Friends of Portsmouth Island

06/19/2026

We'd like to wish all of you a very happy Father's Day weekend! This photo from the early 1900s is Milan Willis and his daughter Lida Mae, who lived in the Middle Community of Portsmouth. Milan served as a hunting guide and ran a fish house. (Photo and information from "Portsmouth Island: A Walk in the Past" by James E. White, III. Copyright 2010)

06/14/2026

This is the old “sheep-dipping vat” on Portsmouth. It’s located down the Straight Road leading from the village toward Sheep Island, but unfortunately it’s no longer easily accessible. It was deep enough that the livestock could be walked down the ramp and into the vat to get rid of ticks. Interestingly, despite its name, it was used for cattle, not sheep! We were told by Portsmouth historian Ellen Cloud that sheep did not need to be dipped because their thick coats kept the ticks off. 2004 photo is by Jean Webber.

06/11/2026

AND THE WINNER IS..... Pat Gilgo! Congratulations, Pat!!

We'd also like to give a shout out to all of you who commented on the post - descendants and non-descendants alike. Thank you for all your wonderful responses! We learned a lot about who follows our page. We have descendants of many different families, and lots of you who are not descendants but have very strong ties to Portsmouth and a love for the island. We appreciate you all!

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06/07/2026

WIN THIS SHIRT!! (Size L, comfort colors in white) To enter, comment below, and let us know whether or not you're a descendant. If you are, please tell us from which families you're descended. If you're not a descendant, just say "not a descendant". There's no right or wrong answer; all responses will be entered into the drawing and will have an equal chance of winning. Reply by 6:00 PM on Wednesday, June 10. We'll announce the winner later that evening. Good luck!!

06/02/2026

Yesterday was the official start of Hurricane Season. The Outer Banks are particularly vulnerable to East Coast hurricanes, and Portsmouth has had its share of bad ones. The most destructive one to Portsmouth in our memory was Hurricane Dorian, which hit in September, 2019. It was "only" a category one when it arrived at Ocracoke and Portsmouth, but the amount of water that it threw across these islands was unprecedented in recent years. Pictured here is the Wallace-Grace House in a photo taken by Rosanne Penley a week after the hurricane hit.

05/27/2026

How many of you know that there was a Portsmouth Homecoming in 1980? Did any of you go to it? Descendant and lifetime FPI member Suzanne McWilliams did. Thank you, Suzanne, for sharing this with us!

"My first visit to Portsmouth Island was on October 19, 1980; the first Homecoming. I drove my mom and dad. My father was the last child of Annie and Captain Charles Small McWilliams born on October 19, 1913.
I have included a photo from that day of the program and a photo of my dad and his sister Margaret Rena McWilliams Smith. Such a wonderful festive celebration was had by all."

Please let us know in the comments if you also attended this Homecoming!

05/22/2026

We'd like to wish all of you a good - and safe - Memorial Day weekend! But while you're out enjoying activities with your family and friends, please reflect on the real reason that you're getting this 3-day weekend.

05/17/2026

This gorgeous photo of the church at sunset was taken by Gregory Gilgo a couple of evenings ago. Thank you, Gregory - I think we're all jealous!!

05/12/2026

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO CHARLES MCWILLIAMS! Charles Small (“Charlie”) McWilliams was the second Keeper of the Portsmouth Life Saving Station, serving from 1903 – 1915. He remained Keeper for one year after the LSS merged with the Revenue Cutter Service and became the US Coast Guard in 1915. Charlie was born on Ocracoke on May 12, 1871 to John McWilliams and Eliza Ann Farrow McWilliams, who died when Charlie was only 6 years old. He married Annie Toler on Ocracoke on September 21, 1892 – and they became the parents of 8 children. By all accounts, Charlie was a very strict disciplinarian, but also well-loved and well-respected by the men who served under him in the LSS/USCG. After his retirement in 1916, Charlie and Annie moved to Newport News, Virginia, where he died on February 25, 1922.

05/07/2026

This was the old school that served Portsmouth students for decades, located in Middle Community where it was centrally located for students who lived on Sheep Island, Middle Community, and the village. It was demolished in the 1920's when the new school, which still stands, was built. Photo from Historic Research Project of Portsmouth Village, credited to the Marian Gray Babb Collection.