Historic Outer Banks structures to be demolished after ‘unrecoverable’ storm damage

Rising sea levels and a series of relentless coastal storms are forcing Cape Lookout National Seashore to demolish six historic Outer Banks structures that are beyond repair.

The doomed buildings include homes and a fishing lodge in the abandoned Cape Village and Portsmouth Village settlements, which predate the national park by a century or more.

They structures range in age, with construction dates from 1915 to 1957, the park told McClatchy News.

“Regrettably, storms and rising sea-level have taken a toll on some of the historic structures,” Cape Lookout officials said in a news release.

“During the last three years, unrecoverable damage has occurred. ... While these structures are representative of important parts of our history, they now pose a serious threat to visitors and will have to be demolished.”

The buildings include: “Casablanca House (also known as the Baker-Holderness House, Cape Village); the Seltzer-Dawsey House (Cape Village); the Jetty Worker 1 House (Cape Village); the T.T. Potter House (Portsmouth Village); the Frank Gaskill House (Portsmouth Village); and the Battle Brothers Hunting and Fishing Lodge (Portsmouth Village).”

Portsmouth Village, an old fishing village, is on the National Register of Historic Places and dates back to the mid 1750s, historians say. It was largely abandoned after residents fled the Union Army during the Civil War and never fully recovered, the park says.

“I have put a lot of blood, sweat, and tears into trying to get us back on track with the preservation of these buildings,” Cape Lookout Superintendent Jeff West said in the news release.

“Deterioration, lack of attention, and our environment have all contributed to the loss. I truly regret it and will do everything I can to get the remaining structures repaired. To honor the women and men who made a living out of these buildings, we will put up waysides at each location to commemorate their contribution to the culture and history of the banks,” he said.

Cape Lookout National Seashore includes North Core Banks, South Core Banks and Shackleford Banks, three barrier islands that take the brunt of storm surge, coastal flooding and erosion associated with hurricanes and nor’easters the NPS says.

In 2018, Hurricane Florence made landfall in North Carolina with 100 mph winds and 13-foot storm surge, causing damage to multiple buildings at Portsmouth Village, according to McClatchy News. The following year, Hurricane Dorian also heavily damaged the historic Grace Cemetery at Portsmouth Village, which hosts the remains of some of the Outer Banks’ earliest settlers.

This story was originally published December 3, 2020 at 4:33 PM with the headline "Historic Outer Banks structures to be demolished after ‘unrecoverable’ storm damage."