News Release

Major Repairs & Rehabilitation Completed on Guthrie-Ogilvie House at Cape Lookout

NPS Staff & TTAP Interns pose in front of the house as repairs near completion

NPS Photo

News Release Date: November 14, 2023

Contact: Nate Toering, 252-838-8909

HARKERS ISLAND, NC - Located in the heart of Cape Lookout National Seashore's Cape Village Historic District, the Guthrie-Ogilvie House is an important part of the park's historic 
landscape. The park recently made substantial repairs to the historic house as part of a $200,000 rehabilitation project funded by the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) Legacy Restoration Fund. 

The project replaced the house's roof and repaired siding, doors, trim, windows, and other exterior surfaces. Interior work included stabilization and repairs to surfaces and finishes. 

Park staff trained in historic restoration and preservation techniques were assisted by two interns from the Traditional Trades Advancement Program (TTAP). TTAP pairs skilled National Park Service (NPS) employees with youth and military veterans for a 26-week mmersive experience that helps prepare the interns for employment in historic preservation.
 
"The repairs to the Guthrie-Ogilvie House are a fantastic step in the right direction." said Superintendent Jeff West. "The use of Great American Outdoors Act funds to complete this deferred maintenance and repair project, while simultaneously allowing for youth and veterans to become proficient in historic preservation skills is a benefit to everyone involved." 

In order to facilitate cost-effective repairs to all of Cape Lookout's many historic buildings, including the Guthrie-Ogilvie House, the park has created a new historic preservation wood shop. The shop allows the park to replicate historic building components such as windows and doors at a fraction of the cost of hiring outside companies to manufacture them. The addition of this wood shop will allow Cape Lookout National Seashore to continue restorations with the most efficient use of tax dollars for years to come. 

Luther Guthrie, a surfman at the Cape Lookout Life-Saving Station, built the house "for his daughter" sometime after her birth in May 1924. The house was intentionally built near the station and allowed Guthrie to be closer to his family while on duty. This structure, along with a few others, formed the heart of a small community, which we now refer to as Cape Village.
 
In 1928, after receiving orders to the Fort Macon Coast Guard Station, Guthrie sold the house to Robert and Henry Ogilvie for $225. The Ogilvie's enlarged and improved the house, using it as a fishing retreat for several decades before selling it in 1954. The house exchanged hands several more times before its transfer to the NPS in 2002.

GAOA is part of a concerted effort to address extensive deferred maintenance and repair needs in national parks. Supported by revenue from energy development, GAOA provides the NPS with up to $1.3 billion per year for five years to make significant enhancements in national parks to ensure their preservation and provide opportunities for recreation, education, and enjoyment for current and future visitors. In addition to more than 100 large-scale infrastructure projects, GAOA has funded approximately 300 smaller Maintenance Action Team (MAT) activities in national parks throughout the country.

Left image
Before
Credit: NPS Photo

Right image
After
Credit: NPS Photo

Before and after photos of the Guthrie-Ogilvie House  in the Cape Village Historic District.