Old Oregon Inlet Coast Guard Station
Published September 25, 2007 by adminUsually the Coast Guard is busy doing the rescuing but soon rescue efforts will begin on the old Coast Guard Station at Oregon Inlet. Built in the late 1890s the land was deeded by Jessie Ethridge in 1897 to the federal government for use as a lifesaving station. Back then there was no Coast Guard. Without radio communication there was no way to save the people on a ship in distress until the ship could be sited and determined to be in distress. Unfortunately this meant that the ship had already run aground. A crew would be dispatched from the lifesaving station to rescue those on board.
The Coast Guard eventually took over the station and then abandoned it in 1988. According to the original deed the 10 acres of oceanfront property was supposed to revert back to the original owners. However, when Cape Hatteras National Seashore was created all of the land was condemned and the heirs of Mr. Ethridge lost their claim to the land.
Dare County became the new owner of the property and they turned it over to the North Carolina Aquarium. The funds have been procured to renovate the station to the historic 1890’s era time frame.
The modern additions will be removed and historic renovations will make it a part of Outer Banks history and culture.
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