Tuesday, April 19, 2011

"P" is for Portsmouth Island...

A to Z Challenge...
ABC's of My Life~


Welcome to Portsmouth Island...an uninhabited island off  Ocracoke Island.
During the writing seminar I attended for NCCAT (see yesterday's post for 'O')
we took a boat trip to this little jewel...the only residents are the plentiful mozquitoes.


This island was integral to the shipping and cargo industry but was
devastated by two hurricanes. The last resident left in 1971. Below are the
photos of the buildings that remain standing.


A resident's home....


...another home on Portsmouth Island...settled in 1753. At the height of it's
popularity, there were 505 permanent residents.



Of those 505 residents, 117 were slaves.

The Methodist Church where gatherings continue to take place. There is a group called
the Friends of Portsmouth Island and the National Park Service maintains the
islands.




This is the school house the children of the island attended...


Inside the one room school house...
A view of the dock used by the park service...there are boat tours that will
transport you to the island. You won't want to stay long, the mosquitoes
are beyond belief~




The ghosts of the people who lived on this island accompanied our hearts
as we departed....


Pelican Island is inhabited by yep, you guessed it, the pelicans...
there are hundreds of pelicans as we passed and it was beyond breath-taking!


'Sometimes silence is the only respectable response to loss'




35 comments:

From the Kitchen said...

I'm enjoying my "travel" with you. I've encountered those mosquitos!! And many other bugs in those parts. Great photos.

Best,
Bonnie

Bish Denham said...

Nice tour!

Teresa Evangeline said...

What a lovely post, Tracy, your words, your images, and the final quote, so apropos.

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Wow---what a gorgeous place. Isn't it kinda sad seeing those empty buildings now??? I can understand why the people left (I wouldn't want to live where hurricanes hit) --but I'm sure it was sad when they did leave. That little church is adorable. Glad the park service is taking care of that area ---with or without squeeters...

Thanks for sharing.
Hugs,
Betsy

TexWisGirl said...

seemed like a melancholy place - except for the mosquito swatting. the pelicans are amazing!

Rita said...

What an incredible story; so very sad to see that empty classroom. It sometimes makes you wonder how come we have these devastations; many are living this as we speak. Thank you for sharing.
Rita

Bossy Betty said...

Fascinating and incredibly inspiring for a writer too.....

Angels Amber and Max DaWeenie and Mom said...

What a beautiful place (minus the skeeters). The building that remain are in great condition considering they were the victims of the hurricanes. I wonder if the island will ever be revived again.

Out on the prairie said...

Lovely area, I would have some lethal spray on to keep those skeets at bay.

Sylvia K said...

What a lovely place! Well --- except for the mosquitoes!! Interesting history and your photos are terrific! Thanks for the tour! Hope your week is going well.

Sylvia

Ellie Garratt said...

What a wonderful post - fascinating and haunting at the same time. As for mosquitos, they are the most annoying insect ever!

Ellie Garratt

Talli Roland said...

Wow, thank you for the tour! I feel like I've been there now!

Sassafras and Winterberry said...

Lovely tour. I'm sad about the empty buildings...wondering what life was like for those residents. It reminds me of Appledore Island up here off the coast of NH.
Beautiful pictures!
Courtney

Nancy said...

I can imagine how you would feel the presence of those that had lived and died on the island. Very nice post, Tracy. Sounds like a beautiful place. :)

Lorena G. Sims said...

Love the Photos, great capture! Very nice post.

Connie said...

What an interesting post, Tracy. It must have felt a little eerie to visit there. It's like the ghost towns of the old west except on an island!

T. Powell Coltrin said...

oooh, I love your photos and descriptions!

Karen Thomason/Gordon Setter Crossing said...

Love the little white church. Pretty place with a touch of sadness. Thanks for sharing your experience.

Author Joshua Hoyt said...

These are some beautiful pictures. I love graveyards their is so much to learn from them. Especially the old ones.

Ginny Hartzler said...

My goodness, you are showing us a modern day ghost town!! What touching photos you got. Why has no one moved back there, are the mosquitoes just too bad, and also hurricanes? But yet the church survives? Are the pelicans on another island or is it the same one?

Karen M. Peterson said...

Such a fascinating place. I love exploring those towns and places that used to be such important spots but where no one lives anymore. We have a ghost town not far from here that's fun to visit. I just wish it hadn't become so commercialized.

Donnie said...

Looks like a great place to visit.I love the pelicans in the last photo.

Grandma Yellow Hair said...

So glad you are sharing such interesting places with us. Makes me feel like I am getting to travel a little. lol
This place really fascinates me that no one lives there now. Too bad they don't have a fogging machine to run at night for the mosquitoes.
I am waiting on delivery of your book....can't wait. Like waiting on santa Claus
Hope you have a wonderful Easter
Love
Maggie

J.L. Campbell said...

The island is chock-full of history. We also have a 'Portsmouth' also in Jamaica, however, it's a housing development.

LTM said...

wow. Very cool pix! And sad headstone. :o\

So is that up near New Hampshire? Is this near Florida? Where is Portsmouth? Very cool~ <3

Catherine said...

Any place that looks so sunny and warm, looks like a good place to be to me! :)

Very nice!
xo Catherine

Kim@stuffcould.... said...

What a beautiful place, I love the tour. So many things to love like the old church, benches, even the grave site too

Kay Dennison said...

Love it!! I love places like this and your photos are lovely.

And thanks for your lovely email!!!! :)

Unknown said...

I think I may have to put this place on my bucket list. I love quaint and historic sites. And, if you want to experience epic man eating mosquitoes Just go to the Kenai in Alaska. Those Puppies are gigantic. kt

Anonymous said...

Your beautifully written posts with the great photos are bringing so many fond memories for me. Thank you for sharing your journeys with us.

Dianne said...

the 2 day old baby headstone is very powerful

the island appears to be very beautiful
so much history

I adore pelicans
the Jimmy Durantes of the animal world :)

Misha Gerrick said...

I would love to go there. Mosquitoes or no mosquitoes. Portsmith Island seems to have so much history to it. :-)

Robyn Campbell said...

I HATE mosquitoes. But that island sounds wonderful. I stared at the headstone, wondering about the parents. How sad. But they are all together now. :-)

I love pelicans. My family will have to try and get there over the summer. It looks awesome. Thanks for the tour.

DoanLegacy said...

Wow..I enjoy every single one of your photos. The whole history is just wide open for me to observe.

KathyA said...

Oh, what a lovely place!