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A little more about Vandemere from Pamlico-NC.com
At first glance it is easy to place Vandemere, North Carolina into a stereotypical category—quaint, sleepy little
fishing village. Anyone that takes a moment to really observe this Pamlico County town quickly realizes it is a
vibrant community with a proud history.
If you want to raise a quick smile from a Vandemerian just say that you have "passed through" their town.
Vandemere is a destination, not a pass through. Generally speaking, you end up in Vandemere because you
intended to. Since the town is located on a peninsula that pokes out into the Bay River, it is only occasionally that a
visitor comes by water and leaves by land or vice versa.
This "Village By The Sea" lives up to its name. Arriving in Vandemere by water [chart] gives you a snapshot view
that hasn’t changed significantly during the twentieth century. The large expanse of waterfront is graced with
picturesque fishing trawlers docked just down the street from stately homes. The Norman Rockwell quality of the
main street, Pennsylvania Avenue, gives way to green farm fields. There is no question that fishing and farming are
the economic anchors of the community.
There are historical references to Vandemere as early as 1699 when it was mentioned in a treaty with the Bay
River Indians. In 1874, Vandemere became the second town in Pamlico County to incorporate. Sometime around
1870 a Dr. Delon Henry Abbott arrived in Vandemere and took an active part in developing businesses that would
support a larger community. In partnership with others he held interests in a sawmill, gristmill, store, storehouses,
lumber and even a schooner by the name of "O.H. Folly".
The current population of Vandemere is around three hundred and fifteen people according to the state records.
This statistic cannot convey the sense of community these residents have. Some towns have a tendency to talk
about "born heres, been heres and come heres", not Vandemere. Stopping and talking to the villagers you will find
that they are from all over the country. They have been drawn by the easy sense of familiarity you get when you
spend time in Vandemere.
'Ocracoke Island' from CNN.com
Travel News
Ocracoke Island tops best beaches list
POSTED: 1:15 a.m. EDT, June 11, 2007
RALEIGH, North Carolina (AP) -- Move over, Florida and Hawaii. Your beaches are no longer the best.
The nation's best place to get a tan and enjoy the ocean's waves in 2007 is North Carolina's Ocracoke Island, a
place so remote that even people in the offices of "Dr. Beach" -- Florida International University professor Stephen
Leatherman -- didn't know where to find it on the map.
"It's not the end of the world, but you can see it from here," Leatherman said from Ocracoke, the first beach not in
Florida or Hawaii to earn the top spot in his annual ranking of the nation's top 10 spots on the shore.
Technically, it's Ocracoke Lifeguarded Beach that is the nation's best. But Leatherman said there's little that
separates those 300 yards of postcard-perfect sand from the rest of the island, almost all of which is protected from
development as part of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore.
"Here, you have 14 miles of unspoiled, undisturbed barrier beach," said Leatherman, director of Florida
International's laboratory for coastal research. "Where do you find that in the world?"
Ocracoke is at the southern end of the Outer Banks, the fragile chain of barrier islands along North Carolina's coast
known as the "graveyard of the Atlantic." Accessible only by boat or private plane, there are only about 800 full-time
residents of the island where the pirate Blackbeard met his untimely death at the hands of the Royal Navy in 1718.
"People shouldn't come here to play golf, and don't come here for the Hilton spa or something like that,"
Leatherman said. "They're not going to find those things here. What you will find here -- it's like going back in time
with very quaint, small inns. It's my favorite getaway island beach. And it's definitely that."
Ocracoke has been a favorite of "Dr. Beach" for years -- he ranked it No. 3 in 2006 and No. 2 in 2005. By winning
this year, it will be retired from consideration, along with other past champions.
"Obviously, it's a great honor to be put up at the top of the heap," said Julia Howard, the administrator for the
Ocracoke Island Museum and Preservation Society, who has lived on the island for 35 years.
Leatherman ranks beaches on 50 criteria, using a 1 to 5 scale. No beach has ever gotten all 250 points, and
Ocracoke ranked somewhere in the 230s, he said. The sand, for example, isn't lily white, so it lost points there.
He considers only swimming beaches, which leaves out those along the Maine and Oregon coastlines, where the
water is just too cold. Beaches with lifeguards get high points, as do those that balance the natural environment and
the built environment.
"I'm just a stickler for detail," he said. "There's no perfect beach by the rating criteria, but there are so many great
ones."
Earning the No. 1 ranking on the "Dr. Beach" list is usually a tourism booster. When the north beach at Florida's
Fort De Soto was named the best in 2005, Leatherman said, the number of hits on a related Web site jumped in
one day from 1,000 to 10,000.
But the remote nature of Ocracoke and its place as part of a national seashore should spare the island's 25-foot
sand dunes, topped by sea oats, from an onslaught of beachcombers.
"When things are inundated with people, it isn't quite the same place any more," Howard said. "We hope people
who do come here would honor our beauty and keep it looking the way it does for a long time."
Bay River Market News from InnerBanks Real Estate.com
...The Bay River, in northern Pamlico County, is providing some of the best waterfront lot opportunities in the Inner
Banks. As one can see from the aerial photos, the Bay River, is deep, provides great water views and yet, also
gives the boater protection from the pounding winds and waves that can be experienced on the Sound....
8. Vandemere Creek - Vandemere Creek, on the north side of the Bay River, is being developed. A few
communities have been platted and lots sold, and several more are on the way. As of yet, no roads are in, so the
lots that have sold are difficult to access by land. However, Vandemere Creek itself is deep, protected, but with
quick access to the Bay River, the ICW and the Sound. When fully developed, this area will have premium
waterfront lots from $300,000 up. There is an opportunity now to acquire some of these lots in the mid $200,000
range.
'Oriental' from Inner Banks Real Estate .com
At the mouth of the Neuse River on Pamlico Sound is the village of Oriental. Although Oriental is in the far east area
of coastal North Carolina, its name has nothing to do with its location or relationship with the Orient. The town was
named by the wife of Oriental's founder and first postmaster. She saw the name on the transom nameboard of a
steamship that sank off Hatteras in 1862.
The nameboard washed ashore and was displayed in a residence in Manteo where she was visiting. She learned
that the steamship, headed from New York to blockade the Wilmington harbor, was in the service of Union forces
when it sank during the Civil War. Passengers and crew aboard were saved, but the steamship was never
salvaged. Its legacy is preserved in the name of the village now known as the "Sailing Capital of North Carolina."
Back in the 1870s, Louis B. Midyette escaped a gale by anchoring his sailboat in the waters of Oriental. While
there he went ashore, climbed a tree and fell in love with the beautiful landscape and waterfront. When he returned
home to Dare County, Midyette persuaded others to join his family and move to the area. Since that time, sailors
from across the globe have followed "Uncle Lou's" example and have made Oriental "The Sailing Capital of North
Carolina." Today it is estimated that the town is home to 900 permanent residents and roughly 2,700 sailboats,
sport fishing boats and commercial trawlers.
DRIVER’S LICENSE
All new residents who plan to drive must obtain a N.C. driver’s license within 30 days of establishing a permanent residence
here. Most newcomers, unless they drive commercial vehicles, will want a Class C license, which permits operation of
personal cars and small trucks. If you drive a motorcycle, you’ll also need a motorcycle endorsement.
North Carolina has switched from four-year to five-year driver’s licenses. Until the change is complete, licenses will vary in
length from four years to eight years. To get a license, apply in person at a driver’s license office and take the vision, sign
recognition and written tests. (It will help to study the Driver’s Handbook available at DMV offices.) When you apply, present
your current out-of-state license or two other accepted forms of ID, as well as proof of liability insurance from an insurer
licensed in North Carolina. You’ll also need to supply your Social Security number. (NOTE: If you are paying for your license
by check, the address on your pre-printed check must match the address on your new driver’s license.)
Locations
Pamlico County: For dates and locations call the Greenville DMV at 252-830-3456.
New Bern: Any weekday at the Driver’s License Office, 2106 Neuse Blvd., New Bern, 252-514-4734
MOTOR VEHICLE REGISTRATION
You must register your vehicle before the reciprocity agreement between North Carolina and your former state expires
(usually 30 days). Registration is renewed annually.
To register your vehicle, apply in person at the license plate agency and present your title (unless title is held by a lien
holder) and a valid registration card from your former state. If your title is held by a lien holder, you must provide the lien
holder’s name and address on a state form for title release. You also must present proof of vehicle liability insurance at or
above minimum standards.
Fees due when you receive N.C. registration include title and registration fees and highway use tax. The DMV registration
office will accept a check. You must also get a vehicle safety inspection within 10 days of receiving your N.C. license plate.
This can be done at any state-authorized inspection station. Inspection is required annually.
The state does not levy sales tax on motor vehicles. However, NC counties assess property taxes annually. Your car will be
registered when you receive your license plate and you’ll receive a bill in about three months.
Location
Register any weekday at the License Plate Agency, 117 Virginia Avenue, Alliance, 252-745-4539
NEW CONSTRUCTION & REMODELING
Building Permits
Pamlico County Building Inspector
Pamlico County Courthouse
202 Main Street, Bayboro
Phone: (252) 745-3861.
Docks & Bulkhead Permits
Pamlico County Building Inspector
Pamlico County Courthouse
202 Main Street, Bayboro
Phone: (252) 745-3861
E911 Addressing
Emergency Management/E911, 252-745-4131
NEWSPAPERS
Pamlico News (Published Weekly)
406 Broad Street, Oriental
Phone: (252) 249-1555
Online at http://www.pamliconews.com
Sun Journal (Published Daily)
3200 Wellons Blvd., New Bern
Phone: (252) 638-8101 Ext. #231
Online at http://www.newbernsunjournal.com
Raleigh News & Observer (Published Daily)
Phone: (800) 522-4205
POST OFFICES
Vandemere, N.C.
Phone: (252) 745-5889
Bayboro
NC Hwy. 55, Bayboro, N.C.
Phone: (252) 745-4641
Alliance
NC Hwy. 55, Alliance, N.C.
Phone: (252) 745-4524
Oriental
Broad St., Oriental, N.C.
Phone: (252) 249-0454
REFUSE REMOVAL
Municipal services within most incorporated towns. Refer to your phone book
for a refuse removal companies if you do not have municipal services.
UTILITIES, PHONE & INTERNET SERVICE
Cable & Satellite TV
Time Warner of Pamlico
84 Gatlin Road, Bayboro
Phone: (252) 745-5842
Online at http://www.twceastnc.com
Refer to your phone book for satellite service providers.
Electric
Progress Energy
Customer Services
Phone: (800) 452-2777
Online at http://www.progress-energy.com
Tideland Membership Corp.
10948 NC Hwy. 55, Alliance
Phone: (252) 745-4127
Online at http://www.tidelandemc.com
Propane Gas
Eastern Propane
Alliance
Phone: (252) 745-7346
Jenkins Gas & Oil
Bayboro
Phone: (252) 745-5842
Refuse Removal
Waste Management
Phone: (252) 699-6330
GDS
Phone: (252) 638-1366
Telephone, Cell & Internet Service
Embarq, Residential Customers
Phone: (252) 633-9011
Refer to your phone book for cell service providers.
Water
Pamlico County Water Dept.
102 N. 4th Street, Bayboro, N.C.
Phone: (252) 745-5453
(NOTE: A copy of your deed will be required in order to get service.)
VOTER REGISTRATION
To vote, you must be 18 years or older, a legal resident of the county where you register and a U.S. citizen. You also must
register at least 25-30 days before an election (the exact deadline varies for each election).
Location
Register any weekday at the Board of Elections Office, Pamlico County Courthouse, 202 Main Street, Bayboro, N.C.
252-745-4821.
At first glance it is easy to place Vandemere, North Carolina into a stereotypical category—quaint, sleepy little
fishing village. Anyone that takes a moment to really observe this Pamlico County town quickly realizes it is a
vibrant community with a proud history.
If you want to raise a quick smile from a Vandemerian just say that you have "passed through" their town.
Vandemere is a destination, not a pass through. Generally speaking, you end up in Vandemere because you
intended to. Since the town is located on a peninsula that pokes out into the Bay River, it is only occasionally that a
visitor comes by water and leaves by land or vice versa.
This "Village By The Sea" lives up to its name. Arriving in Vandemere by water [chart] gives you a snapshot view
that hasn’t changed significantly during the twentieth century. The large expanse of waterfront is graced with
picturesque fishing trawlers docked just down the street from stately homes. The Norman Rockwell quality of the
main street, Pennsylvania Avenue, gives way to green farm fields. There is no question that fishing and farming are
the economic anchors of the community.
There are historical references to Vandemere as early as 1699 when it was mentioned in a treaty with the Bay
River Indians. In 1874, Vandemere became the second town in Pamlico County to incorporate. Sometime around
1870 a Dr. Delon Henry Abbott arrived in Vandemere and took an active part in developing businesses that would
support a larger community. In partnership with others he held interests in a sawmill, gristmill, store, storehouses,
lumber and even a schooner by the name of "O.H. Folly".
The current population of Vandemere is around three hundred and fifteen people according to the state records.
This statistic cannot convey the sense of community these residents have. Some towns have a tendency to talk
about "born heres, been heres and come heres", not Vandemere. Stopping and talking to the villagers you will find
that they are from all over the country. They have been drawn by the easy sense of familiarity you get when you
spend time in Vandemere.
'Ocracoke Island' from CNN.com
Travel News
Ocracoke Island tops best beaches list
POSTED: 1:15 a.m. EDT, June 11, 2007
RALEIGH, North Carolina (AP) -- Move over, Florida and Hawaii. Your beaches are no longer the best.
The nation's best place to get a tan and enjoy the ocean's waves in 2007 is North Carolina's Ocracoke Island, a
place so remote that even people in the offices of "Dr. Beach" -- Florida International University professor Stephen
Leatherman -- didn't know where to find it on the map.
"It's not the end of the world, but you can see it from here," Leatherman said from Ocracoke, the first beach not in
Florida or Hawaii to earn the top spot in his annual ranking of the nation's top 10 spots on the shore.
Technically, it's Ocracoke Lifeguarded Beach that is the nation's best. But Leatherman said there's little that
separates those 300 yards of postcard-perfect sand from the rest of the island, almost all of which is protected from
development as part of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore.
"Here, you have 14 miles of unspoiled, undisturbed barrier beach," said Leatherman, director of Florida
International's laboratory for coastal research. "Where do you find that in the world?"
Ocracoke is at the southern end of the Outer Banks, the fragile chain of barrier islands along North Carolina's coast
known as the "graveyard of the Atlantic." Accessible only by boat or private plane, there are only about 800 full-time
residents of the island where the pirate Blackbeard met his untimely death at the hands of the Royal Navy in 1718.
"People shouldn't come here to play golf, and don't come here for the Hilton spa or something like that,"
Leatherman said. "They're not going to find those things here. What you will find here -- it's like going back in time
with very quaint, small inns. It's my favorite getaway island beach. And it's definitely that."
Ocracoke has been a favorite of "Dr. Beach" for years -- he ranked it No. 3 in 2006 and No. 2 in 2005. By winning
this year, it will be retired from consideration, along with other past champions.
"Obviously, it's a great honor to be put up at the top of the heap," said Julia Howard, the administrator for the
Ocracoke Island Museum and Preservation Society, who has lived on the island for 35 years.
Leatherman ranks beaches on 50 criteria, using a 1 to 5 scale. No beach has ever gotten all 250 points, and
Ocracoke ranked somewhere in the 230s, he said. The sand, for example, isn't lily white, so it lost points there.
He considers only swimming beaches, which leaves out those along the Maine and Oregon coastlines, where the
water is just too cold. Beaches with lifeguards get high points, as do those that balance the natural environment and
the built environment.
"I'm just a stickler for detail," he said. "There's no perfect beach by the rating criteria, but there are so many great
ones."
Earning the No. 1 ranking on the "Dr. Beach" list is usually a tourism booster. When the north beach at Florida's
Fort De Soto was named the best in 2005, Leatherman said, the number of hits on a related Web site jumped in
one day from 1,000 to 10,000.
But the remote nature of Ocracoke and its place as part of a national seashore should spare the island's 25-foot
sand dunes, topped by sea oats, from an onslaught of beachcombers.
"When things are inundated with people, it isn't quite the same place any more," Howard said. "We hope people
who do come here would honor our beauty and keep it looking the way it does for a long time."
Bay River Market News from InnerBanks Real Estate.com
...The Bay River, in northern Pamlico County, is providing some of the best waterfront lot opportunities in the Inner
Banks. As one can see from the aerial photos, the Bay River, is deep, provides great water views and yet, also
gives the boater protection from the pounding winds and waves that can be experienced on the Sound....
8. Vandemere Creek - Vandemere Creek, on the north side of the Bay River, is being developed. A few
communities have been platted and lots sold, and several more are on the way. As of yet, no roads are in, so the
lots that have sold are difficult to access by land. However, Vandemere Creek itself is deep, protected, but with
quick access to the Bay River, the ICW and the Sound. When fully developed, this area will have premium
waterfront lots from $300,000 up. There is an opportunity now to acquire some of these lots in the mid $200,000
range.
'Oriental' from Inner Banks Real Estate .com
At the mouth of the Neuse River on Pamlico Sound is the village of Oriental. Although Oriental is in the far east area
of coastal North Carolina, its name has nothing to do with its location or relationship with the Orient. The town was
named by the wife of Oriental's founder and first postmaster. She saw the name on the transom nameboard of a
steamship that sank off Hatteras in 1862.
The nameboard washed ashore and was displayed in a residence in Manteo where she was visiting. She learned
that the steamship, headed from New York to blockade the Wilmington harbor, was in the service of Union forces
when it sank during the Civil War. Passengers and crew aboard were saved, but the steamship was never
salvaged. Its legacy is preserved in the name of the village now known as the "Sailing Capital of North Carolina."
Back in the 1870s, Louis B. Midyette escaped a gale by anchoring his sailboat in the waters of Oriental. While
there he went ashore, climbed a tree and fell in love with the beautiful landscape and waterfront. When he returned
home to Dare County, Midyette persuaded others to join his family and move to the area. Since that time, sailors
from across the globe have followed "Uncle Lou's" example and have made Oriental "The Sailing Capital of North
Carolina." Today it is estimated that the town is home to 900 permanent residents and roughly 2,700 sailboats,
sport fishing boats and commercial trawlers.
DRIVER’S LICENSE
All new residents who plan to drive must obtain a N.C. driver’s license within 30 days of establishing a permanent residence
here. Most newcomers, unless they drive commercial vehicles, will want a Class C license, which permits operation of
personal cars and small trucks. If you drive a motorcycle, you’ll also need a motorcycle endorsement.
North Carolina has switched from four-year to five-year driver’s licenses. Until the change is complete, licenses will vary in
length from four years to eight years. To get a license, apply in person at a driver’s license office and take the vision, sign
recognition and written tests. (It will help to study the Driver’s Handbook available at DMV offices.) When you apply, present
your current out-of-state license or two other accepted forms of ID, as well as proof of liability insurance from an insurer
licensed in North Carolina. You’ll also need to supply your Social Security number. (NOTE: If you are paying for your license
by check, the address on your pre-printed check must match the address on your new driver’s license.)
Locations
Pamlico County: For dates and locations call the Greenville DMV at 252-830-3456.
New Bern: Any weekday at the Driver’s License Office, 2106 Neuse Blvd., New Bern, 252-514-4734
MOTOR VEHICLE REGISTRATION
You must register your vehicle before the reciprocity agreement between North Carolina and your former state expires
(usually 30 days). Registration is renewed annually.
To register your vehicle, apply in person at the license plate agency and present your title (unless title is held by a lien
holder) and a valid registration card from your former state. If your title is held by a lien holder, you must provide the lien
holder’s name and address on a state form for title release. You also must present proof of vehicle liability insurance at or
above minimum standards.
Fees due when you receive N.C. registration include title and registration fees and highway use tax. The DMV registration
office will accept a check. You must also get a vehicle safety inspection within 10 days of receiving your N.C. license plate.
This can be done at any state-authorized inspection station. Inspection is required annually.
The state does not levy sales tax on motor vehicles. However, NC counties assess property taxes annually. Your car will be
registered when you receive your license plate and you’ll receive a bill in about three months.
Location
Register any weekday at the License Plate Agency, 117 Virginia Avenue, Alliance, 252-745-4539
NEW CONSTRUCTION & REMODELING
Building Permits
Pamlico County Building Inspector
Pamlico County Courthouse
202 Main Street, Bayboro
Phone: (252) 745-3861.
Docks & Bulkhead Permits
Pamlico County Building Inspector
Pamlico County Courthouse
202 Main Street, Bayboro
Phone: (252) 745-3861
E911 Addressing
Emergency Management/E911, 252-745-4131
NEWSPAPERS
Pamlico News (Published Weekly)
406 Broad Street, Oriental
Phone: (252) 249-1555
Online at http://www.pamliconews.com
Sun Journal (Published Daily)
3200 Wellons Blvd., New Bern
Phone: (252) 638-8101 Ext. #231
Online at http://www.newbernsunjournal.com
Raleigh News & Observer (Published Daily)
Phone: (800) 522-4205
POST OFFICES
Vandemere, N.C.
Phone: (252) 745-5889
Bayboro
NC Hwy. 55, Bayboro, N.C.
Phone: (252) 745-4641
Alliance
NC Hwy. 55, Alliance, N.C.
Phone: (252) 745-4524
Oriental
Broad St., Oriental, N.C.
Phone: (252) 249-0454
REFUSE REMOVAL
Municipal services within most incorporated towns. Refer to your phone book
for a refuse removal companies if you do not have municipal services.
UTILITIES, PHONE & INTERNET SERVICE
Cable & Satellite TV
Time Warner of Pamlico
84 Gatlin Road, Bayboro
Phone: (252) 745-5842
Online at http://www.twceastnc.com
Refer to your phone book for satellite service providers.
Electric
Progress Energy
Customer Services
Phone: (800) 452-2777
Online at http://www.progress-energy.com
Tideland Membership Corp.
10948 NC Hwy. 55, Alliance
Phone: (252) 745-4127
Online at http://www.tidelandemc.com
Propane Gas
Eastern Propane
Alliance
Phone: (252) 745-7346
Jenkins Gas & Oil
Bayboro
Phone: (252) 745-5842
Refuse Removal
Waste Management
Phone: (252) 699-6330
GDS
Phone: (252) 638-1366
Telephone, Cell & Internet Service
Embarq, Residential Customers
Phone: (252) 633-9011
Refer to your phone book for cell service providers.
Water
Pamlico County Water Dept.
102 N. 4th Street, Bayboro, N.C.
Phone: (252) 745-5453
(NOTE: A copy of your deed will be required in order to get service.)
VOTER REGISTRATION
To vote, you must be 18 years or older, a legal resident of the county where you register and a U.S. citizen. You also must
register at least 25-30 days before an election (the exact deadline varies for each election).
Location
Register any weekday at the Board of Elections Office, Pamlico County Courthouse, 202 Main Street, Bayboro, N.C.
252-745-4821.
| Port Vandemere Inc./800 Broad Street/Oriental NC 28571 Toll Free 1-800-813-8492 Local 252-249-3030 e-mail thomas@portvandemere.com |