Cape Hatteras National Seashore
401 National Park Drive
Manteo, NC 27954
(252) 473-2111
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Little Kinnakeet was one of the first seven life-saving stations erected on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. These were all 1874-type designs, and all built in 1874. A kitchen/mess room was added to Little Kinnakeet in 1892. In 1900 the original station was moved to the west side of the highway. It was converted to a boathouse in 1904 when a Southern-pattern station house was added to the southeast corner of the grounds. The station was deactivated June 14, 1954. The 14.5 acre property was turned over to the GSA in 1970 and is now part of Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Like its sister station Chicamacomico to the north, this is a fine example of multiple buildings constructed on the same site during the Life-Saving era, and used well into the Coast Guard years.
Restoration work on the 1874 boathouse occurred in 1976 – 1978, returning it to its condition during the period of significance, 1885 – 1915. This included removal of some add-on wings not present in this period. Damage to the cedar roof and siding which occurred during Hurricane Isabel in 2003 was repaired. More recently, additional stabilization work on the 1874 boathouse, the 1892 kitchen and the 1904 station house has occurred. Little interior work has been done on the 1904 building other than the addition of supports to shore up the tower. Restoration of the 1904 building currently awaits further funding and completion of the project may require connection to the water main, another expensive undertaking.
The station has been nominated for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places. A historic structure report was completed in September, 1987. Currently the 1874 boathouse is considered saved, while the 1904 building is still on our threatened list, although no immediate risks are present. he Seashore is interested in partnering with other organizations .
The station grounds can be visited but the buildings themselves are all enclosed in a chain link fence.
Cape Hatteras National Seashore http://www.nps.gov/caha/index.htm
Additional details regarding the construction projects including photographs can be found at: http://beachbum.homestead.com/Life-SavingStations/Stations/Little_Kinnakeet.html