Southport-NC Historical Society

Southport-NC Historical Society Southport Historical Society is dedicated to enhancing and preserving the unique history and heritage of Southport and the surrounding area.

CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO ENLARGE.Courtesy of the Wilmington Star News.
09/08/2026

CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO ENLARGE.
Courtesy of the Wilmington Star News.

LABOR DAY HISTORYLabor Day has been a national holiday in the United States since 1894. To many, it may signify picnics,...
09/07/2026

LABOR DAY HISTORY
Labor Day has been a national holiday in the United States since 1894. To many, it may signify picnics, parades, a day off from work, or the end of summer and the beginning of fall. However, the day actually celebrates a long history of U.S. workers and their immense contributions, made at various periods under extremely difficult conditions, to the country's might, abundance, and success.

RIVER PILOTS GO OUT TO SEA!
09/06/2026

RIVER PILOTS GO OUT TO SEA!

CLICK THE IMAGE TO ENLARGE.Courtesy of the Wilmington Star News.
09/04/2026

CLICK THE IMAGE TO ENLARGE.
Courtesy of the Wilmington Star News.

Courtesy of the Southport Historical Society and the Harper Library.
09/03/2026

Courtesy of the Southport Historical Society and the Harper Library.

CLICK THE IMAGE TO ENLARGE.Courtesy of the State Port Pilot
09/03/2026

CLICK THE IMAGE TO ENLARGE.
Courtesy of the State Port Pilot

FROM THE CHRONOLOGY OF SOUTHPORT (SMITHVILLE), VOLUME I1766 - Royal Governor William Tryon appointed Captain Robert Howe...
09/02/2026

FROM THE CHRONOLOGY OF SOUTHPORT (SMITHVILLE), VOLUME I

1766 - Royal Governor William Tryon appointed Captain Robert Howe as commander of Fort Johnston

1773 -Josiah Quincy, Jr., a prominent lawyer of New England, visited with Robert Howe at Fort Johnston. He wrote: "Fort Johnston is as delightful a situation; the Commander (Robert Howe) is, if possible, a more delightful fellow. A most happy compound of the man of sense, sentiment and dignity, with the man of the world, the sword, the senate and the buck. A truly surprising character! The relation of his past life and adventures, which he gave me in private was moving and was ravishing. Twas joyous, passing joyous, twas exquisite, supremely exquisite!"

Photo Credit - Wikipedia

“You Have to Go Out” Curated by Paul Vann Hall and Mary Ellen PooleThis dramatic print of a rescue at sea was donated to...
09/02/2026

“You Have to Go Out”

Curated by Paul Vann Hall and Mary Ellen Poole

This dramatic print of a rescue at sea was donated to the Southport Historical Society by member Frank Newton. Although the ship and circumstances shown have not been identified, the scene recalls the dangerous work once performed by lifesavers along the Lower Cape Fear.

Two U.S. Life-Saving Service stations guarded the mouth of the Cape Fear River: the Cape Fear Station on Bald Head Island and the Oak Island Station across the river. Keepers John L. Watts and Dunbar Davis, along with the surfmen and volunteers who served with them, were involved in numerous daring rescues and were credited with saving many lives.

During the devastating Sea Islands Hurricane of August 1893, Davis and his volunteers aided the crews of five vessels in just 48 hours, with assistance from Watts and men from the Cape Fear Station. Just weeks later, Watts and his Cape Fear crew battled heavy seas for hours to reach the wrecked schooner Charles C. Dame on Frying Pan Shoals, rescuing all eight men aboard.

The legacy of both keepers remains part of the Lower Cape Fear. Descendants of both Dunbar Davis and John Watts still live in the area and proudly preserve the stories of their lifesaving ancestors.

The U.S. Life-Saving Service was a predecessor of today’s U.S. Coast Guard. Its regulations required lifesavers to attempt a rescue rather than simply deciding that the sea or weather made it too dangerous. If one method failed, they were expected to try another before declaring a rescue impossible.

That extraordinary expectation of duty gave rise to the Service’s unofficial motto:
“You have to go out, but you don’t have to come back.”
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Print: Untitled, Artist: Unknown

SOUTHPORT HISTORICAL SOCIETY'S SECOND TUESDAY TALK PROGRAM - FEATURING COL. WILLIE GORE U.S. ARMY (Ret.)
09/02/2026

SOUTHPORT HISTORICAL SOCIETY'S SECOND TUESDAY TALK PROGRAM - FEATURING COL. WILLIE GORE U.S. ARMY (Ret.)

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203 East Bay Street
Southport, NC
28461

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