• Cape Lookout Lighthouse from Barden Inlet

    Cape Lookout

    National Seashore North Carolina

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Audio Tour

Portsmouth Village Aerial View
Aerial view of Portsmouth Village

Take a step back in time and experience life on an island, in a lightering port, in a fishing village through the stories and voices of the people of Portsmouth Village.

A map of the tour stops (493 KB, jpeg) is available for download as well as the audio tour transcript (34 KB, pdf) for the tour stops and oral histories transcript (54 KB, pdf).

You can also view and download photos related to each of the stops as you listen to the tour online.

 

To download these audio files to your computer, use your mouse to right click on the link and selected "Save Target As ..."

  • Stop 1: Introduction and Historical Overview (2:46) (6.5 MB, mp3)

Selecting the Next Stop (0:47) (1.8 MB, mp3)

  • Stop 2: The Dock (2:32) (6.0 MB, mp3)

Directions: Stop 2 to Stop 3 (0:11) (444 KB, mp3)

  • Stop 3: Mid-Way Down the Road (2:31) (5.9 MB, mp3)

Directions: Stop 3 to Stop 4 (0:13) (531 KB, mp3)

  • Stop 4: Theodore and Annie Salter House / Visitor Center (1:09) (2.7 MB, mp3)

Directions: Stop 4 to Stop 5 (0:25) (993 KB, mp3)

Oral History Selections
Community / Life in the Village (2:03) (4.8 MB, mp3)
Sustenance (2:11) (5.2 MB, mp3)
Mosquitoes (1:22) (3.2 MB, mp3)
Childhood Days (2:32) (6.0 MB, mp3)

  • Stop 5: Piggott House (2:29) (5.8 MB, mp3)

Directions: Stop 5 to Stop 6 (0:08) (317 KB, mp3)

  • Stop 6: Post Office / General Store (2:08) (5.0 MB, mp3)

Directions: Stop 6 to Stop 7 (0:11) (433 MB, mp3)

Oral History Selections
The Mail Boat (1:48) (4.3 MB, mp3)
The Store (1:36) (3.8 MB, mp3)
Socializing at the P.O. (1:04) (2.5 MB, mp3)

  • Stop 7: The School (0:59) (2.3 MB, mp3)

Directions: Stop 7 to Stop 8 (0:11) (468 MB, mp3)

Oral History Selections
Memories of School Days (3:42) (8.7 MB, mp3)

  • Stop 8: Methodist Church (1:12) (2.8 MB, mp3)

Directions: Stop 8 to Stop 9 (0:13) (545 KB, mp3)

Oral History Selections
Steve Robert's Reminiscences (2:51) (6.7 MB, mp3)
Christmas on the Island (1:51) (4.4 MB, mp3)
Church Social Life (1:27) (3.4 MB, mp3)
Burial on the Island (1:23) (3.2 MB, mp3)

  • Stop 9: Washington Roberts House (1:23) (3.3 MB, mp3)

  • Stop 10: Life-Saving Station (2:44) (6.4 MB, mp3)

Directions: Stop 10 to Stop 11 (0:10) (406 KB, mp3)

Oral History Selections
Station Routine (3:31) (8.3 MB, mp3)
Wrecks (1:04) (2.5 MB, mp3)
Storms (3:05) (7.2 MB, mp3)

  • Stop 11: Sea Captains' Graves (1:01) (2.4 MB, mp3)

 

Did You Know?

Cape Lookout Lighthouse

The lighthouse standing at Cape Lookout was finished in 1859. It replaced an earlier, shorter lighthouse finished in 1812. Cape Lookout National Seashore More...