...if those you meet
have never heard the story
then tell it strong and clear
as best you can
That once there was a
fleeting wisp glory
known by a few and called
The Promise Land
Variation of a verse from Camelot by
Gretchen Guthrie-Guthrie
Many associate the term "Promise Land" with the Bible, but to us it's just home.
In the early 18th century, our ancestors still lived on the Outer Banks of North Carolina on Shackleford Banks Island. At the time they shared their island with Cape Lookout Lighthouse.
It was a simple yet idyllic life. They fished, grew what crops they could in the sandy soil, raised their families, and supported each other in a tight knit community. They were isolated from the rest of the country and lived without electricity, running water, or many other "luxuries" most people of the time had become accustomed to. Even still, they loved their life -- but a series of hurricanes made staying impossible. After a storm, so severe it split the Shackleford Banks into two different islands, they were forced to leave their beloved home, even as their houses fell down around them.
Fearing for their families well being, they disassembled what was left of their homes and stacked them on boats. As they rowed toward their new life they sang hymns, including "I am Bound for the Promise Land." When they came ashore the mainland of Morehead City they said, "Here we are -- the Promise Land".
They settled by Bouge Sound. It had easy access for their fishing vessels, and because it was by the water, it was cheap. They reassembled their houses, planted new crops, continued to raise their families and love and support their community, "The Promise Land."
Those who were fortunate to be raised in this community know that it was something special. You were somehow related to all your neighbors. You shared a bond that made you feel cherished as you ran down the ally to play with other kids, knowing that if something happened any nearby mother would take care of you. You listened to "the old folks" talk about their adventures on the open water. You even had a language that was all your own.
As with all things, time has changed the Promise Land. Property by the water is no longer "cheap". Few descendants still live there. No there one fishes for a living, rather for recreation. But, the echos of love still rings in the alley ways between those old banker homes.