Surviving storms

Figure 10. Houses built on stilts — and frequently relocated — have survived the stormy history of the Outer Banks. (Photograph by Blair Tormey. More about the photograph)

The first house on northern Nags Head was built by W. G. Pool, a doctor from Elizabeth City. Many of Dr. Pool’s friends followed his lead — mostly because he gave them seaside lots as gifts — and a new era of seaside living began on the Outer Banks. Despite their seaside locations, several of the owners had the foresight to build the structures on pilings, and some of the homes have been moved more than once to avoid destruction by storms and beach erosion. The Outlaw family home has been moved at least five times in its long history. The fact that more than forty of these houses still stand today testifies to the success of “move it or lose it” policies.

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