Ocracoke Preservation Society

08/31/2026

A heads up to all.... from next Monday's Labor Day, Monday September 7th, till our season close in early December, the museum/gift shop hours will be ....

Monday - Saturday, 10am - 3pm

08/31/2026

Dear supporters,

Bricks sales (Brick Pathways at the Commons) are now closed!Ocracoke Commons Visitor & Cultural Center
The installation of this year's brick pathway will be September 26, 2026 (where we would welcome hands on help!).

Many thanks to all who have purchased bricks!

08/29/2026

2026 OPS Porchtalk series.

And that’s a wrap on a wonderful porchtalk season at the Museum. A majority of the videos are now posted on the OPS YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/.
With immense thanks to all participants in our 25 porchtalks and book signings this year:
26-01 Ray McAllister & Sheryl Cornett - Double book signings:
"Ocracoke: The Pearl of the Outer Banks" (2nd Ed) by Ray McAllister
"No Secrets in This House" by Sheryl Cornett.
26-02 & 26-06 The Participants of the Donald David Storytelling Workshop – Storytelling.
26-03 Tom Pahl – Historic Preservation.
26-04 Ruth Toth – Cooking and book-signing.
26-05 Amy & Julie Howard – Seashells.
26-07 David Tweedie & Julie Howard – Cultural arts.
26-08 Ann Borland & Debbie Leonard – Quilting.
26-09 Rita Thiel – Ocracats.
26-10 Chester Lynn and Ted & Emily Summey – Portsmouth Island.
26-11 Ruth Forden & Jennifer Garrish – Sea turtles.
26-12 Scott Dawson – The Lost Colony.
26-13 Sheryl Cornett – Book signing.
26-14 Peter Vankevich – Birds.
26-15 Jeff Reaser – The Ocracoke Brogue.
26-16 Karen Rhodes & Matt Jansen – Birds and book-signing.
26-17 Walker Garrish – Mosquito control.
26-18 Stephanie Flores-Esparza & Essie O'Neal - The Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA).
26-19 Steve & Jeanne Brooks – Homing pigeons.
26-20 Susie O’Neal – Commercial fishing.
26-21 Tom Pahl – Rip currents and keeping safe in the ocean.
26-22 Karen Amspacher & Katherine Anarde – Down East and change.
26-23 Jacob Spencer – Pirates.
26-24 Ann Ehringhaus - 50 years of living on Ocracoke and Portsmouth Islands.
26-25 Vince O'Neal - Waterfowling and decoy carving.
Please encourage more with a like and subscribe on the YouTube video/channel, and leave constructive comments, and suggestions for future talks.

Thanks to all…. Let’s see you again next year….

Send a message to learn more

08/22/2026

Dear Supporters all, I am delighted to share here that I have recorded and am now publishing all videos from our 2026 OPS porchtalk series. With only 2 more talks to go this season, I have uploaded all videos to YouTube (mostly unedited, warts (mine) and all, and with appropriate permissions from participants).

You can find all the videos on this page (https://www.youtube.com/), and they also are arranged in a playlist here (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSPkF3BrqEX0).

With thanks to ALL of our incredibly generous and knowledgeable speakers: including Tom Pahl, Amy Howard, Julie Howard, David Tweedie, the participants of the Donald Davis Storytelling Workshop, including Donald and Trish Davis, Chester Lynn, Ted & Emily Summey, Ann Borland, Debbie Leonard, Rita Thiel, Ruth Forden, Jennifer Garrish, Scott Dawson, Sheryl Cornett, Jeff Reaser and crew, Karen Rhodes, Matt Janson, Peter Vankevich, Walker Garrish, Stephanie Flores-Esparza, Essie O’Neal (plus the support from Jeannie Owens, Joan O’Neal, and Nancy Leach, and all at Ocracoke School), Steve & Jeanne Brook, Karen Amspacher, Katherine Anarde, Jacob Spencer, and soon to be … Ann Ehringhaus, and Vince O-Neal (will add these videos soon...).

It’s been a delight to host all of the wonderful speakers, as well as our wide array of listeners and participants. Thanks All…….

Anyone who might want to give an Ocracoke-themed talk next year, leave a message.

The Ocracoke Preservation Society is a non-profit, community-based organization dedicated to the preservation of Ocracoke Island's rich historical and cultural heritage. Founded in 1983, OPS has maintained a free admission museum at the century-old David Williams House since 1992. This traditional t...

08/22/2026

Oh my, can you believe it!? Next week is our final week of free lunchtime summer porch talks for this season. Please come out Tuesday and Thursday, 1pm, and welcome two island legends...

Tuesday: Ann Ehringhaus - 50 years of living on Ocracoke and Portsmouth Islands.

Thursday: Vince O'Neal - Waterfowl and decoy carving on Ocracoke.

08/20/2026

Tomorrow, 9am, turtle hatchlings heading for the ocean ..... what could be better?

08/20/2026

Come learn about pirates today with Captain Jacob!