OPS to Host Reception and Book-Signing in Celebration of Portsmouth Island

"Doctor's Creek" on Portsmouth Island. One of the photos in the exhibit.
"Doctor's Creek" on Portsmouth Island. One of the photos in the exhibit.

Ocracoke Preservation Society invites the community to a grand opening reception on Friday, April 27th from 6 – 8 p.m to see a new exhibit in the OPS Museum parlor. The new exhibit honors Portsmouth Island and was planned in celebration of this year’s Portsmouth Homecoming. (Saturday, April 28th, details here.)

The exhibit, “Portsmouth Beckons,” features 14 extraordinary photographs by Outer Banks photographer Michael Halminski, and a special DVD by Aaron Garrish and David Powell titled “Portsmouth: In Search of the Past.”

Mr. Halminski has lived on Hatteras Island for 38 years, where he operates a fine art photography studio. He will be at the reception to talk about his work and his love for Portsmouth Island.

The evening will also feature author James E. White III, who will be signing copies of his latest book, Paradise Lost: An Oral History of Portsmouth Island. Mr. White has written about the people of Portsmouth before; his previous books will also be available.

Portsmouth Beckons

The reception will be a great way to get in the spirit for the next day’s Homecoming festivities. Members of Friends of Portsmouth, and anyone interested in learning more about that beloved island, are encouraged to attend. Work by Mr. White and Mr. Halminski, along with the Portsmouth DVD, will be available in the Museum gift shop during the reception.

Portsmouth Beckons

Founded in 1983, OPS has maintained a free-admission museum at the century-old David Williams House since 1992. This traditional two-story house was built around the year 1900.  Its owner, David Williams, was the first Chief of the U.S. Coast Guard station on Ocracoke. The house is a contributing structure in the Ocracoke Historic District.  In 1989, it was moved to its present location on National Park Service property to prevent its demolition and was subsequently restored.