Long Rock Club, Inc.

Story
Decoys
Credits

🟡 AVERAGE RESEARCH VOLUME

OWNERS

Multiple

(see text)

Date July, 1962

OTHER ASSOCIATIONS

LOCATION Portsmouth Village and Bay Marsh, North Core Banks
Southern Core Banks

Story

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Long Rock Club

The aerial photograph to the left (5-4-58) is found with other Long Rock documents and represents this area but the structures were not identified on or with the photograph.

Long Rock Club, Inc.—————————————————

Established prior to 1963, the Long Rock Club, Inc. (also known as the Long Rock Gun Club had a deed to property encompassing 69.25 acres of what was known as Bay Marsh off Pamlico Sound, along with a 4 acre tract elsewhere and a one acre (tern acres around clubhouse per Woodrow Price’s records) tract apparently in Portsmouth Village. This was the headquarters for hunting and fishing outings.

H.M. Dalton, M.D. (an ophthalmologist), Felix Harvey III, Wilson Clark, Ray Barbre, Sr., Dr. Payne Dale (surgeon) and Jerry O. Smith–all from the Kinston and Pink Hill area comprised the membership. They sought treatment of their camp to parallel accommodations given to the Rod and Gun Club.

There are land acquisition documents reflecting some connection with the prior Portsmouth Island Gun Club. One letter stated the impression that the Portsmouth Gun Club sold it’s interest to the state and the land was leased back to the newer club. The Long Rock Club had had deeds and map evidence to prop up their claims.

1963—Letter to Congressman Fountain—

…”that myself (Hugh Dalton, Kinston opthalmologist), Felix Harvey III, Wilson Clark, Ray Barbre Jr, Payne Dale and Jerry Smith have a hunting club, comprising about 60 acres, which lies in this portion of Portsmouth Island.”—advocating for exclusion from acquisition and loss of ownership.

…”We have no desire whatever to use the property for anything other than hunting and fishing headquarters, and do not intend any type of real estate development here.”

1964—Woodrow Price, N. C. Seashore Commission, letter to Park Service—

…”examination of my files discloses that Long Rock had ten acres of land around the clubhouse and 74 acres of marshes…”

Deeds show the purchase of this property on July 16, 1962 from Josephine Woodard, of Carteret County.

First Tract—69.25 acres along Bay Marsh Creek at the corner off the T.T. Potter land.

(deed -July 27th, 1966)

Their Second Tract—began at the corner of the old Bragg Homeplace Tract—near the Tom Potter line—“being known and designated as the Jodie Styron and Tom Bragg Homeplace. Said tract of lands contains one acre…”

Sate of North Carolina

On January 21, 1969, these land holdings were sold to the State of North Carolina in preparation for donation by the state to the United States off America for establishment of Cape Lookout National Park.

The Long Rock Club was active (according to the log) from November 1962 till October 1968. The club’s logbook, kept by Wilson Clark, documents more than 85 individuals who hunted, fished or spent family time sat the Long Rock.

The first hunting trip was November 13, 1962 and they bagged 3 geese, 5 pintails, 2 widgeon and aone gadwall in 30 knot winds. Hunting at their stake blind, White Shoal or Oyster Rock, hunting was good to them.

However, someone baited one of their primary blinds the hinder its use. The owners were from off—Kinston and Pink Hill. They had other options. They documented rafts of 2,000 geese at Beacon Island on one occassion and 500-700 pintails on Oyster Rock, another time.

Fishing was a more frequent activity and a favorite spot was the chimney remains on Caseys Island, which frequently yielded Sheepshead. Elaine Clark (who provided access to thr club logbook and many photos) caught her first Sheepshead July 13, 1963. The logbook outlines many visits by owners and friends but the Clark family appear in log and photos more than others.

The club had at least one jeep and also a “weapons carrier” for transportaion. A cistern, outhouse and cooling house are depicted in photos of the previous Styron-Bragg structure built in 1928.

Henry Pigott was a fixture in Portsmouth exeriences for all non-residents. Henry and Elaine were close buddies and her memories of Henry are very fond. Henry spoiled visitors with Brant Stew, Crab Stew, Baked Sheepshead, and duck dishes, including what the logbook called “goose a la Pigott”.

When Tull drove the weapon carrier into Doctor’s Creek (being ‘all juiced up’), his “driver’s license was revoked for 6 months by the mayor (Henry).”

Twice in 1963, they released 6, and then 9 golden, pheasants in the village.