Ocracoke Preservation Society agrees to purchase Island Inn
The Ocracoke Preservation Society (OPS) took a giant leap Thursday night and agreed to buy the Island Inn property to save it for community purposes.
“We will put our name on the deed,” said OPS President Ken DeBarth.
The vision for the renovating the iconic building includes retaining the original two-story, wood-frame structure (the former Odd Fellow’s Lodge), demolishing the two deteriorating wings and creating separate public restrooms, all while retaining some green space.
“This was a time-limited opportunity,” DeBarth said. “If we didn’t take this plunge, the property would have been lost.”
And the OPS board ultimately agreed that this project was in their mission.
“We see this as an opportunity to expand the OPS’s preservation efforts in a big way—to be more than just a museum and a gift shop,” DeBarth said.
“I am in awe of the organization that OPS just became with this decision,” said Tom Pahl, Ocracoke’s county commissioner. “It was tough for them to get to that point, but with this, they are really, truly pursuing their mission of island preservation.”
(Ocracoke Observer, 3/25/18)