The Landing: Where Our Crowd Gathers

Nearly a year after Joel's first interview on The Landing, he joins us again, this time to discuss his book, The Education of an Island Boy. He recounts the history of the beginnings of Diamond City and Harkers Island, as well as traditions and memories of his own that he remembers fondly. Enjoy this history-filled episode as we delve into the past.

Patsy Gaskill joins us on The Landing to share her memories of going to school Down East, meeting her husband, Stephen Gaskill, and raising their children. Through the good and hard times, Patsy shows us her perseverance and her love for her family, who surround her to this day.

This week, Billy Merkley recalls his days growing up Down East. He recounts his time at school and the teachers he loved, his interest in old boats, which he now documents with his son Landon, and his days out fishing with Finnboy, who was like a grandfather to Billy. Enjoy Billy's stories this week as he reflects on his home and heritage.

To celebrate Father's Day, we have brought back Wayne Davis to share his memories of his own father, as well as the joys he has experienced in fatherhood. Whether it's coming home from school with a brand new car or his own experiences with the births of his three daughters, it is clear that Wayne's father, and being a father himself, has been an extremely important part of his life.

This week we are joined by Paula Willis as she shares memories of her childhood, when she worked with her family in different restaurants and joined kindergarten at just two-years-old, the years she spent cooking through the seasons, all the way to the present day - now back home - where she spends her time working at Fish Hook, teaching, umpiring, and surrounding herself with friends.

This year, we will be sharing an oral history any time there is a 5th week in a month. This week, we are spotlighting Roy Willis, Core Sound's knowledgeable waterfowl historian and collector of decoys and hunting artifacts. Hear him discuss traditions of hunting, carving and collecting decoys. Due to a microphone issue from this recording, some parts are distorted.

Kenny Brennan joins us this week on The Landing to discuss his love for cooking growing up, the foods he longed for when he was away from home, and his skills with baking fig cakes. Join us for this flavorful journey as we explore the foods of Down East, and the power of food to create a community.

Maryann Styron joins us this week to discuss the Down East food traditions she grew up with. As a child, she learned to cook from her mother, grandmother, and other family members, enjoying seafood and light rolls, as well as family recipes like Maryann's family's famous dressing. She also recalls the foods different communities are known for, like the wild onions on Davis Shore. Join us as we hea...

This week we are joined by Debbie Hancock Lawrence. She shares memories of her grandfather gardening when she was a child, her grandmother canning, and her love of gardening and canning as an adult - not only are these activities something she loves, but they are something that brings her family together.

This week we are joined on a call with Casey Best to discuss traditions of food and cooking Down East. From learning to cook as a child living in Straits, to Saturday lunch at Mammy's house, to embracing diverse food traditions, Casey takes us through a flavorful journey of the cooking traditions that bring people together.

In this episode, we have two interviews - first, we speak with Karen Teklinsky, a teacher from Ocracoke who lived through Hurricane Dorian. She tells the story of the storm and the aftermath, seeing the resilience in her students and community. Next, we are joined by Della Brooks. On Della's 43rd birthday, Hurricane Florence hit. Her story highlights the love she has for her friends and family, as...

During the East-West Teacher Exchange held at the Core Sound Waterfowl Museum & Heritage Center in March, we got the chance to speak with Sarah Laws, a teacher dedicated to her students and community. She tells us of Hurricane Helene and the aftermath - how she and her family had to cut their way out of the debris, when she became a caretaker for the animals and pets of the community, and how...

Last month, the Core Sound Waterfowl Museum and Heritage Center held an East-West teacher exchange, in which educators from Western and Eastern North Carolina came together and shared their stories of perseverance in the aftermath of hurricanes that have impacted their communities. Only 6 months after hurricane Helene, educators like Lane and Terry are working to uplift their students, fellow teac...

This week, Joel Fodrie talks to us about something special in the waters of North Carolina, seagrass. An estuarine ecologist, Joel discusses what seagrass is, how it populates, and the declining population of seagrass along North Carolina's coast these last 12 years. He also speaks on what is being done to combat this decline and shares an opportunity for those wanting to get involved in conservin...

Corey Lawrence joins us this week to tell us about his childhood Down East. He reminisces on growing up in Harkers Island - riding his bike around the island, playing to the Landing, and more - and the ways that things have changed since.

This week we are joined by Hannah Wrae Nelson Beasley, a former math teacher who grew up Down East. She looks back on her time as a child, playing to The Landing, her days in school, and her years as an educator.

In the second part of our interview with Tommy and Chris Yeomans, they share memories and stories from school and college, playing sports, and the work that they have done over the years. From working in a body shop to a survey boat, clamming over the summers to teaching in Down East schools, join us as we hear about Chris and Tommy's lives on Harkers Island.

This week we are joined by Tommy and Chris Yeomans, a father and son who grew up on Harkers Island. They reflect and reminisce about the years they spent growing up on the island, sharing memories of playing on the Landing, school days, and family stories.

This week, we are joined by Susanne Taylor. Over the course of this interview, she discusses her time playing softball, from when she was a child through playing collegiate ball. She recalls some victories as well as struggles, but most importantly, Susanne reflects on her love for Softball and what this sport has taught her over the years.

Leanne Chadwick Peppers joins us to discuss softball, a sport she has played nearly all her life. She shares her memories and stories of playing softball growing up, as well as coaching the sport today.

This episode we speak with Alton Paul about baseball. He shares his stories and knowledge of the sport, from listening to games on the radio, to coaching teams, to the history of baseball in Down East.

For the first episode of Season 2 of The Landing: Where Our Crowd Gathers, we speak with Jimmy Paylor about his long-time love for baseball. He takes us back to his childhood, when his love for the sport first began, to his days in umpiring school, to now as he gets ready for the upcoming season.

For our final episode of January, we spotlight an oral history recorded in 1988 with Elsie Ballance Garrish. Born in Ocracoke, she trained in Raleigh to become a nurse,. She returned to Ocracoke in 1963, where she worked as a midwife's assistant. Transcript: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LsaiQlCe9hrapd2PItRnL-qPtwhdU-Uy/view

This week we spotlight an Oral History from the Cape Lookout National Seashore Connie Mason Collection. In this episode, join us as we hear two interviews with Mattie Willis on the changes in Harkers Island, her father's days in the Coast Guard, her faith, and more. 

In this week's Oral History Spotlight, we hear a 2009 interview with Worth Harris as he tells about menhaden fishing, making and repairing nets, and more. Transcript: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rEXYx825K7Ur-uI4hcJy2M5UyNw8CUxn/view