Kitty Hawk Life-Saving Station
Why it's listed
Built in 1910-11 on the beach east of Kitty Hawk village, this one-and-a-half story shingled building replaced an earlier life-saving station established in 1874, one of the first seven on the North Carolina coast. Its rectangular form, hip-roofed observation tower, and four dormers on each side reflect the shingle style, with Colonial Revival touches. The contract went to Richard C. Evans of Manteo, and the original plans were drawn by C. D. Swan. The nomination notes that the design may have come from Victor Mendleheff, who designed the similar Chicamacomico station. The earlier station became a boathouse. Surfmen based here aided vessels in distress off the Outer Banks, including the 1927 rescue of the tanker Kyzikes crew. The Coast Guard abandoned the station in 1946. It was later converted to a beach cottage, with the boatroom partitioned into bedrooms and two bathrooms added, though the 1910 plan is otherwise intact. Erosion prompted a move back on its lot. The cookhouse and stable are gone.
Significance in brief: The station is tied to the U.S. Life-Saving Service on the Outer Banks and reflects changes in life-saving equipment in the early twentieth century. It is also a good example of the shingle style with Colonial Revival features used for early twentieth century life-saving stations. It represents the work of local builder Richard C. Evans of Manteo.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 84000073, listed October 11, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | U.S. 158, Kitty Hawk |
|---|---|
| County | Dare County |
| Listed | October 11, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84000073 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- (specific dates 1910-11) |
| Architect / builder | Richard C. Evans |
| Architectural style | Shingle style with Colonial Revival features |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Maritime History, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and in good condition; the station has been adaptively reused as a private beach cottage. The 1910 interior plan is largely intact, and the building was moved once, from the front of its lot to the rear. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 36.06753, -75.69065 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 84000073.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q106879966
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.