"New" Bridge at Hobucken is Seaworthy

 

O.B. Howerin Photo

     How many of us growing up on Goose Creek Island can remember someone saying, "I will never live long enough to see a high-rise bridge built over the canal!"  I had heard my Granddaddy say it a few times as well as some other folks.  And he was right, he didn't live long enough to see it.  But it was built.  

     Sometimes when I cross the "new" bridge, I think of the "old" draw bridge.  Memories of the ringing of the bell when it opened, the dim your light sign on the gate arms, Charlie Sawyer standing outside the bridge tenders cabin propped up on the rail, and the one-lane road that curved off to the right to take you to the Coast Guard Station and Aurora are distant memories of the past.  

     Now over 15 years old, the bridge has become another iconic image of life on Goose Creek Island.  Many of us often slow down when we get to the top of the bridge and take in the vast view of Jones Bay and Pamlico Sound.  It is a beautiful sight at sunrise.  The article below is about the engineering company that designed the bridge and the award they received for it's excellent design.

 

Photo by Brand Energy & Infrastructure Services

Photo by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Digital Library

Atlanta Business Journal

Mar 2, 1998, 12:00am EST

New long-span bridge in N.C. proves

seaworthy

Miranda Hitti

Contributing Writer

     It was a boat-friendly bridge that won Heath & Lineback Engineers Inc. a 1997 Engineering Excellence Award from the Consulting Engineers Council of Georgia.
     The Marietta firm designed the prize-worthy bridge for the Army Corps of Engineers. The assignment was challenging -- replace a decrepit 1920s bridge in Hobucken, N.C., without disrupting boat traffic on the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway below.
     The old horizontal swing-span bridge was "a hazard to navigation and a danger to vehicular traffic," according to John Heath, president of Heath & Lineback. "We had to come up with an economical design that could be built while boat traffic was maintained," he said.
     The award-winning solution was to set the main piers completely out of the water on the banks of the Intracoastal Waterway. The resulting bridge has the longest span in North Carolina, according to the firm.
     Heath & Lineback also planned to use another method to stay out of ships' way. The bridge would be built incrementally, meaning that no equipment would need to be positioned in the water. The balanced cantilever technique allowed the bridge to be built bit by bit out from each main pier. "You work your way out across the river," said Heath, which allowed for smooth sailing.
     Besides making construction convenient for boaters, Heath said his firm's pier design also provides additional safety. Since the piers are not in the water, "ships would not be in danger of impacting the piers, and the piers didn't have to be designed for the potential of being hit by ships," he said.
     Another unusual aspect of the Hobucken project was the speed at which it was completed -- some nine months ahead of schedule, Heath recalled. He said the construction schedule for the bridge allowed for three years of work, but the bridge was built in 27 months. The design process took six to nine months, Heath added.
     He said the Army Corps' "partnering technique" saved a lot of time. Heath described the approach as an Army Corps practice of having the Corps, designer and contractor cooperate from the start. "The policy is to get us to really work together, rather than as adversaries, the old-fashioned way," Heath observed. "We had a good design, a good clear set of plans and a partnering policy. The combination allowed for fairly smooth construction" and an early finish. Heath's firm also did the construction inspection on the bridge.
     Heath & Lineback's company philosophy is to do such problem-solving in the early phases of a job, Heath stated. "We apply a lot of thought up front to the way a project can be designed and will be built. We try to think out problems very early and go forward from that point, rather than deal with problems as we go," he said. "We have a methodical process up front."
     Heath said his company is young, having started in 1994. Since then, it has grown "about 60 percent" in terms of staff size, contracts and revenues. The firm is currently experiencing "passive, controlled growth," Heath said. Revenues for 1997 were about $1 million, he estimated. The company currently has a staff of 15.
     Heath describes his company's area of expertise as general transportation engineering, with a special focus on highways, bridges and railroad structures. He added that they have "begun a small entry into water and waste-management projects," such as pipelines and pump stations. Heath & Lineback is also currently a subcontractor to De Leuw-Cather in designing the new International Boulevard viaduct for the Georgia Department of Transportation. The viaduct will serve the new Atlanta Hawks stadium and the Georgia World Congress Center.
     Heath said bridges typically last 50 to 60 years. The new Hobucken bridge should be around for a long time, in his view. "It was designed for durability of the structure. The choice of materials and the type of design should make it durable and long-lasting," he said.
     His company's youth is one reason they are "really pleased" to be an award winner, Heath said.
    "It was a really good project."

 “New long-span bridge in N.C. proves seaworthy.” Atlanta Business Journal. March 2, 1998. Web. April 11, 2014.

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
     

In Memory of Derwood Lupton

Capt. William Derwood Lupton, 78, of Hobucken passed away Sunday, March 30, 2014, at CarolinaEast Medical Center.

He served in the U.S. Army and retired from commercial fishing.

He is survived by his wife of nearly 56 years, Rita V. Lupton; one son, Alton Derwood Lupton and wife, Misty, of Alliance; two daughters, Teal Lupton Sadler and husband, Doran, of Hobucken and Wendy Lupton Honeycutt and husband, Jeff, of Vanceboro; one sister, Ella Lupton Bullock and husband, Melvin, of New Bern; seven grandchildren, Derwood Glenn Lupton, Savannah Morgan Lupton, Doran Thomas Sadler, Erica Sadler-Young(Scott), Nicole Sadler Ecker (John), Teal Yvonne Sadler, and Andrew Dylan Hardy; and three great-grandchildren, John Noah Ecker, Lillian Marie Ecker and Wyatt Knox Young.

His funeral will be held at 11 a.m., Tuesday, April 1, at Bryant Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Wesley Taylor and the Rev. Earl Sadler Jr. officiating. Interment will be in Barnett Cemetery, Hobucken.
T
he family will receive friends and relatives at any time at the home, 15552 Hwy 304 N, Hobucken.

In Memory of Albert Taylor McKinney

                                                        

                                                              Albert Taylor McKinney
                                                          July 4, 1932 - March 21, 2014

Albert Taylor McKinney, 81, of Mesic passed away Friday, March 21, 2014, at CarolinaEast Medical Center.

He was a member of New Vision Pentecostal Holiness Church. He served in the U.S. Navy where he played baseball as well as playing for the Chicago White Sox in the mid to late 50’s. He retired from Intercoastal Marine as a tug boat captain.

He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Edna O’Neal McKinney; two daughters, Joanne Clark and husband, Richard, of Carmel, Indiana and Nancy McKinney of Aurora; four grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.

His memorial service will be held at 5 p.m., Sunday, March 23, 2014 at New Vision Pentecostal Holiness Church with the Rev. Ray Bonner officiating.

The family will receive friends and relatives from 3 to 5 p.m. at the church.

In lieu of flowers the family suggested memorial contributions be made to New Vision Pentecostal Holiness Church Building Fund, c/o Sharon Leary, PO Box 129, Hobucken, NC 28537.

We Stay for the History

     

     I have a love for history.  Not just Goose Creek Island history, but anything historical.  When I am involved in some research, I like to warn people that I am on a mission.  I become entranced by the quest to learn more, to find another clue that will lead me to the next snippet of information.

     I think I got this from my Granddaddy Mike.  He was an avid reader of anything and everything.  Whenever I wanted to know something, he was always telling me to go get the encyclopedia, a map or dictionary and “look it up”.  Usually he would be there to help me understand or to discuss it with me.  He always said that if you read, you learn.

     But history has always been my ‘forte’.  When it comes to Goose Creek Island history, I have learned that we are shaped more by the past than we realize.  Events that happened so long ago makes us think about how things got to be the way they are today.

     Countless events have created Goose Creek Island to what it is today.  The things we say, do, eat and believe has accumulated from our past to present.  It probably took years to determine that eating oysters made us “fancy” to some people or that picking crabs was an artistic talent. Things develop slowly over time.

     History is a part of our present experience.  In our communities on the Island, we have some folks with long memories.  They know how certain things began or can at least give an opinion of how.  The unfortunate thing is there are so many of those folks who have passed that had a vast knowledge of our Island history.  A constant shifting of characters has become harder to hold onto in our shared pasts.

     Most of us from the Island have known each other since birth.  We live with accumulated history from living and being with each other in our confines of isolation on this Island.  Our connections and stories provide layers and a backdrop to daily life.  You look at the Goose Creek Island Community Center and you remember that the school was there.  The vacant ball field reminds you of the broken wrist you got from a baseball game.

     It can be tough living with everyone in a place like Goose Creek Island.  It’s hard to escape from a reputation.  Imagine living in a community where at 70 years old you still have to deal with the nickname you earned from elementary school.   We all have things we’d rather people forget, but with the bad we pay for keeping the good memories.  When it comes to long memories, our Island has nothing on other places.

     So when you and others begin reminiscing about events or people from the Island, remember that an active presence of history is often the foundation of our identity and everything that makes a place important to us. Life on Goose Creek Island is not always easy.  There are more places to live if you want convenience to shopping, schools or doctors.  We stay here for the people, the memories, and the stories.

     Whether we realize it or not, we stay for the history.

History of New Vision Pentecostal Holiness Church

Jones' Bay Holiness Church....The Beginning      In 1924, two Hobucken families started what we know today as New Vision Pentecostal Holiness Church.  Cecil Styron, Sr., and Jimmy Swindell, Sr. began holding cottage prayer meetings in their homes.  In spite of some opposition, the movement quickly grew and in April of 1924, they organized as the Jones' bay Holiness Church.  Soon, they were meeting in homes both in Hobucken and Lowland, often holding meetings and revivals in the other churches of the communities.       In 1926, the church was accepted into the Washington district of the North Carolina Pentecostal Holiness Conference.  The Conference Minutes for 1926 list the church as Hobucken - Mission Point - organized September 1, 1926.  The statistical table states 8 members with an average attendance of 40 in Prayer Service and 34 in Evangelistic Service.  Over the next few years, it is named part-time as Jones' Bay and sometimes as Hobucken and thereafter appears as Hobucken until 1988, when it started listing as New Vision.  Known charter members were Cecil Styron, Sr., Jimmy & Rosa Swindell, Maggie Henries, Etta Ireland, Fate Lewis, Gertie Alcock, Lela Sadler, and Effie Sadler joined soon after.       The land for the original church was donated by Ruff Alcock and his wife.  A deed for a 35 yard by 35 yard lot down the road from the present church, was signed on April 20, 1933 and the work on the building was started the next spring.  William (Bill) Henries, F. Lewis and others from the Island and from the Springs Creek Church donated timber.  The logs were cut at the Walter Barnett saw mill in Hobucken.  John Davis hauled the boards from the mill and stacked it to dry.       Both men and women canvassed Hobucken and Lowland and surrounding communities for donations.  Many, unable to give money, gave of what they did have (chickens, eggs, etc.) to be converted into money.  Tithes were used to help purchase things like nails, windows and doors.       With the men working as often as they could, the white weather-board building was soon completed and roofed with hand-made shingles.  Cecil Ormond of Vanceboro donated the first pews.  Years later, his grandson Robert, would become pastor of the church.  Reverend Jerome Hodges held the first services in the new building in 1934.  Some years later, the roof was tinned and two classrooms were added.      On the night of March 17, 1965, a tornado lifted the church from it's foundation, damaging it beyond repair. (Notice the front steps of the church in proximinity to the front double doors.)  Luckily, it was just sturdy enough that services could be held inside until a new building could be erected. Hobucken Pentecostal Holiness....A New Beginning        On March 25, 1965, another lot was purchased from Carl Alcock, Sr.  Donations came in from the conference, and from communities and friends both near and far.  Soon, Reverend Jimmy Cole Williams was laying blocks and under the direction of Reverends John Smith and Harold Lewis, the remaining work was completed.  February 23, 1969, Pastor Lee Toler and Conference Superintendent, J. Donner Lee dedicated the new building to God.  The new church had 3 classrooms and 2 restrooms.  Over the years, a fellowship hall and more classrooms were built onto the church.  (See picture below).       On September 15, 1999 during Hurricane Floyd, a tornado went through the fellowship building completely destroying it and breaking it away from the main body of the church.  Both were beyond repair.

Fellowship Hall under construction  New Vision Pentecostal Holiness Church Today      After several months of trying to find a better parcel of land, a lot was purchased across the road from the old church and a new church was finally under construction.  Under the supervision of the then current pastor, Ray Bonner, and many more months of planning, the new building was completed.  Our first service was held on Easter Sunday of the year 2001.  June 10, 2001, the new church was dedicated. God allowed the old to be taken away, but gave back something that was new.  God has blessed over the years, but most of all, He has blessed with His Mighty Presence. Church history and photos courtesy of New Vision Pentecostal Holiness Church Hobucken, NC www.newvisionphc.org

After Hurricane Floyd

In Memory of Clarence Eugene McKay, Jr.

Clarence Eugene McKay, Jr., 80, of Oldtown, MD, passed away on Wednesday, February 19, 2014, at his daughter's home. He and his family moved to Lowland in 1978.

Born February 24, 1933, in Baltimore, MD, Mr. McKay was the son of the late Clarence Eugene McKay, Sr., and Sarah Elizabeth (Dunn) McKay. He was also preceded in death by his wife: Bonnie Jean McKay.

A United States Naval Veteran, Clarence was previously employed of Safeway Grocery Stores and then owned and operated grocery stores in Auburn, WV, and Lowland, NC. He was an adventurist and loved to watch baseball.

Clarence is survived by his daughters: Kim Waugh and husband, Charles, Saint Albans, WV; and Sandra McLaughlin and husband, Mark, Oldtown, MD; and his sons: Mark McKay and wife, Michelle, Manteo, NC; and Michael McKay, Frederick, MD. He also leaves behind his brother: George McKay and wife, Marie, Stevensville, MD; and his grandchildren: James McLaughlin; Sarah McLaughlin; Jennifer Waugh; Bonnie Waugh; Rebecca McKay; and Addie McKay.

Services will be private.