In 2006, the watermen on Ocracoke Island banded together to save their livelihood. The island’s last fish house had been put up for sale, which meant there was no access to bulk ice and no place to unload and sell their catch. The watermen faced a certain end. The Ocracoke Working Watermen’s Exhibit tells the story of their past, their present, and how, in 2006, they worked together to assure their future.

Located in the former Will Willis Store & Fish House, a National Register Historic Structure, the exhibit combines videos, printed materials, classes, and special events to educate the public and raise awareness of the need to preserve Ocracoke Island’s 300-year-old maritime culture, the role that watermen play in maintaining our “quaint fishing village atmosphere,” and the interdependence between a healthy environment, community, and the local economy.

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U.S. Navy Beach Jumpers Memorial
More than 60 years after they were stationed here, Ocracoke Island could finally commemorate the highly classified U.S. Navy special warfare unit that practiced their amphibious landings on our shores.
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Fort Ocracoke Civil War Memorial
A history marker is all that remains of the Civil War fort built on nearby Beacon Island, which was partly destroyed by Confederates, completely destroyed by Union forces, and consumed by the inlet in 1933.
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Ocracoke Island History
A colonial trade route stopover. A hideout for pirates. A port of entry during the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. A top-secret training base for the precursor to the Navy Seals. A quaint and quiet fishing village. Ocracoke Island has endured centuries of change but always re-emerges stronger than before.
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