Where Are You From?

Launching of the Santoe at Mill Seat Landing 1940's

     This morning, as I was scrolling through my Facebook news feed, a dear friend of mine from Harkers Island had posted about folks shortening or mispronouncing some places along our coast.  Shackleford Banks is Shackleford Banks. It is not "Shack" as so many people are now referring to this place.  So many places are now losing their cultural significance from mainstream marketing.  Even more so, our younger generation is starting to refer to these historic places as something other than what it is.
      When folks ask me where I am from, I do not hesitate to tell them Goose Creek Island.  They say where is that?  I tell them a small island located along the shore of Pamlico Sound and point of Pamlico River.  Most of the time I have to take a map out and show them.  Once they see, some will say, "Oh, that's a prime duck hunting place." (rolling my eyes)  I tell them yes - for some folks - but for those of us born and raised here, it is home to a very close-knit group of people who love their Island home - not for the duck hunting, but for the value of family, community, and our heritage.
     We need to teach our children and younger generation about the history of Goose Creek Island.  I wonder if some kids know where Alcock's Corner is located or where Mill Seat Landing is at.  We not only need to tell them where it's located, but we need to tell them why it is called that.  Many of the older generation and those who are my age can still tell you where Clark's Corner is at or the Marshes Settlement.
     Don't let our heritage fade with our younger generation.  Teach them about these places on our Island.  Tell them about the lighthouse that sat out over the Sound near Pamlico Point.  Show them pictures of the draw bridge that connected us to the rest of the world for so many years.  And of course, explain to our new-comers the difference between "up the road", "down the road", "out the road", and "around the road".  They will catch on eventually.
     Out of respect to our ancestors and the long history we have in coastal North Carolina, we need to lead the way of preserving our heritage.  We need to remember who we are and where we are from. 

Happy Spring
Tina