3rd Annual Holiday Illumination Celebration at Currituck Heritage Park: Saturday, December 12, 2009

Come to the Whalehead Club beginning at 3:00 pm for complimentary tours of the house museum festively decorated as the Knights would have done back in the 1920s. Gather on the North Lawn at 4:30 pm for free hot chocolate and seasonal carols sung by the Currituck County High School Choral Ensemble, while Currituck Heritage Park's giant cedar tree and the Currituck Beach Lighthouse are simultaneously illuminated for the holidays! Treat yourself to an old-fashioned horse and carriage ride through the park with Carolina Carriages, starting at 2:00 pm.

Pumpkin Carving Contest

Bring your carved Jack-o-Lantern to Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education at Currituck Heritage Park on Thursday, Oct. 29 from Noon to 5pm. Cash prizes: 1st Place $50, 2nd Place $25, and 3rd Place $10 Pumpkins must have luminaries (not actual candles) Judging will take place at 6pm and all the entries will be displayed during Haunted Corolla Village on Friday, Oct. 30. Pumpkins can be collected after 9pm on Friday or donated for compost. By the way, we will be decorating the park and village on Thursday before Halloween, if you're not busy come and help us, it's a big job and Autumn can be so fun with friends!

Wednesday Wine Festivals Enjoyed All Summer

Charlie Vukas of Pennsylvania attended the last Wine Festival this summer. As you can see, he was a good customer! Wines were available from local and California vineyards and from around the world. Tickets each Wednesday through September included a keepsake wine glass, a $100 discount on a future rental at Village Realty, live music, and a tour of the historic Whalehead Club. At various times throughout the summer local food vendors, face painters, and kite demonstrations were enjoyed amid the wine tastings. It was fun for all ages!

Claiming Her Prize

Shelby Ruby (right) of Delaplane, VA stopped by last week to claim her raffle prize. She was the lucky winner of a Limited Edition print "Return to Whalehead" by R. B. Dance. Shelby's is shown here holding her print in front of the original work which hangs in Mr. Knight's office at the Whalehead Club. Shelby's family was visiting the Outer Banks when she bought the lucky ticket in the Museum Shop! We want to thank Shelby and all who bought raffle tickets that support historic preservation of the Whalehead Club at Currituck Heritage Park!

Caught Fish and Bait!

Michele Bouchard of Corolla pulled this 19" catfish from the canal under the bridge today. She also caught a 25" eel which some people eat but she prefers to use as bait. She said this fish is much smaller than the catfish she caught yesterday and deboned last night. September afternoons have brought us heavenly weather to enjoy outdoor activities in Currituck Heritage Park!

Matthew Costa of Trotter's Bridge in Poquoson stopped by the Whalehead Club booth to try his hand at the pirate puzzle!

Currituck Wildlife Festival Sept. 12 and 13

Owen (age 1 1/2) and his little sister Presley (age 7 mo.) enjoyed being pushed around the Currituck Wildlife Festival at Currituck High School. Their father, Justin Oneal drove up from Rodanthe to attend the show and stopped by the Whalehead Club booth for a visit. The show features local artists and wildlife exhibitors from as far away as Florida. The $5 admission benefits the Coinjock Ruritan Club and comes with a book full of exhibitor contact info and great old photos of Currituck in days gone by.

What a Great Summer Concert Series!

Every Thursday July and August friends and families gathered on the front lawn of the Whalehead Club to enjoy free concerts. This performance was "The Crowd" a 5-piece high energy band from the Outer Banks. They played classic rock, Motown, Soul, and a little Reggae to an appreciative audience of all ages. The concert was sponsoed by Corolla Classic Vacations!

Enjoying a Complimentary Tour

A complimentary tour of the Whalehead Club is included with each admission to the weekly Wine Festivals along with a souvenir wine glass and live entertainment!
Wednesday Wine Festivals at Currituck Heritage Park will continue through September from 3 to 7 pm each week.

Archaeologists Unearth Foundation of Caretaker's House

Archaeologists unearthed a solid concrete foundation with a brick construction wall on top leaving no doubt as to the exact orientation, depth, and length of the original caretaker’s house as it was built by E. C. Knight in the 1920s. This information is a critical element to the Whalehead Preservation Trust’s plan to erect a similar building on the site in the near future.
Shawn Patch of New South Associates, the North Carolina firm hired to expose the foundation, is principal investigator on the project. The company is a founding member of the American Cultural Resources Association. He is the head of their Remote Sensing department which handles geophysical work such as the GPR, Ground Penetrating Radar, used at the onset. The first goal was to expose one corner of the structure and examine the foundation.

Shovel testing revealed a burn line visible to the excavators at a depth of approximately 1.5 feet deep. The house was known to have burned in 1948. Interesting artifacts, including bone, nail, and glass has been unearthed and will be cleaned and classified and remain the property of the Whalehead Club. Shawn expects more kitchen related artifacts to be forthcoming once they reach the north wall. The dig is ongoing, stay tuned for more!

Raffle Winner Announced

Shelby of Delaplane, VA is the lucky winner of "Return to Whalehead". The museum quality print by R. B. Dance was raffled on June 30 in support of preservation of the historic Whalehead Club. Congratulations, Shelby!

Raffle Tickets Drawing June 30 at 2:00 pm

Yes, you still have time, there are about 3 weeks left to buy raffle tickets to win a museum quality remarque of Return to Whalehead - Tickets are $5 each or get 5 chances to win for only $20. Drawing will be held June 30, at 2pm so we will sell tickets right up until 1:45 for this fundraiser to benefit historic preservation. Call 252-453-9040 to get your name in the drawing or buy online in the Museum Shop.
The limited edition lithograph is matted and beautifully framed, measures 38.5 by 27.5 and is ready to hang. No need to be present to win, we will call with the good news that you have won a piece of Outer Banks history!
Renowned nautical artist, R. B. Dance (http://www.robertbdance.com/) created the 1920's view of the historic Whalehead Club. The original can be seen when touring here at the Knight's home in Currituck Heritage Park. This is a rare opportunity to own #20 of only 25 remarques made!

Public Boat Ramp is Now Open!

Road repairs are complete and the public boat ramp at Currituck Heritage Park is again open from dawn until dusk. As always, parking and day use of the ramp are free and we invite boaters to take time to tour the 1920's Whalehead Club while they are in the park. The tour is self-guided, using a handheld audio device, so there are no lines and no waiting!

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT: COROLLA, NC
The public boat ramp closing at Currituck Heritage Park begins Tuesday, May 26. The ramp will be closed for approximately 10 days due to repairs on Club Road which leads to the ramp.

Currituck Heritage Park is Best Beach Alternative

Currituck Heritage Park has become the best alternative to the beach for summer visitors to the Outer Banks. A visit to the Whalehead Club, Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education or the Currituck Beach Lighthouse, all within the park, will acquaint you with all aspects of local history. It is also a popular location for people to leisurely walk the natural and cultural history trail, fish and crab from our docks and view the sunset. The addition of a footbridge over the living marsh exhibit on the south lawn gives folks another vantage point for photographing the Whalehead Club and the surrounding natural beauty.
The demand for wedding receptions, family reunions and public events continuing after dark has brought about the installation of lighting in the parking lots. Gone are the days when temporary lights were powered by generators transported to the park from great distances! While all outside events must still end by the time the noise ordinance kicks in at 10:00 p.m., it allows time to enjoy balmy summer evenings after sunset without rushing back to your car before dark. Whether you live locally or are a visitor to the Outer Banks, Currituck Heritage Park is your best alternative to the beach!