminating irrelevant sections or comments. As I conduct the interviews, I will
collect names of other people who might contribute to the project. I hope to select a topic
from each interview to develop, a place or event that can be briefly described. I will also
collect photos and articles as I conduct the interviews and review these for use in
supporting the project. The project will culminate with a round table discussion of several
older residents during the September meeting of the Federal Point Historical Society,
where I will ask questions and lead a discussion. Hopefully, this discussion will be videotaped. A copy of the project, as well as copies of photographs and postcards collected,
will be given to the History Center for their use so that other’s who are interested will
have access to the information.
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Preliminary Bibliography:
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. “How To Guide.” Southern Oral History
Program. <http://www.sohp.org/howto/guide/howto_111g.html>
National New Deal Preservation Association. “Capturing Oral Histories.” 1999.
<http://www.newdeallegacy.org/oralhistory.html>
University of California. “Interviewing Tips.” Regional Oral History Office. 14 Sept.
2004. <http://www.bancroft.berkeley.edu/ROHO/resources/rohotips.html>
Hicke, Carole. “One Minute Guide to Oral History.” Regional Oral History Office. 14
Sept. 2004. University of California.
<http://www.bancroft.berkeley.edu/ROHO/resources/1minute.html>
Federal Point History Center
Schedule:
May 2005- Meet with Darlene and Leslie Bright of Federal Point History Center to
discuss project and compile a list of potential interviews.
Begin initial contacts with possible subjects.
June 2005- Begin scheduling interview.
Start conducting interviews.
Transcribe interviews.
July 2005- Continue conducting and transcribing interviews.
Begin collecting information about places discussed in interview for brief
features.
August 2005- Continue interviews, transcription, and research.
September 2005-Meet with project director.
Conduct follow-up sessions as needed.
Meet with Leslie Bright to plan panel discussion at the History Center.
Conduct panel discussion at the Federal Point Historical Society’s
monthly meeting.
Complete first draft of project.
October 2005- Submit first draft to committee.
Make revisions to first draft.
Submit second draft to committee.
Meet with project director.
November 2005- Complete any final revisions.
Final Defense.
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RELEASE FORM
For Oral History and Folklife Documentation
I _______________________________, give my permission to be audio or
video taped, and/or photographed by Robin C. Robertson for her project in her Master of
Liberal Studies program.
I understand that these materials/information will become part of UNC-Wilmington’s
Randall Library collection and made available for public use. I further understand and
consent that these material may be used in any manner seen fit by Robin C. Robertson.
Participation in this project is entirely voluntary.
I/We the undersigned, have read the above. The interviewer affirms that he/she has
explained the nature and purpose of this oral history research. The interviewee affirms
that he/she has consented to the interview. The interviewee hereby gives, grants and
assigns all rights, titles and interests, including copyright, of whatever kind from this
information to Robin C. Robertson. The interviewee hereby waives any rights to inspect
or approve the finished product or products and the advertising copy or other matter that
may be used in connection therewith or the use to which it may be applied.
I hereby warrant that I am of full age and have the right to contract in my own name.
This release shall be binding upon me and my heirs, legal representatives and assigns.
_______________________________________
Signature of Interviewee
_________________
Date
Name (print) __________________________________________________
Mailing Address _______________________________________________
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Phone Number ______________________________
Interviewer ________________________________ Date _______________
Mailing Address________________________________________________
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