Kill Devil Hills Lifesaving Station

Doug and Sharon Twiddy’s first Outer Banks restoration project began in 1986 when they purchased the Kill Devil Hills Lifesaving Station. Doug Twiddy had long admired the handsome structure and, feeling compelled to preserve this piece of Outer Banks history, would ask its owner every Labor Day if he would consider selling. Utilizing the station as employee housing at the time, the owner’s response was always no. Eventually, the owner agreed to sell the station. On the condition that it would be removed from its oceanfront location, Mr. Twiddy was, at long last, the proud owner of the station.

Surfmen William Beacham, Robert Wescott, Benny O’Neal, W.S. Dough, and John T. Daniels helped Orville and Wilbur move their flying machine to the top of Kill Devil Hill on December 14th and witnessed Wilbur’s unsuccessful attempt at flying that day. Daniels, Dough, Adam D. Etheridge, W.C. Brinkley of Manteo, and Johnny Moore of Nags Head were once again beckoned to help move the fragile craft up the hill on the bitterly cold morning of December 17, 1903. At 10:35 AM, the flyer teetered down a wooden rail, and twenty-three to twenty-seven mile-per-hour winds lifted the craft to flight. The Wright brothers’ first successful flight was witnessed. Using Orville’s camera, Daniels snapped the well-known photograph documenting this historic flight. It was later awarded the title “The Photograph of the 20th Century.” Daniels, Dough, and Etheridge all signed the official affidavit verifying that the first flight was, indeed, a true story.

The Kill Devil Hills Life Saving Station was active until 1933.

Pieces of the station’s past life began to surface during the restoration. The original “U.S. Life Saving Station” sign was found as the Kill Devil Hills Lifesaving Station was prepared for the move. It was later displayed inside, and a carefully created replica was hung in its original position on the outside of the building. A 13-foot oar stamped with the letters “USSLSS” was also found under the building during the move. Other historic artifacts were found in the eaves of the roof. They included an 1887 Annual Report of the Operation of the US Lifesaving Stations, an 1890s copy of Cosmopolitan magazine, a 1905 Sailor’s Magazine, several old bottles and the original hand written document on the wreck of the sailing vessel Josephine. The attic stored a telegraph machine and a seashell cupping the station’s original red primer paint was also discovered. A collection of relics found during restoration, as well as Lifesaving Service and Wright Brothers mementoes, are currently displayed in the station.