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Fund is rolling to repair lighning damage at Chicamacomico
By IRENE NOLAN
The
response to the call for funds to restore the 1874 building at the
Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station Historic Site has been overwhelming,
according to officials at the Chicamacomico Historical Association.
The 1874 build was badly damaged by a lightning strike in August. There was no insurance. A donation of $20,000 came almost immediately came from the Outer Banks Community Foundation. “The Foundation feels that this is a very important piece of our history and that it clearly should not only be repaired but also restored. We hope that this action on our part will inspire others to donate and to spur on the full restoration of this marvelous building and the unique history it represents,” according to a spokesperson for the Outer Banks Community Foundation. “They are certainly well named,” commented the Chicamacomico Site Manager, James Charlet, referring to the generosity, speed of response, and genuine care for the community. “We also have a total of about half that amount already from private, individual donations.” The emergency repair goal has already been met, and work began this week. That work entails construction of temporary exterior braces to hold the building together until permanent repairs can be made. “We are actively working on a specific plan with specific individuals to do these permanent repairs,” said site restoration specialist Ken Wenberg. “We want to keep this wonderful momentum going. The 1874 Life-Saving Station has long needed major restoration or eventually we will lose it. If general donations keep coming in like the lightning fund donations did, we will be in great shape very soon.” The Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station Historic Site is a seven-acre site on the beach in Rodanthe. It contains eight historic buildings, seven of which are U.S. Life-Saving Service structures, all of which are on the National Register of Historic Places. Wenberg and the Chicamacomico staff have developed a three-step plan for the site. The first stage includes the immediate temporary repairs to the 1874 Station to brace it and prevent collapse, which have started. Step two is to complete permanent repairs, which will be far more extensive and may even require partial dismantling to replace broken beams. The third step will be the restoration of all buildings on site. Chicamacomico is a privately owned, non-profit organization. “Because we are not in any agency’s regular budget to help sustain this site, we rely on donations, sales in the gift shop, and membership dues to help raise all necessary funds, even for daily operations,” said Linda Molloy, site operations manager. “Chicamacomico has the potential to become one of America’s premier historic sites”, said James Charlet, site manager. “The initial public response was overwhelming. We want this to continue. All of the buildings are late 19th to early 20th century and require constant maintenance. Complete restoration of the entire site has been the dream and goal of the Chicamacomico Historical Association since it was created in 1974. There will be nothing like it in the country. Already it is the largest and most complete U.S. Life-Saving Service complex in the nation, and visitors are amazed by this site.” Donations for continued repairs, restoration, and operations can be made in person, mail, or e-mail, or by credit card. Contact Linda Molloy at Chicamacomico Historical Association, P.O. Box 5, Rodanthe, NC, 27968. Call 252-987-1552 or e-mail at clss@embarqmail.com To learn more about the site, visit www.chicamacomico.net 
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