Washington, NC From Above -- possibly the 1940s.
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I found this pic of the Original Washington in a box of my Dad's old pictures. What year do you think it is? Can you find your home?? I see the old John Small School! ~~ Diane Mason ~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Diane.. I would guess late 40 or early 50.. Notice Jack's creek is very wide.. ~~ Hugh Sterling ~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This is earlier than than that Hugh I would say mid forties to late forties.. Note the waterfront1, 2, and Moss Planning Mill. The old naval reserve center (next to what became Pamlico Marine and going uptown on Water Street, the big warehouse that was next to Potter's Fish Market is there as Is The big fertilizer warehouse to the uptown side of Potter's and next to Maola. Both of these were demolished when I was 8 or 9. Also Charles Parker's house is not there(near train station) It was built in the very early fifties. Charles and Elva lived with Mrs. Whitley before then. Notice the old mill log pond is there. I see the Armory and Webster's/Shoreview, and the BugHouse/Rec and Mr. Rawls' house. Do you remember when we were kids all the boats that were tied up behind the RR trestle at the mouth of Jack's Creek? I don't see any. That's were Lee Cooper docked "TarHeel". ~~ Rex Wheatley ~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When Marvin Mason built the Mason Lumber Company sawmill out here on 5th Street, it was literally the end of the road. No bridge was there for one to cross, to travel on to Greenville. If you look at the picture, you can see that it appears that 5th Street ends right there at the trees along the creek line. I also see a very big building that appears to be on Hackney Ave. Does anyone recognize it? I think maybe it is an old tobacco warehouse that burned down in the 1990s. Does anyone see the old Washington High School that was on Bridge St? What about the Train Station just off Main St. that is now the Washington Civic Center? ~~ Diane Mason ~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Diane.. Rex might be right about the date being in the early 1940.. There is one other thing.. the windmills that were placed in Jack's creek for the Tulip Festival are not there.. This could date the picture in the mid 1930.. however I was also looking at that strut on the aircraft..that looks early 1940.. ~~ Hugh Sterling ~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Good picture. It is before 1950. I moved on Simmons st about 1950 or'51. The plane's strut covers where my house would be. Fourth st, south of Kugler does not look like I remember it. I do not know what that is across the street from the field. Also, the pedestrian bridge from second street to the recreation center is not shown. The tennis courts also came a lot later. ~~ Russ Knowles ~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Rex.. I met a man the other day that clamed the navy bombed Castle Island with their training bombs.. He told me he remembered going over there and picking up the used bombs.. he also mentioned that he was a friend of Mike Bailey... I know the Navy bombed the island off of Whichard's beach but I never knew that the Navy bombed castle island.. I think this man is wrong.. Do you remember Mike Bailey?? I understand he died several years ago in South America.. ~~ Hugh Sterling ~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hugh, I have never heard that. I remember seeing a piece of an old bomb that Frank Cox said he got from Grandpapp's Island. I use to paddle over to Castle Island a lot but I never saw anything except oyster shells and a big pile of bricks and some big old rusted gear wheels. There was the remains of an old dock on the NW end of the island. If you remember Castle Island had a smaller Island connected to it by a short sandbar to it's East. At one time it was just one island. I guess now the island is smaller by half than dur the early part of the century.There was an old crab/gillnet fisherman who had an old houseboat he fished out of beached on that sand bar for years. I think it was the same guy who use to live in a houseboat behind Tom Moore's Grocery just at the foot of the bridge going in to Washington Park. I can't remember his name. Do you remember the big day in the mid-fifties when a fisherman caught a big porpoise in a gill net in the river and he took it up to Potter's Fish Market and they hung it up and displayed it. There was a big spread in the DN about it.They cut it's belly open and it turned out to be a female with a late term calf in her belly. Frank Cox said that she probably had come up the river to have her calf and got tangled in the gill net and drowned. He said it was common for them to calve in brackish or semi-brackish waters. It also protected the calf for the first month from predators like sharks. Speaking of Mike Bailey, didn't he use to go with the pretty young girl who's dad ran Shoreview. I know they dated a lot. They were in the Band together. I worked two summer's at Nags Head with Mike.(We worked at the Orrville and Wilbur Wright Hotel, and the next summer we worked at the Port-o-Call Restaurant for Neal Loy From Pantego. He use to work at Beaufort County Mental health Association. I believe he was a Psychologist. He lived in the round house out at MacsWoods He was a "straaaange guy." I use to think he was from another planet. I think he was Hannis Latham's buddy in high school. I believe he and Richard Hodges also use to be friends. I had heard he died but I did not know it was S. America. What did he die of? Who was the man who was friends with Bailey? ~~ Rex Wheatley ~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Diane, your picture was interesting. The bridge tenders house is still on the bridge. The Atlantic Coastline RR bridge is still crossing the river. John Small Avenue has been built. Jack’s Creek has not been dammed up. I bet it was taken in the late 40ties. ~~ John Boyd ~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ John's mention of Jack's Creek, reminded me of the Weeping Willows that use to line the Creek at "The Bug House". Every afternoon it use to be lined with Colored Folks(period statement) Fishing from the bank. One nice old lady, who worked at JSS Cafeteria use to be there regularly and use to let me fish one of her many poles she would set out. She use to read her letters to me from her son who was in Korea. I think later I found out she had died before her son returned home. Still today, one of my fondest memories of childhood was sitting in the"Rec" in front of that big stone fireplace with a roaring fire going on a cold winter's day, and enjoying a Roberson Beverage Chocolate or a Grape drink.. My last memory of that was sitting there talking with Lou Wolfe about her just becoming a Varsity Cheerleader. She was so happy. What a sweet heart she was. It was like a home away from home, you could count on most of your friends being there and a weekend was not complete without spending Friday and Saturday nights at the Rec to listen to and dance to Mrs. Martin's little 45 record player. Remember........."Chapel In The Moonlight"?. Some times Mary Long Daniels and Kathy Salle' would help out behind the counter selling drinks and handing out ping pong balls and paddles. ~~ Rex Wheatley ~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I was reading folks comments on the aerial photo. The "big Building" Diane spoke of on Hackney Ave is Sermons Warehouse, owned by lawyer Sermon's father Wayland Sr. Mother was in charge of accounting sales there during tobacco season. My stepfather was head buyer for American Tobacco Co./Eastern district and he and his company ran "American Suppliers Div.that occupied the rear third of the warehouse. All the tobacco he/American bought on sale in Washington was brought there and packed in "hogsheads". They were five hundred pound wooden barrels when packed full. They were then shipped to Durham and Richmond to be graded and processed in the late forties through the fiftiest was one of the centers of the world for "brightleaf tobacco" in the early to mid fifties On NW corner of third and Hackney was the Royal Crown Bottling Company. On the back of the second floor Dr. Kinsey had his first office in the late forties and early fifties. The warehouse that is on the backside of Mackenzie Equipment Company on the opposite corner from the RC plant was and is one of Washington's oldest commercial buildings. It was built to store and sell cotton after the Civil War. ~~ Rex Wheatley ~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ One other thing that stands out for me and probably Hugh and Skipper and Pittman. Alot of trees shown in the picture on East Main St. Most of them were cut down right after WWII. They were massive Elms and were cut down to widen East Main. The rest of them as well as the giant Pecans that ran from Nicholson St east to Frank Kugler's home on Harvey. Some of these Pecan Trees were said to have been planted by the owner of Mulberry Taven.( were Whiting Toler's house was and is today) Washington's first building. Hazel took alot of them down in 1954. The really old Pecans in that area are "Stewarts" which are English in origin which gives creditability to the Mulberry Taven story. ~~ Rex Wheatley ~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I think that we should be able to home in on a date for this picture. Hugh, the Rawls house is not in this picture is it? When was it built? I don’t think that the Cargill grain unloading dock has been built beside Evans Seafood Market. The large building on Hackney Avenue is probably Sermons Tobacco Warehouse, it was just about in that location. I think that you can see steam coming from the Eureka Lumber Co. mill. It used steam for the saw mill and the planers so there was always a lot of waste steam being vented off. When was it shut down? I don’t think that Nichols and Whitley’s electrical company building had been built across from Moss Planning Mill on Water Street. If you will remember Highway 264 used to come into town around “Dead Mans Curve” and run down Charlotte Street, then turn down Second Street. John Small Avenue eliminated this traffic flow and routed 264 down 5th street. I don’t think that Betty Tetterton’s house is in this picture across from Orion Peeve’s house on Second Street. Kugler Field appears to be there, when was it built? If we keep asking these kind of questions we can bracket when this picture was taken. ~~John Boyd ~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I think I could help in zeroing in on a date for this picture but Like Russ the strut on the plane is blocking out most of the area where our house was built and where my Grandfather's house was, Rex had a good point in that the trees along Main and Second should give a timeline. ~~ Tom White ~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Nichol's and Whitley had been built, but not in it's current location. They started across the street in a small little building(which later became a mall type shipping business) caddy-cornered to the old office of Moss. It was the second building down from Whiting Toler's house, next to Dick Hodges home.This was in the late forties. They use to put 21" TV's in their window and leave them on at night. Whiting and I use to sit infront of their store and watch TV on summers nights. I remember seeing Rocky Marciano fight Ezzard Charles there on the Gillette Friday Night Fights.. My uncle, Al Phelps was the quarterback on a team that included Freddie Potts, Hallet Ward, Heywood Fowle, and others. Al played ball in '46, '47 and '48 and they played at Kugler Field. My grandfather lived across the street from The old Eureka Mill Office on West Main next door to the Nunnellys and Bill Gurkin. I use to play in the mill yard around the log pond when visiting Pop.(Starting at 6yrs old to about ten) Grandfather or John Leach, which ever was available, would take all of us kids (Eddie Knott, Demsie Grimes, Dick leach,and Bennie Tayloe) fishing from time to time in the log pond. When I was 6 yrs. old the mill was in it's heyday. I can still hear the sound of the steam plant venting steam. Another thing long forgotten was next to the mill towards uptown, is where "Kimbo" Saunders tied up one of the last Ocracoke Mail Boats. he had a contract to run the mail to Silver Lake. Kim lived in the last house on the corner at the Eastern end of the river front in Washington Park. When he sold the home Peyton Holloman bought it and lived there for years. Kimbo was a hard drinking character on the order of Frank Cox, and funny as hell! He was buddies with Frank Kugler, Brownie Kugler, Frank Cox,and Plummer Nicholson. Hence the Name Kugler-Nicholson Sporting Goods. John, when I was growing up at 239 East Main, the fish market that became Evans Seafood was then known as Potter's Fish Market, at the river's end of Bonner St. It was owned by old Clyde Potter from Belhaven who owned Belhaven Seafood. His son was for years the surgeon in Washington by the same name. Clyde Jr. died of brain cancer in the mid-eighties. Clyde jr. was a world class sportsman and hunted and fished world wide, especially Alaska. Hugh I have a question for you. In the rear of the Rawls house there use to be a storm warning flag on a tall metal stand. Was that Mr. Rawls' or was that part of the Coast Guard's operation? ~~ Rex Wheatley ~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I remember the TV sets running in the front window of Nichols and Whitley. That was in the mid fifties. My first year in Wash. was in 1952. I remember going to someone’s house to watch President Eisenhower’s Inauguration in 1952. That was one of the first times that I ever remember seeing anything much on TV. We also went to someones house to see Queen Elizabeth’s corination on TV. What year was that? We did not get a TV at home until WITN came to town abut 1957 or thereabouts. I wonder what year the first TV sets appeared in Wash. I believe that Norfolk, VA was the only station and maybe Raleigh. This had to be in the late forties. I remember Kim Saunders quite well. My father did a lot of work for him on land clearing equipment at his machine shop. The Eureka mill was still running in 1952 when I moved to town. I can remember the steam whistles on the various mills blowing to signal the workers when to come and go from work. There were at least three or four mills that blew their whistles each day. Each with a distinctive tone. The Washington tobacco company also blew a whistle when it was running. Did Mason Lumber Co. have a whistle? Eureka, Waters, Moss, Norwood, all did. There was also another seafood market there beside Potters, I can’t remember the name. Dudley’s was in the old city market at the foot of Market Street. Day’s was there beside my fathers machine shop. Come on Leonard Sheppard stretch those brain cells and chime in. You grew up along the waterfront with the rest of us. The tower with the weather flags and station was in the yard next to Hugh’s, was it the Cutler’s? Mr. Cutler ran the bicycle shop on Market Street and was Billy Weatherly’s grandfather. I think Hugh’s dad took over the weather station in later years? Somebody figure out when this picture was taken. ~~John Boyd ~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ John and Rex.. My old brain just ain't what it used to be..but.. I do remember a few things.. first.. The Storm warning tower was originally behind the Gallagher house on the corner of Charlotte and Main and later moved to Mr. Jack Water's house along side my Mom and Dad's home.. Mr. Bill Waters was the man in charge but he made his mother Lossie Waters put the flags up.. My Dad measured the rain for NOAA for over 40 years.. he had nothing to do with the storm warning flags. Three years ago the Waters house was sold and I was afraid the new owner would remove the old flag tower.. I convinced the City that the tower was a very important part of maritime history and should be kept in place or moved to a new location.. the new owner agreed to keep the tower and that is where it is today.. John.. I think Kimbo ran a mill on the south side of the river at the foot of the county bridge.. do you remember that mill??? The NC Estuarium has a picture of the waterfront of Washington taken in 1884.. You guys should go by and see this picture.. The first Television I ever saw was in Bath.. There was a hardware store on Main street Bath that sold televisions.. I went there with my Mom and Dad and stood in the street looking at a very snowy picture.. Our first television was purchased after WITN came on line.. My Grandfather (who ran the Ice Plant) had a television with an antenna on a very long pipe.. On Saturday afternoon when the ball game came on he had one of his workers stand in the yard with a large pipe wrench and move the antenna when the picture got so bad he could not see.. I think the show came out of Norfolk, VA... I can see that man standing beside the house all afternoon.. John don't forget my Grandfather Sterling had his fish house beside Potters fish house.. He was wholesale only and shipped fish by Railway express all the time.. He sold his building to Evans and moved across the street where he continued to sell both retail and wholesale.. He sold out in the late 1950. ~~Hugh Sterling ~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ John's mention of Jack's Creek, reminded me of the Weeping Willows that use to line the Creek at "The Bug House". Every afternoon it use to be lined with Colored Folks(period statement) Fishing from the bank. One nice old lady, who worked at JSS Cafeteria use to be there regularly and use to let me fish one of her many poles she would set out. She use to read her letters to me from her son who was in Korea. I think later I found out she had died before her son returned home. Still today, one of my fondest memories of childhood was sitting in the"Rec" in front of that big stone fireplace with a roaring fire going on a cold winter's day, and enjoying a Roberson Beverage Chocolate or a Grape drink.. My last memory of that was sitting there talking with Lou Wolfe about her just becoming a Varsity Cheerleader. She was so happy. What a sweet heart she was. It was like a home away from home, you could count on most of your friends being there and a weekend was not complete without spending Friday and Saturday nights at the Rec to listen to and dance to Mrs. Martin's little 45 record player. Remember........."Chapel In The Moonlight"?. Some times Mary Long Daniels and Kathy Salle' would help out behind the counter selling drinks and handing out ping pong balls and paddles. I had the largest "crush" on the beautiful Mary Long Daniels then, but never had the nerve to ever tell her. I guess because it was more important to try to act "cool" back then. Isn't it ironic that cool rhymes so closely with fool. She was one of the nicest people I have ever met in my life. She had a heart of gold and beauty to go with it.. Years and years later I was working at Koger Executive Center here in Raleigh. Several times I had lunch with a fellow who's office was down the hall from ours. His name was Bruce (Sylvia knows who I mean)...................One day as we were eating in the restaurant downstairs I looked up and lo and behold there was Mary Long looking just like she did in high school, walking towards our table. It had been twenty years since I last saw her. She was Bruce's wife. She sat down, as beautiful as ever, and we all talked for about an hour until she said she had to get back to home and run some errands. She seemed shocked when I told her of my crush on her and in her sweet humble way said, " I am so flattered".........I was so flabbergasted that I began apologizing for all the crazy wild things I am sure I had done in high school to offend her......she looked at Bruce and and with a smile said, "he just thought he was that way, at heart he was really shy and very nice". I walked on air for two days. I wonder if we today realize the impact that little statements like that can make on someone's day.The world has got to miss Mary Long Daniels and those like her....God bless you Mary Long.~~ Rex Wheatley ~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ My Grandfather got a TV in 1952. He also had huge Pecan trees in his yard and the Antennae for the TV was above the trees, it must have been 40 feet high, and on a big mast. He could get Norfolk and WRAL in Raleigh. We also watched the Friday Night Fights sponsored by Gillett and a Beer company that I can't remember the name of. ~~ Tom White ~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Before, I start lying, I need to sure my memory is right. Tom, wasn't your Grandparents house on Charlotte street between 4th and 5th St.. My paternal Grandmother lived in this same block but on the other side of the Street. My Maternal Grandparents lived on Brown St. in this same Block. And Andrews Grocery was at the corner of 5th and Charlotte. I think my Dad built my Grandparents house on Brown street about 1946-50. I'm trying to find an exact date on that because I think I can see their house. ~~ Leonard Sheppard ~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The note from Leonard today reminded me of the old Wanoca neighborhood and people I have not thought of in years. People like : Roy Forbes - George A. Roberson - Milton (Simple) Brooks - Buddy, Joe and Mary Hassle - Gilbert Nelson - Skipper Hudson - Ted Hall - Barbara Anne and Anna Crump Alligood - Henry Lee Williamson - Russell and Rodney Knowles - Orion Peevy - Betty Tetterton - Kenny Cox - Leonard Sheppard - Reggie and Butterball Brooks - Holman Cox - John Carter Davis - Turkey Moore's brother (the name escapes me) - Buddy Apple - Troy and Ann Lane - Bo and Elaine Coyle - Orion Davis - Lynette Jefferson - Judy and Robbie Cameron - Carol Ann Adams - Yvonne Carney - Joe mason - Help me out here guys with some names. I know that there were two sisters who were Cheerleaders and lived across the street from my Grandparents. They were both knock out gorgeous and sexy as hell... I've gone brain dead and can't remember their names. ~~ Tom White ~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I've spent the last hour looking over the picture of Washington you posted. The comments are great, too. Mother and Daddy were married in NY in 1944. Daddy was working in NY when they met, but he had just spent two years in Miami flying coastal patrols in the Civil Air Patrol (CAP). In June 1947, we moved back to his hometown, Washington, and he resumed flying with the CAP. By 1952 he was promoted to major and took command of the Eastern North Carolina Civil AIr Patrol. I think he and Marvin used to fly together, and, I believe they made a few trips out to Ocracoke as well as just flying around the local area. Didn't you mention once that Marvin was a licensed pilot, also? [Bills Daddy at CAP HeadQuarters] The car is our 1950 Henry J. Daddy is a captain so this predates his promotion in 1952. I'm in the foreground. I read all the comments and the majority seem to agree that this picture was taken in the early 40s. But, knowing how static Washington was back then, and the fact that the streets and buildings are consistent with my earliest real memories - which don't begin before about 1951-52; I'm not convinced that this picture is from the early 40s. Hugh Sterling's comment that the airplane strut looks like an early 1940s airplane prompted me to look through Daddy's Pilot Log books. After we moved to Washington, he resumed flying in March 1950. Almost all his flights were in Taylorcraft (T-Craft) NC96221 powered by a Continental 65-hp engine. It is the plane he's standing by in the picture.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ How many Pickett's were there? One blew up in Washington in 1862 and another sank the Albemarle in Plymouth in 1864. ~~ Russ Knowles ~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Civil War Naval Operations: Pics http://www.lib.unc.edu/ncc/pcoll/civilwar/?list=Naval_Operations =================== Dare County, Hatteras Island, N.C. "The Civil War in America: The 'Picket' leading the ships of the Burnside expedition over Hatteras Bar." The Illustrated London News, February 22, 1862, p. 187. Neg. 80-457. FP1-28-H36-C582w-N31. http://www.lib.unc.edu/ncc/pcoll/civilwar/80-457.JPG ===================== Dare County, Roanoke Island, N.C. "Landing of the national troops on Roanoke Island, under the cover of the Union gunboats Delaware, and Picket, Friday, Feb. 7, 1862." Original printed source unknown. Neg. 80-383. NCC vault FFCC970.73 B96. http://www.lib.unc.edu/ncc/pcoll/civilwar/80-383.JPGhttp://www.lib.unc.edu/ncc/pcoll/civilwar/80-383.JPG I noticed those dates too. There must have been one built to replace the one that blew up. ~~ Diane Mason ~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Diane, Thanks for the information about the second ship with the name Picket.. what you must remember is that the Picket that is sunk in Washington was a U.S. Army ship and the Picket that sank the Albemarle was a U.S. Navy ship (or launch).. If I remember right the Picket in Washington was around 175 feet long which in those days was a fairly large ship.. What was important to know is that the Picket was very shallow draft.. this allowed the ship to operate in the shallow waters of Pamlico sound and Roanoke sound around Roanoke island.. The Picket did make a run up the Tar river shelling the woods as she went along.. this was to help with the defeat of Confederate solders during the battle of Tranters creek.. I would imagine that a ship that size would be a handful to handle in the narrow Tar river up beyond Martin's bay.. ~~ Hugh Sterling ~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Actually there have been many USS Pickets right up to WWII. The Navy keeps using a name. One may be retired or lost and the new one gets the name.The last I believe was a "tender" or supply ship. Just as in the USS North Carolina, there have been three or four North Carolinas off the top of my head. See: Eastern North Carolinia's in the Civil War: "The First and Second North Carolina Union Volunteer Regiments" ~~ Rex Wheatley ~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ All ships designated as "inland vessels" or "auxiliaries"were controlled by the using authority and in this case were Army ships. "Blue Water Ships" were designated "USS"............United States Ship. "Blue Water" refers to ocean going ships. Another example.......The " Monitor" Her original designation was USS Monitor, once again due to who controlled it's use. In this case the navy. Yet there were Ironclads and tinclads that were "army" ships due to the controlling factor. ~~ Rex Wheatley ~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Diane, if you would really like to get some first hand looks at the Civil War in Washington then go back and research The Washington Daily News during the 1950's and early 1060's. I remember that there were a series of articles written by the last living survivors of that War or letters and accounts held by their children. One that I remember as being chilling was by a lady who was a young child living on Market Street Extension when the Yankees marched from Williamston to Washington. She said that both blacks and whites from the farm hid under the house and watched them march by and they were all so scared that they were crying. I also think it would be interesting for someone to research how the people in Washington put pilings, wires and metal in the river to keep the boats from going up river, and poured tar in the river so that the union troops could not bring their horses and wagons across after the bridge was burned. You do know that this is how NC got the Name of The Tar Heel State don't you? ~~ Tommy White ~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I sure think that it strange that I have only recently learned that there was the strong Union sentiment among people in Eastern NC. All the time I was growing up Beaufort County I never heard any talk about the NC First. My GGGrandfathers tombstone in the family graveyard at Pinetown clearly states that he was in this regiment. I never heard any talk about him being in the union army. I spent a lot of time around Frank Cox over the years and heard him talk a lot about the Rebel cause but he never talked about these people. He and my father were friends and he stopped by the shop on river road everyday for years on his way home to have a drink with the boys that gathered there. We spent quite a lot of time being taught about Civil War history in school but I don’t remember any mention of Union Regiments being formed in Washington or elsewhere in Eastern NC. Who is the person who wrote this article and have the two volumes that he is working on been published? Why is there not a roster of names of troops in the NC First? Interesting study. ~~ John Boyd ~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ There is a woodcut that shows federal troops marching into Washington from New Bern, past "The Old Lafayette Inn" to adoring crowds. Incidentally, The fire that ravaged most of Washington was set along the wharfs by fleeing Confederates. The second fire was the one set by Yankees, The 44th Mass. There was little left to burn because of the first fires that got out of control. ~~ Rex Wheatley ~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Diane, Here's some stuff from a bio I wrote about growing up in Bath and Washington. It would fit in with the file on the "Aerial View of Washington." The first airplane I saw up close was in about 1939 when my uncle, Thomas Latham, took me on the cross-bars of his bicycle out to the old airport on Hackney Avenue in Washington. (Keep in mind that this was just 37 years after the Wrights had made their first powered flight at Kitty Hawk.) Thomas was 17, I was four-and-a-half. The sharpest memory I have of that airplane---I think it was probably a Piper Cub---was the yellow color, and the unique smell, a mixture of leather, dope, and gasoline. We went out to that airport several more times before Thomas got out of high school. Sometimes we’d watch the takeoffs and landings. Other times we’d just look under the hangar doors at the planes on the inside. One day there was two-seater bi-plane tied down at the field (I think it was a Travelair ). Thomas put me in the rear cockpit and took a couple of pictures. You can see corn growing in the field behind the plane. Later, Thomas had become friends with a traveling barnstormer who stayed at my grandmother Sudie’s tourist home every year. The pilot had a plane similar to a Ford Tri-motor. One Sunday afternoon Dad, Granddaddy, my sister Suzanne and I went out to the old airport (on Hackney Avenue near where I think J.D. McCotter was later located) to watch the Tri-motor take off and land. Thomas was selling tickets for a ten-minute flight over Washington. ( I would have to wait another eight years for my first airplane ride.) Thomas later won his wings in the Army Air Corps and flew P-47 Thunderbolts in Iceland. He gave me my first airplane ride in 1946 in a Taylorcraft at Warren Field. In 1959 I got my wings in the U.S. Air Force, graduating from the Single Engine Jet School in Greenville, Mississippi. In 1950 we were living in Washington and I decided to join the Civil Air Patrol Cadets. One of the reasons was that cadets got opportunities to go flying with the adults. The CAP squadron met alternately at Warren Field and at Pitt-Greenville airport about 21 miles away. At Washington they were still flying that same 1946 Taylorcraft. I got my first logged flight time in it with ex-Navy pilot Perry Brown, who also did crop dusting on the side. (Still have log book). But I wouldn’t solo until eight years later at Bainbridge Air Base in Georgia. The Warren Field airport was not much used except by weekend flyers and the CAP. The Washington High School Band also used Warren to practice marching formations. Many were the afternoon we slogged it out down those runways. The Boy scouts had a regional camporee there one year, too. Also, on several occasions two or three members of the CAP Cadets (David Whitaker and I among them) would spend nights camping at the airport, harassing lovers lane traffic that used the darkened runways for “parking.” We would also go through the engine start procedure on that Taylorcraft and run up the engine enough to lift the tail off the ground. We almost got caught one cold winter day though, when one of the senior members came out to fly the plane and burned his hand on the hot exhaust manifold during preflight. He could never figure out how it got so hot just sitting there tied down on the ramp---on a cold day! Some of the local CAP pilots were Marvin and Harvey Mason, Bill Moore, and Dr. Salle’. My Dad, Hannis Latham, always said he didn’t like the idea of my flying around in those “little Piper Cubs.” Twenty years later I would take Dad for his first ride in one of those “Cubs,” a very nice retractable Piper Arrow that I had rented in Columbia, SC. Dad and I toured the Pamlico, including Bath, and I later squeaked her in for a no-noise landing back at Warren. I think he was impressed. Hope this might fill in some blank spots about flying in Washington. ~~ Jarvis Latham, WHS '53 ~~ k4jhl@earthlink.net ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1959 Main Street 1903 map of Washington area 1952 map of Washington area Original Washington Courthouse. 50s view of Washington High School. WHS Class of 1940. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~As you can see, the wing struts appears to be the same configuration as the one in the aerial photo of Washington. There is a picture posted on the net at http://gallery.taylorcraft.org/tcraftart/n96226 that shows a 1946 T-Craft NC96226 just five numbers newer. Although, some 3000 T-Craft were made before WWII, based on the registration number, I believe the one he flew with the CAP was a 1946 model BC-12D. So, IF the picture was taken from a T-craft, and the T-craft belonged to the Washington CAP, it was most likely taken in 1950-51, after the unit became active in Washington at Warren Airfield. It may well have been taken by one of our fathers! ~~ Bill Moore ~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I think I could help in zeroing in on a date for this picture but Like Russ the strut on the plane is blocking out most of the area where our house was built and where my Grandfather's house was, Rex had a good point in that the trees along Main and Second should give a timeline. ~~ Tommy White ~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I think that we should be able to home in on a date for this picture. Hugh, the Rawls house is not in this picture is it? When was it built? I don’t think that the Cargill grain unloading dock has been built beside Evans Seafood Market. The large building on Hackney Avenue is probably Sermons Tobacco Warehouse, it was just about in that location. I think that you can see steam coming from the Eureka Lumber Co. mill. It used steam for the saw mill and the planers so there was always a lot of waste steam being vented off. When was it shut down? I don’t think that Nichols and Whitley’s electrical company building had been built across from Moss Planning Mill on Water Street. If you will remember Highway 264 used to come into town around “Dead Mans Curve” and run down Charlotte Street, then turn down Second Street. John Small Avenue eliminated this traffic flow and routed 264 down 5th street. I don’t think that Betty Tetterton’s house is in this picture across from Orion Peeve’s house on Second Street. Kugler Field appears to be there, when was it built? If we keep asking these kind of questions we can bracket when this picture was taken. ~~ John Boyd ~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Nichol's and Whitley had been built, but not in it's current location. They started across the street in a small little building(which later became a mail type shipping business) caddy-cornered to the old office of Moss. It was the second building down from Whiting Toler's house, next to Dick Hodges home.This was in the late forties. They use to put 21" TV's in their window and leave them on at night. Whiting and I use to sit infront of their store and watch TV on summers nights. I remember seeing Rocky Marciano fight Ezzard Charles there on the Gillette Friday Night Fights.. My uncle, Al Phelps was the quarterback on a team that included Freddie Potts, Hallet Ward, Heywood Fowle, and others. Al played ball in '46, '47 and '48 and they played at Kugler Field. My grandfather lived across the street from The old Eureka Mill Office on West Main next door to the Nunnellys and Bill Gurkin. I use to play in the mill yard around the log pond when visiting Pop.(Starting at 6yrs old to about ten) Grandfather or John Leach, which ever was available, would take all of us kids (Eddie Knott, Demsie Grimes, Dick leach,and Bennie Tayloe) fishing from time to time in the log pond. When I was 6 yrs. old the mill was in it's heyday. I can still hear the sound of the steam plant venting steam. Another thing long forgotten was next to the mill towards uptown, is where "Kimbo" Saunders tied up one of the last Ocracoke Mail Boats. he had a contract to run the mail to Silver Lake. Kim lived in the last house on the corner at the Eastern end of the river front in Washington Park. When he sold the home Peyton Holloman bought it and lived there for years. Kimbo was a hard drinking character on the order of Frank Cox, and funny as hell! He was buddies with Frank Kugler, Brownie Kugler, Frank Cox,and Plummer Nicholson. Hence the Name Kugler-Nicholson Sporting Goods. John, when I was growing up at 239 East Main, the fish market that became Evans Seafood was then known as Potter's Fish Market, at the river's end of Bonner St. It was owned by old Clyde Potter from Belhaven who owned Belhaven Seafood. His son was for years the surgeon in Washington by the same name. Clyde Jr. died of brain cancer in the mid-eighties. Clyde jr. was a world class sportsman and hunted and fished world wide, especially Alaska. Hugh I have a question for you. In the rear of the Rawls house there use to be a storm warning flag on a tall metal stand. Was that Mr. Rawls' or was that part of the Coast Guard's operation? ~~ Rex Wheatley ~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ These girls were sisters but not twins, one was older than the other. I have this thing in my head that says that their name was Brinkley and I'm not talking about Christy Brinkley. They lived on Charlotte Street beside Anna Crump and two doors down from Bill and Fritz Tanner. They were not the Dukes nor the Swains. ~~ Tommy White ~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When was Warren Field constructed? It is in the upper RH corner of the picture. I think it was an aux field during WWII but can't find it birth date on the web or in any of my books. ~~ Bill Moore ~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Looks like someone thinks that it [Kugler Field] is 60 years old. Kugler Field (City-owned) Hudnell Street between Fourth and Fifth Streets Home of Washington High School football and baseball for 60 years. Now used for football, baseball, and adult softball tournaments. Lighted for night play and includes restrooms, concession stands and bleachers. * This from a Washington web page. ~~ John Boyd ~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I just read that the Eureka Lumber Company was destroyed by fire in 1951. I think that the mill is visible in the picture so it predates 1951 for sure. ~~ John Boyd ~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ All the air fields in Eastern NC (along the HWY 17 area) were constructed to be refueling stops for planes coming from the West of NC, usually heading up towards New England to take the Northern Route to England. It was built in 40 or 41. When my grandmother's son, a B-25 pilot, was lost in the Pacific, August 1943, the field had only a military numbered designation with a "slash Washington." Then Congressman Herbert Bonner, wrote my Grandmother asking for permission to Officially Name the Field, "H.A. Phelps Field". I have the letter. Grandmother declined because she said that it would be unfair to all the other "boys" lost from this area. I also have an old onionskin carbon copy of the letter she wrote back to Herbert. The field of course is named for Lindsey Warren, who became Controller General Of The United States, and was from Washington, up on West Main St. ~~ Rex Wheatley ~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Diane... I have heard some of the old timers talk about the first airport in Washington as being Fleming Field.. this field was located between third and fourth streets close to the present Fleming street.. I have talked with people that used that field.. I think Warren field was built by the government before world war two.. I know it was used as a training field during the war and for a short time after the war.. I can remember the yellow training airplanes flying over the house on the way to the bombing target just to the east of Whichard's beach.. the point of land is referred to as Fork Point.. The island they bombed is no longer there but some of the old bomb pieces are still on the bottom of the river.. The bombs were made of lead and Mr. Billy Whichard had a 55 gal. barrel full of them.. he would melt down the lead for net weights.. I found several lead bombs myself but they are long gone.. If I can find the time I will call the City and inquire as to the age of Warren field.. John.. Do you remember when the U.S. Navy blimp crashed in Pinetown?? I have been to the crash site and if I remember it was on the Waters road in the J & W.. I believe someone was killed in the crash but I am not sure.. I think it happened in the mid 1950.. ~~ Hugh Sterling ~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ About Warren Field Airport....I believe I can see the runway just to the right of the struts. It was named for Lindsay Carter Warren who served in the US House of Representatives for eight unopposed terms. He was born 1889. Oct. 25,1940 was named Lindsay Warren Day. ~~ Diane Mason ~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I am wondering if any of you remember the year that a big North winder came through and blew just about all of the water out of the Pamlico River? I remeber my dad, my uncle, my first cousin and I walking along the side of the channel for miles you could pick fish up out of the water it was so low. It was also hard to believe all the broken stakes and pilings that are in the river. I was always afrid to ski in that area. ~~ Tommy Everson ~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hugh and I made ice skies out of 1 by 4’s to spread out our weight and walked out to Grand Paps island on the ice. It was in the winter and very cold and the river froze over all the way I think. Had to be in 1956 or 7. I fell in getting to the shore and sat down in the water about 8 inches deep. My pants froze so stiff before I could walk up to Hugh’s house that I could hardly move. I remember seeing all of the stumps sticking up from the bottom between the shore and the island. Another time Hugh and I walked down to Fort Hill and picked up some shell fragments with a metal detector from the bottom when the tide was blown out. “ I am not turning in any of my fragments in the State”. ~~ John Boyd ~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I remember the water being blown out of the river Tommy. It was really cold and most of the river was frozen over, by that I mean the water in the channel and the mud of the river bottom. Several of us tried to walk out on the frozen mud and sank up to our knees. ~~ Tommy White ~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ John, was Fort Hill the Fort that was where Eureka Lumber Company stood? My Grandfather used to tell me stories about how he and his friends would go up to that Fort and scavenge for relics when he was a boy. My Grandfather was also a big time bird hunter and really knew the woods around Washington. He once took me hunting and showed me a trench that had been dug all the way around Washington to defend the town from the Yankees. We walked for miles down that trench but I can not remember how we got to it. ~~ Tommy White ~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ft Hill was on the south side of the Pamlico near where the girl scout Camp Hardee is today. ~~ Sylvia Kohus ~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I remember one night Kent Denton went flounder gigging over there at Ft Hill and literally slayed them. They sold them to the fish market. I mean a big bunch of them . I forgot who was with him. But they got some so big that they broke their gig and wound up gigging them with a hunting knife. At least that was their story.~~ Coach Duke ~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Fort Hill was down the river at Hills Point on the South Side. ~~John Boyd~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ John is right.. Fort Hill is located on the south side of the river just across from Swan Point on Hills point.. There was two blockades in Washington.. One was located west of the County bridge (highway 17) and the second was located at Hills point.. If you look at a chart of the Pamlico river you will notice that the river is narrow at the point between Swan Point and Hills Point.. When Yankee ships came up river they had to run past the guns of Fort Hill and also get across the blockade.. Later in the war the Pamlico river became one of the many prisoner of war exchange points.. Tommy it is true that the Yankee solders found the Tar river full of pine tar but remember it was General Robert E. Lee that gave the name of Tar Heel to North Carolina fighting men... ~~ Hugh Sterling ~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ So Hugh, Was Tommy W part right? He just got a litle confused. Is that how the Pamlico River got named the Tar River from Washington to Greenville (further)? I believe Gen. Lee's statement was those North Carolinians defend and hold their ground like their heels were stuck in tar. Thus the "Tarheel State". Correct ? ~~ Coach Duke ~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I have one of the little practice bombs that was dropped on the little island just off Whichard's Beach. I collected it back in the late 50s. It is iron, about 3 pounds, and is probably a post WWII version. The markings are "MK-23 Mod-1." I'll bet the first Mark 23s used during the war were the lead ones. I collected about 10 pounds of broken lead pieces but they were quickly melted down to make lead soldiers. It was hard lead so I guess the lead bombs tended to shatter on impact. The iron ones were stronger and stayed intact. I suppose most of them have rusted away by now. This is a half scale picture. The Mark 23 is about 3 pounds and contained approximately 5 ounces of black powder in an aluminum shotgun shell inserted into the front of the bomb in order to produce a puff of white smoke when the bomb hit the ground which enabled the pilot to spot and record his hits. They continue to be found in areas where developers have built over old target ranges once used by the military. ~~ Bill Moore~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I have listened to all of you remembering historical places around Washington. Well here are some more: 1. Tony's across from the rec where everyone got their beer. 2. The South 17 drive in at Chocowinity you had to watch the movie with windows up because of the mosquitos. 3. The Mecca need I say more. 4. The pamlico social club behind radio view grill. Doghead Adams owner the trees along jacks creek just hid the turtles (big ones). anymore anyone.... ~~ Pete Holland ~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ What I recall about the South 17 drive-in movie, was that they had pony rides! ~~ Diane Mason ~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Skipper.. you are right.. General Lee named us Tar Heels.. Now the Tar river gets it's name from the many barrels of pine tar that was transported on the river.. the City of Tarboro gets it name from the same thing.. What do you think was one of the main items shipped up river??????? ~~Hugh~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I would guess tobacco or seafood. Maybe corn liquor or moon shine ? Hugh, What the heck was pine tar used for ? All I can think of is putting it on baseball bat handles so they would not slip out of your hands. ~~Skipper~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This is definitely something that we can all relate to. Add Crew Cuts, Bob Jacks, Soda Jerks, Goulashes, dimmer switches, crinolines, garter belts, tire tools, (help me finish this up),… ~~John Boyd~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Naval Stores, to coat the bottom and rigging of wooden ships with so that worms and other marine organisms would not destroy the wood. Turpentine was extracted from heart pine or light wood by heating it in a fire and letting the liquid run out into barrels. They would build a large mound of stumps in the woods and light them off and let them smolder. ~~John Boyd~~ [quoted material] "From the beginning, Britain's colonies in North American were encouraged to produce pine tar and pitch, and to collect gum from pine trees for later shipment to England. These fledgling industries in New England and the Carolinas were encouraged by the Bounty Act of 1705. At that time England had been cut off from its Scandinavian supplies by Russia's invasion of Sweden-Finland. " By 1725 four fifths of the tar and pitch used in England came from the American colonies... "4 This supply remained constant until the American Revolution in 1776, when England was again forced to trade with the Dutch for Scandinavian products. As the population of the United States grew and moved west, forests were cleared. The southern states began to monopolize the production, because of the type of trees in this reagon. By 1850 most of the U.S. production of tar and pitch was in North and South Carolina. As the 19th Century progressed the tar, pitch, and turpentine manufacturing spread south and west into the states of Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, and Florida. By 1900, rosin and turpentine were the dominant products, and the states of Georgia, Florida, and Alabama were the three major producers.5" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ **Teach's Old Tar Kettle - Brick remains of the old tar kettle Blackbeard used in repairing vessels. Shipyard was down on Back Creek on the Draper Farm where he repaired his stolen vessels in olden days. Draper is most likely the man who took the photos. The tar was used to help fill in gaps in the wood in the hulls of the ships to keep them from leaking. ~~Diane Mason~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Sunken Union gunboat nominated to historic register By EUGENE L. TINKLEPAUGH. WDN Staff Writer "According to state documents nominating the Picket as a historic place, the gunboat was General Ambrose Burnside's headquarters ship; it led his fleet into Hatteras Inlet. In 1862, the Picket participated in the battles of Roanoke Island (Feb. 7-8) and New Bern (March 13-14)." "It was destroyed in action, apparently by accidental explosion of its magazine during a raid by Confederate soldiers while it was stationed with the Naval contingent at Washington, the registration form notes." "The Picket, according to state documents, is 'the only extant example of an Army gunboat of the Civil War era.'" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Easily obtained records dating to the night it blew up are and have been available. When I was less than ten, I would walk down behind "Elmwood" (my G. Grandmothers home) with my grandfather, and he would tell me of the Picket, and point it out to me when the wind blew from the west and the river almost was dry. Also there would have been no chain across the river at that point, because the only traffic past where Eureka Lumber Company use to be in the fifties, were shallow draft barges during the civil war. ~~ Rex Wheatley ~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I grew up on the river and never knew that the boat was there until Leroy started talking about it. I remember when he built his dredge. This is the one that Carter Leary and friends tried to salvage? DS Swain and I built the float that they used in the recovery effort that was anchored up over the wreck for so long. I had nothing to do with the recovery effort. ~~ John Boyd ~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ John.. Someplace in all my junk I have a report on the Picket written by Mr. Fred Mallison and a few of his buddies.. The wreck is about three hundred yards due west of the highway 17 bridge.. it is in about five feet of water and covered over with sand.. How the picket exploded will always be a question.. In the 1930 the main channel in the Pamlico and Tar river was deepened.. the sand was pumped to the south side of the channel.. at this time the Picket was covered with sand.. In fact there was a small island located in the area of the wreck.. at the same time the two other islands that are joining Castle island were spoil areas also.. When the Picket blew up the Northern army salvaged all that could be salvaged.. I have seen old pictures of the "walking beam" extending from the water.. There is some question as to weather the ship was a side wheeler or had a propeller.. Talking with Eddie Congleton he told me that he found the shaft way and was sure the Picket was driven by a screw.. however Mr. Mallison states that the ship was a side wheeler.. The one thing that I am sure of is that the ship exploded killing her captain and 19 of the crew.. I understand that anything taken from the wreck belongs to the state of North Carolina.. I do know for a fact that there are many pieces of the old wreck in private collections.. ~~ Hugh Sterling ~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "The scars of the Civil War are still visible in Washington NC. Crossing the Pamlico River on Highway 17 look off to the west and you will see the remains of the Union Army's ship, Picket, jutting from the Tar River where it blew up on September 6th, 1862. Driving down Main St. you will view houses with dates of construction in the 1850's 60's and 70s', testimony to the fact that the town was burnt by Union troops during their evacuation after the fall of Plymouth, NC. Even more startling are the two houses on Water Street which were built in 1780 and 1795. They stood through the fires and barrages of the war, having cannon balls imbedded in their walls, a bequest of the shelling of the town by the Rebel troops located on the southern shore of the Pamlico River. If you want to learn more of the little known, but violent history of Washington, NC during the War Between the States, drop in to the Beaufort Hyde Martin Library at Market and 2nd Streets, where you can read the first hand stories of people who lived through the whole ordeal. War came to Washington in March of 1862 when federal troops, escorted by the gunboat Picket, arrived at Washington. According to Charles Warren "Two companies and a band marched from the wharf to the courthouse playing national aires." The Confederate force of infantry and cavalry troops slipped into the town on the morning of September 6, 1862 surprising the Federal troops and capturing their artillery. Federal cavalry, on their way to Plymouth, were alerted to the attack by the sound of gunfire. Charging up Main St. they clashed with Confederate cavalry at Market Street. A furious battle ensued with both sides advancing and retreating. Meanwhile mysteriously the Federal ship, the Picket, blew up killing the captain and nineteen crewmen. In the spring of 1863, Confederate troops needing food and supplies for Lee's armies in Virginia, placed Washington under siege and several skirmishes resulted. The Confederate Armies were able to resupply the troops in Virginia without any serious intervention from the Federal troops in Washington. The tragedy of Washington: April 30, 1864 "The fire was set at Haven's Wharf...to destroy naval stores, cotton etc. to prevent falling into the hands of the Confederates." An eye witness account by Charles F. McIntire, Company G, 44th Massachusetts Infantry. "The fire rapidly spread north across Main Street, down Van Norden Street, consuming everything to Fifth- the last street in town...it burned the length of Gladden and Respess streets... every home on Bridge went down. " "Furiously the fire raged from Bridge Street down Second sweeping everything in its path to Respess St... Chimneys were all that was left of homes where only defenseless, though brave, women and children had lived." Other fires were lit by soldiers in Union uniforms at non-military facilities according to reports by locals after the war. The source of most of the information and quotes is from: Washington & The Pamlico Edited by: Ursula Loy & Pauline Worthy Washington - Beaufort County Bicentennial Commission Copyright 1976 The suggestion that some fires were deliberately started by some federal forces was taken from a pamphlet produced by the BUSINESS WOMEN'S Circle of the 1st Methodist Church of Washington, NC dated September 1932, written by H.I.Glass Leader, entitled Historical Sketch which reportedly describes an eyewitness report of arson at the church."
![[Bills Daddy at CAP HeadQuarters]](http://www.beaufort-county.com/Washington/Moore-CAP-Warren.jpg){kind=link}
