Thad Hussey cottage

Story

---

The 1934 NPS map mistakenly labels the Hussey Cottage as “Massey” and the George Holderness Cottage as “G.F. Holderness”. but correctly represents their position.

Both Holderness and Hussey were from Tarboro, N.C.

An excerpt from the 1925 deed shows purchase from the Cape Lookout Development Company and confirms its location and origin story.

The darkened block on the development plat indicates the location along the shore of the Bight.

---

Excerpt of Ranger Duggan’s 2005 notes of visit by Henry Bourne, Jr.(of Winston-Salem)–

“The other house was owned by Oscar Hussey (sp?), who would bring one of his mechanics (name not given) from the repair shop down with him when he came to cook for him.  This man was not only a good mechanic but he could cook fish, a definite benefit at the beach. He was not only very good at cooking fish; he was very good at catching it too.  Henry said it was so funny that here all these rich guys were out there trying to catch fish and the mechanic, using a homemade rod, would come back with more fish than all of them.  The mechanic would salt and store the fish, taking it home to his family.  He was able to catch enough to last the family throughout the winter until he would once again come down to the coast to cook for Mr. Hussey. (Thad Hussey was a successful businessman from Tarboro–in the automotive business).

—-  Both their family’s (the Bourne Cottage was the earlier Josenhans-Holderness Cottage) and Mr. Hussey’s house were standing in the 1930’s when the family began to come down from Tarboro to spend the summer at the beach.  

I asked “Did they stay all summer?” and he said that no one family group did, but that the house was full all summer long as various ones came and went.  So from June to August the buildings were occupied.  Mr. Hussey was also apparently from the Tarboro area.”

---

Brent Nash, Sr.  confirms that the currently existing “Jetty Workers Cottage” is, in fact, the Thad Hussey House. (“Jetty Worker Cottage #2 has been demolished following damage).  It was built by Hussey upon the floor plan and footprint of the Josenhans Cottage (the actual Jetty Workers Cottage) owned by by Carl Josenhans and transferred to George Holderness in the 1920s.

Brent and Sylvia Nash bought and restored the Hussey Cottage.

---

This information is further confirmed by Joe Bourne of Wilmington, whose family owned the Jetty Workers Cottage #2 for many years.  It (the Hussey Cottage) was built as a copy of the Holderness house.   Bourne remembers Thad Hussey as having “lots of girls” with whom he interacted.  He advised that Mary Jarvis Mitchell (Dueerson) of Raleigh is a descendant of Hussey and has photographic documentation.  She was featured in “Ribbnon of Sand” video.

Mr. Bourne is a journalist currently writing a memoir about his experiences at his family cottage.

---

“Historical documentation on the origins and construction of the two jetty worker’s houses is limited, but the general evolution of the structure is apparent in the materials and features of the present structure. According to the National Register nomination, the houses were built for the U. S. Army by a private contractor about 1915, a date that is generally supported by the characterof the materials used in the original structure. This chronology of the development and use of the Jetty Workers’ House #2 is based on a limited investigation of the existing structure and materials. Without further building investigation and historical research, details of the chronology described here must remain hypothetical.”

(This statement from the Historic Structure Report reflects the limitations of the information available at the time of the reports preparation.) 

---

This family photo was annotated with “breakwater construction”.

Labelled “awning and front porch @1925”

Thad Hussey

Album undated photo of lighthouse.

the near-by Coast Guard Dock

---

Brent and Sylvia Nash, in the late 70’s, obtained and restored the severely deteriorated structure and held the lease till it’s expiration–their documentation will be done separately.

Thad Hussey Photo Album

---

Credits

---

1. NPS archives and files
2. Joe Bourne–Wilmington, N.C.
3. Henry Bourne–Winston-Salem, N.C.
4. Historic Structure Report–Jetty Workers Cottage #2–https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=Jetty+Workers%27+House+%232+Historic+Structure+Report&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8
5. Brent and Sylvia Nash
6. Other references within text