Hyde County Office of Economic Development & Planning

06/29/2021

Do you or someone you know need a helping hand?

06/22/2021

Bright future ahead for our Hyde County students!

06/22/2021

Beautiful pics of Engelhard this morning in the Sunday June 20, 2021 Coastland Times.

06/18/2021

Thank you to Senator Bob Steinburg and Representative Hanig for working so hard to support our local economy 💯

Senate Bill 241 contains an amendment to appropriate funds for the Hatteras-Ocracoke passenger ferry. This bill is of special importance to our District and coastal community as this ferry aids in bringing visitors to the island.

This was the result of good collaboration with Hyde County Manager Kris Noble and a team effort with Rep. Bobby Hanig.

Great teamwork!!

06/16/2021

The Housing Opportunities and Prevention of Evictions Program (HOPE) provides rent and utility assistance to low-income renters that are experiencing financial hardship due to the economic impacts of COVID-19. The program helps prevent evictions and utility disconnections to promote housing stability during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Complete information about the HOPE Program, including eligibility requirements, program benefits and an online application, are available at www.nc.hope.gov. Applicants who cannot access the website should call 888-9ASK-HOPE (888-927-5467) for help with the application process. The HOPE Call Center is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

02/19/2021

02/18/2021

More on Sam Jones...

Swan Quarter native, Sam Jones was quite enterprising and creative. As a consequence of inventing an improved stoker for steam locomotives in the early years of the twentieth century he eventually came to own Berkeley Machine Works in Norfolk, Virginia.

Sam loved Ocracoke and made many contributions to the community and people of the island. He is remembered for many good deeds, including significant financial assistance to our budding fire department nearly a half century ago, vaccinations for all of our wild ponies when they were first corralled in the 1950s, and major improvements to both island churches. Sam also built several impressive buildings...Berkeley Manor (near the OPS museum), Berkley Castle (now the Castle Bed & Breakfast), and the Homeplace (on the western shore of Silver Lake).

Sam had a mercurial personality, and everyone who remembers him has a story to tell -- how he chose to serve jail time rather than pay taxes he didn't believe he owed, how he built the Castle and other structures without plans or blueprints (he would just tell his crew what he wanted done that day...then tell them to re-do it if he changed his mind the next morning), how he rode his horse into the living room just because he felt like it, or how he'd call Fowler O'Neal at 2 o'clock in the morning from Norfolk, and tell him his pilot was flying him down to the island so Fowler could cut his hair.

Sam died in 1977 and is buried at Springer's Point, next to his favorite horse, Ikey D.

Top photo courtesy of Alice Rondthaler Collection (1950s)
Bottom left Photo Aycock Brown Collection/Outer Banks History Center (1950s)
Bottom right photo, His grave site at Springers Point (recent)
Story by Philip Howard

02/17/2021

The more you know...

Have you noticed these strange-looking things around the Engelhard and Swan Quarter area? They are dry fire hydrants! This non-pressurized water delivery system puts water sources closer together in areas where regular fire hydrants are scarce. The white PVC pipes extend out into the water source and have elbows, with an intake and fire connection fitting on the end. Fire hoses are attached which then can pump water into a tanker truck, or directly onto a fire. It is a non-pressurized source of water delivery that depends on the pump on the fire truck to move the water. Chief Stotesberry and Engelhard Fire & Rescue NC Chief Tony Spencer (now deceased) worked together on a grant several years ago to make this project possible.

02/08/2021