Chicamacomico LSS Hurricane Irene Damage Report

 

November 10th, 2011
When the hurricane-damaged Chicamacomico Historic Site learned of the Historic Preservations Trade School at the Edgecombe Community College, they were quick to make contact. Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station Historic Site & Museum learned that the school was approved by the State Historic Preservation Office and that all student work was supervised directly by teachers. This was exactly the kind of help Chicamacomico needed because the students were qualified and provided skilled labor while Chicamacomico was providing the materials.

The Edgecombe Community College is not that far from Chicamacomico’s home on northern Hatteras Island. The community college is located in the city of Tarboro, a little east of Rocky Mount and somewhat north of Greenville. Tarboro itself experienced devasting record floods from Hurricane Floyd in 1999.

The director of the preservation program put out “call for volunteers – urgent project.” Three instructors, five students and even vacationing parents of a student- 10 in all responded this time, and the Preservation Team was able to stay and work three days due to the accommodations generously provided by the Salvo Volunteer Fire Department and Camp Hatteras. Equally generous offers were made by Midgett Realty and Surf or Sound Realty, although not needed this time, perhaps the next.

In their brief but productive stay, the Preservation Team removed a half dozen windows, cut and secured plywood to cover the holes, reglazed and repaired some of those windows, and took additional windows back to the shop in Tarboro for a “complete makeover.”

When it came to picket fence gates, Jason Allen, Chip Ritch and Daniel Chasse reconstructed one entire small gate stand, repaired another small gate, and rebuilt four large double ones facing the parking lot.

Student Maggie Gregg and instructor Carl Kessler reinstalled pieces of a water tank roof. The pieces had been blown off by the hurricane, so first they had to be recovered and then laid out as a jigsaw puzzle to fit. Other team members worked to reinstall the steps of the Visitor Center, which fortunately had not floated far off.

Several of the Team saw the need and begin replacing shingles on many of the buildings. Elsewhere, in a very tricky process, students Maggie Gregg and Alyssa, with instructor Carl Kessler fixed two places in the Visitors Center where the tongue and groove flooring had buckled.

All of this, mind you, during the great irony of working in a nor’easter to repair what was damaged in a hurricane! They all worked in the relentless rain that fell all day Friday (November 4), and then in the winds of 30-40+ mph that blew all day Saturday, and dealing with the flooding from ocean overwash that covered most of the site the whole time.

Not just anyone can work on buildings that are on the National Register of Historic Places, as Chicamacomico’s are. So there was initially a remarkable situation, and then a remarkable team with remarkable skills came in and made remarkable accomplishments.

And, remarkably, they will be back to do even more.

For more information about Edgecombe Community College Historic Preservation Trades program, contact Monica Flemming, the Historic Preservation Program Coordinator at flemingm@edgecombe.edu.

Another Hurricane for Chicamacomico

The Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station Complex has weathered many a storm in its 137 years. It was there for the Great Storms of 1899, 1933, 1944, the Ash Wednesday Storm of 1962, the Halloween Storm and the “Storm of the Century” of 1993 and, what was the most recent, Hurricane Isabel in 2003 . The latest, Hurricane Irene, delivered another hurtful punch to the gut, but it was far from a knock-out punch.

The following is the Initial Damage Report filed on 30AUG which was updated on 12SEPT2011

-> right photo
A group shot of the outbuildings with the Visitor Center on the far left.  It was the first to receive the flood waters from Irene.  Notice these buildings are still missing having their ramps in place.

Overall: Seven of the eight historic buildings remain on foundations and appear to have no MAJOR structural damage. HOWEVER, one is a major disaster (See next) Site grounds had no remaining flooding or standing water. Immediately after this storm, however, considerable flooding has occurred since then with a breach in the dunes at the campgrounds to the south of our site. There is LOTS of general clean up and repairs and carpentry repairs and replacements.

Visitors’ Center: (Soundside Boathouse) was knocked almost completely off its foundation. It is resting precariously on only four of its 15 pilings and is additionally being barely supported by leaning on the smaller 1932 Tractor Shed building next to it.　 It is a hazard and must be addressed as soon as possible.　 Took a lot of water. Ramp floated up and away. (Note: ALL 4 ramps of these three buildings floated up and away, but all remain on our property close to where they belong.) Floor bucked in several places. Most all brochures, guides, rack cards ruined. Display Boat floated to one side. Drill Cart seems OK.

Should it collapse, it will conceivably damage the two adjacent historic buildings; even worse, it may not be able to be lifted up again at all. Yet another rare piece of our nation’s history would be lost.　

The VC has provided an invaluable service by orienting potential site visitors and inviting them to continue into the site, purchase an admission ticket, and take the self-guided tour and/or to patronize the Museum Gift Shop.　 These are the Site’s primary funding sources (as well as donations and memberships).　 On the advice from the National Park Service personnel, Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station Historic Site & Museum (sometimes as CLSS) Site Manager James Charlet contacted Worth Hare House Movers from Edenton, NC.　 They recently moved the two Bodie Island Life-Saving Stations. They have been very flexible and easy to deal with, and gave CLSS some advice and options.　.　 They would (1) raise the VC, (2) replace the current pilings with the proper size pilings, place them at the proper depth and position, and (3) then lower the VC building back into place and strap it down with hurricane ties.　 CLSS was told by Mr. Worth Hare (moving company owner) that this job would be done in one day or two.　 Cost has been quoted at $15,000.00.

Tractor Shed: took LOTS of water. Bay doors lock broke off. Ramp ripped off. Considerable movement and jumbling of contents inside. A lot of items ruined, such as donated push mower. Several broken widow panes. A lot of tedious clean up needed.

Stable: Heavy damage. Both ramps floated off and wer damaged. South-facing bay doors broken, missing boards. East-facing bay doors also broken but are shut. Single entry door so seriously damaged that it may fall apart on next opening. Two broken window panes. No apparent interior damage other than the donated full-size refrigerator that was ruined.

1911 Station: Picket fence seriously damaged in several places. Entrance gates and locks broken. Boiler room, Laundry room, and Gift Shop all took lots of water resulting in heavy damage. Boiler room door ripped completely off hinges. Ruined are water cooler, mini-fridge, microwave, lots of tools, and a considerable inventory of retail merchandise. Laundry room completely flooded with 4 feet. Everything stored there is ruined. Gift Shop took water, but not as much. List of ruined merchandise to be compiled later.

1911 Cookhouse: some minor flooding, no apparent damage.

1874 Station: One broken window pane. Water reached floor and created buckle near the boatroom doors. Everything else looked fine.

1892 Cookhouse: no apparent damage.

1907 Midgett House: Considerable loss of roof shingles. Entry door lock broken. No

other apparent damage. Complete cleaning will be necessary before re-opening.

Miscellaneous: Many decorative pilings floated off. Several signs missing, including one “Entrance” sign. One broken roadside sign light. Sections of roof missing from the two water tanks by the 1911 Cookhouse. Parking lot in terrible shape from constant flooding and from heavy use by large trucks, tractors, bulldozers, etc. Will need to be regraded and possibly have more ABC (gravel) added. Debris cleanup. The biggest task remaining, however, is that ALL buildings will need to be cleaned thoroughly before re-opening.

UPDATE 30 SEPT

Site Operations and Gift Shop Manager Linda Molloy saved over 10 dozen site tee shirts by taking quick action. She had them washed with the generous help of the North Carolina Baptist Men, who were serving the entire community throughout the disaster.

Two ground floor rooms of the 1911 Station took lots of water and received heavy damage. Volunteers from the Unite States Coast Guard Auxiliary Cape Hatteras Flotilla 1604 have cleaned them both out. They also got the door back on its hinges. There remains many losses to be replaced.

Volunteers from United States Coast Guard Motor Lifeboat Station Hatteras Inlet spent a day on site hauling debris and other trash to the highway for pick up.

The most serious damage most urgently needing to be corrected was the condition of the Visitor Center, formerly the 1897 Sound Rescue Boat Boathouse. Of the three adjacent outbuildings in the front, the Visitor Center (VC) is the one closest to the Highway. This building had been knocked almost completely off its foundation. It rested precariously on only four of its 15 pilings and, worse, was leaning dangerously on the building next to it. Conceivably, the VC could have toppled all three buildings like dominoes. Since all of Chicamacomico’s buildings are on the National Register of Historic Places, the only solution was to hire a professional house mover, an expensive but proper solution. Chicamacomico put the word out to potential funders. In only two days, the total project was fully funded. Stepping up to the plate, once again, was the Outer Banks Community Foundation and the Outer Banks Lighthouse Society with requested funding.

Worth Hare & Sons House Movers came and raised the VC eight feet, Tuesday 20 SEPT. Constant rain delayed the next step, but on Thursday 22SEPT Top Dollar Construction, from Hatteras Island, set all new pilings. These were 8x8 by 8 feet long. Worth returned with more rain to lower the VC back on to its pilings, and then secure it with hurricane straps.

That was one major victory for Chicamacomico. But that is one building of an eight building- seven acre complex. There are still many repairs and lots of work. Chicamacomico is soliciting both monetary donations as well as donations of labor and expertise. For the latter, email to clss@embarqmail.com.

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September 2011 Update

Chicamacomico LSS Hurricane Irene Damage Report