Wtuhinc Ihf Bathxt hum Siccl Fur
«1
Scaihot* Held.
Wrifhuvllla Beach, near Wiiminflon. S. C
. . . the "T" boosted
о
concert boll ond obscr»otion deck. North Corolino's first occon pier wos
locoted ncor the spot where the Blockode Runner Motor Hotel now stonds. — l From the collection ol
J S. Walker.)
Starlit Concerts and
Hand-Line Fishing
.Aortli Carolina's firsl ocean pier was
a glillering attraction as lone as it
lasted.
fti/ Minis PHILIP HALL
At the present lime there are 35 or
more ocean piers on the North Caro¬
lina coast from Kitty Hawk to the South
Carolina line, and all of them were
erected for one purpose — for the
convenience and dollar of the fishing
public.
But. when the first ocean pier was
erected on the coast the primary reason
for building it was to enhance the
cultural arts of the southeastern section
of this State.
It was in the year of 1910, and
Wrightsville Beach was known as “The
Playground of Dixie." The sparkling
summer pavilion Lumina was in its
infancy, and great crowds of people
flocked to the seashore from the eight
daily passenger trains that came into
the huge Union Station at Wilmington.
It was during this era of peace and
prosperity that Mr. E. L. Hinton,
owner of the famous Seashore Hotel of
Wrightsville Beach, decided to erect a
steel pier on the ocean beach in front
>f his establishment.
his hotel at that time occupied the
die now covered by the Blockade
Runner Hotel-Motel, at Station Three
on the electric railway. The Seashore
was a large rambling three story wood¬
en structure of. 180 rooms, with a
fireplace in each room. Its veranda, or
porch, encircling the building, was
fifteen feet wide and 800 feet long.
In April 1910, the owner engaged
the services of Mr. Louis Skinner to
erect the ocean pier, said later to be
"the only one of its kind on the South
Atlantic Coast." The pier, when com¬
pleted. extended cast into the ocean for
a total length of 700 feet. It was 30 feet
wide, and at its eastern tip. later to be
called a "T," it was 50 feet wide. Here
a large concert hall was erected, on
the top of which was an observation
deck. Midway the pier a large refresh¬
ment emporium served ice cream, bot¬
tled sodas and light cold lunches.
On a starry night. July 1. 1910. this
pier was formally opened, at which
time a delightful concert by the Choral
Society of Wilmington, under the di¬
rection of Mr. E. H. Munson, was pre¬
sented in the Concert Hall of the bril¬
liantly lighted pier. Sixteen members of
the Society took part, the accompanist
being Mrs. II.
П.
OKecf. the late
mother of the Editor of the present
Raleigh Times, Herbert O'Keef.
The following afternoon at five
o'clock a concert by Kneisels Orchestra
was also given here, which type of
programs continued for the following
decade.
Fishermen of the area, whom in for¬
mer years had fished in the surf with
hand lines, were now permitted to use
the pier for this sport. Rod and reels
were later introduced to this section by
a renowned sportsman. Mr. Burke
Bridgcrs of Wilmington, about 1911-
12.
In spite of the crude equipment,
large catches of red drum, bluefish.
trout and sheepshead were made on
hand lines.
The "September storms" of 1920
were of short duration, but they were
vicious; and this famous ocean pier was
badly damaged.
The following year an unusually vio¬
lent storm from the northeast created
enormous waves at Wrightsville Beach
which cut away the beach and dunes
50 feet beyond the high water mark. At
this time the remaining part of the
pier broke from the force of the huge
rollers and was swept south by the
strong tide.
A little north of the Humber cottage,
between Stations 5 and 6. one end of
the wreck grounded; and then, pushed
by strong currents, the old pier swung
shoreward in a sweeping arc. Two teen¬
agers. Humber Wysong and Marion
Brandt, occupants of the Humber cot¬
tage. saw immediately the threat to
their home, where-upon they waded
out into the surf and with a strength
born from desperation, managed to
push the grounded pier off the bar.
The wreck then floated southward
only a few yards and grounded again
and then came ashore with terrific
force, striking the foundation pilings of
a cottage adjacent and south of the
Humber residence, which collapsed
"like a house of cards." Fortunately,
this house was unoccupied. So came the
end for the short lived, but famous,
ocean pier of the Seashore Hotel.
Thus from a cultural incentive was
born the string of ocean piers which —
big business today — afford sport for
many thousands of fishermen every
year.
z
the state. August 15. 1971
