The Old Gray House thanks all who have taken the time to write about our retirement hobby. Below you will find reprints of some that that have come to our attention. We thank all who have gone out of their way to share in our retirement dream by telling others about us. Should you run across an ariticle written about the Old Gray House we would appreciate hearing about it.

We are dedicating section of our site to the many guests who come to the Old Gray House. If you have comments or pictures you took while at Hatteras that you would like to share this is the place we will post some of them. If you visited the old Gray House Learning Center and sent us a picture you took of yourself you will find it on the Path Section. Click Here For Pictures Graduates of the Gray House Learning center.

Magical moments are always just ahead of you, yet they are not hard to find on Hatteras Island. If you would like to share your magical moments that you had on Hatteras Island contact us at OuterBanksShells.com

magical moments

By Dewey parr

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Thanks to a friend in September when other plants are preparing for the winter single stalks of green begin to sprout in my garden announcing that a magical moment is about to occur. In a matter of days these stalks burst forth in a dazzling display for it is magical time in the Old Gray House Garden.
Magic Lilies (Lycoris squamigera)

Today, as I was transplanting magic lilies in the Old Gray House Garden, I suddenly realized what makes life meaningful and why Mary and I love the Old Gray House and Hatteras Island so much. Those magic Lilies given to me by Jane Newby many years ago have brought me great joy as have the many plants brought to me by Friends of the Old Gray House. The lilies also remind me of an incident that occurred one day while I was working in my garden.

A little girl came walking my garden path with her daddy. Wide eyed she looked all around and then she excitedly said to her daddy, “Daddy, this is a magical place.” I guess this is probably the greatest thing that has ever been said about my garden.

To us the Old Gray House and Hatteras Island are magical places. They are full of magical moments that inspire us. It is the magical moments shared with us by guests who visit us that provide us with those warm fuzzy feelings that have enriched our lives since we opened the shop. Mary’s magical moments occur constantly inside the shop and mine are mostly outside while roaming the garden. In the evenings we have the joy of sharing the magical moments of the day.

Often when I am working outside I have the pleasure of meeting and greeting many different people from a variety of places in America and foreign countries. Each one has new and exciting information to share. Not long ago I had the pleasure of meeting a Singing Lobster Man from Maine. www.Seasongs.com Then there was the silversmith story teller from New Mexico. www.JerryFaires.com On another occasion a lady from Sweden was overcome with tears. My garden brought back memories of her mother’s garden. I especially appreciate the visits from many guests from Canada who share information about that beautiful country. Their visits always bring back memories of the magical moments Mary and I had as we toured Canada.

Sometimes I am amazed at the generosity of guests who come bringing me plants and ornaments to display in the garden. I will never forget the first plant that was brought to me seventeen years ago. Right after we opened the shop a car drove up and out stepped a lady holding a plant she wanted to give me. Now I don’t remember her name but I remember that she was a psychiatrist who had a farm that grew herbs. I have not seen her since but each time I look at the plant I remember that magical moment spent with her discussing the medicinal value of herbs as well as the dangers of misusing them.

As I look over my little garden I see it filled with Magical Moments. One I recall was the day a man from Ohio came bringing me a wisteria plant. He said his daughters name was Wisteria. The Wisteria blooms are hanging from the tree and right below it are two other magical moments, the banana and the ruella plants. Everywhere I look I see magic in my garden. It might be a rock, buoy, fishing pole, bird house, bird feeder, shell, plant, or even a bowling ball that someone brought to place in the Old Gray House Garden. It is not the gifts to the garden that is the magic. It is joy I received from talking and sharing of life’s experiences with those who have visited me. I have no explanation why people continue to share so much with us. Could it be the magic of the Island?

Hatteras Island has always been a Magical Place for Mary and me. I will never forget the magical moment I had with my beautiful bride when I brought her from the hills of West Virginia to my home on Hatteras Island. She had never seen the ocean. As we made our journey from Nags Head to Oregon Inlet to the ferry I watched the look on her face begin to slowly change to a sense of concern. It was a windy rough day and the waves were clashing. When she saw Toby Tillet’s ferry that was to take us across Oregon Inlet the look of concern began to change to one of fear. Boarding the little ferry was a frightening experience for her. We were placed right up front with just a small chain in front of the car. Listen as she shares this Magical Moment with you in her own words.

“I will never forget my first trip to the mighty ocean and Cape Hatteras Island in 1953. This little girl from the mountains of West Virginia thought the end had come when she finally arrived at Oregon Inlet. As we waited to board the wooden ferry holding eight cars and, as I gazed across the inlet watching the waves splashing, I figured my time had come and this would be my burial at sea. At that time when you crossed the inlet you went straight across.

When we finally boarded what I called a wooden barge we were right up front with nothing between us and the wind and water except a thin chain. I knew they put something under the wheels, but I figured nothing could save me from the sea.

As the engine began to roar and we headed out I resigned myself to the fact that nothing could save me from the sea and my family in West Virginia would only have bones to put in my casket, because the flesh-eating fish and crabs of Hatteras would pick my bones clean.

The journey across the inlet was even worse than I had anticipated. With every splash of water on the windshield of our car my fears became greater and greater. I hid my eyes, afraid to look while Dewey held me close. He occasionally laughed at me as I know you may, but remember, you are used to the sea, but to a young girl who had never seen the ocean to suddenly find herself in the middle of it, on a bobbing piece of wood could be a frightening experience.

Well thanks to God, we arrived after what seemed like an eternity, to the other side.

The trip down the beach to Buxton was the greatest adventure of my life. Never had I seen such natural beauty. The tall dunes and some areas where you could see water on both sides of the road were fantastic. Vegetation like I had never seen before and birds of all descriptions. Miles and miles of nothing except things untouched by human hands, and fashioned from the finger of God. I thought this had to be my Fantasy Island. Even to this day, every time I travel the beach I still experience that same beautiful feeling I did the first time I saw our beloved Hatteras Island.”

Hatteras will always be a magical place full of moments that make life meaningful. Here you can find healing from the wounds of the world. This old world is full of turmoil and unrest but once you cross the inlet if you will force yourself to leave all that behind you can regain the magic in your life.

Magical moments on Hatteras do not require elaborate planning or huge expenditures. They can be simple little things like reading a book on the beach or just feeling an ocean breeze on your face. One of my favorite moments is in the evenings is when Mary and I grab a can of Pepsi and a bag of pretzels and head for Cape Point to just sit there chatting about nothing in particular and observing the waves and watching people enjoying themselves. It grieves me to think as time goes on we will be deprived of that opportunity as a result of those who are determined to stop access to Cape Point.

Another magical moment for me is to go to the south Beach early in the morning to walk the beach and take a morning swim as the sun is announcing a new day. There is a feeling of awe that comes over me as I stand in the water and watch the suns rays streak across the sky. Often this Magical moment is made even more fantastic as the result of a rainbow, or a group of dolphins, or birds passing by. Magical moments such as this seem to make all worldly cares seem minor and help recharge your batteries.

If you want a real magical moment, place yourself at Canadian Hole at sunset with someone you love and watch the magic in the sky. So far I have not been able to find words sufficient to describe the scene being painted in the sky. Nor have a seen any artist able to reduplicate this scene. It is something you must witness first hand to appreciate. It is Hatteras Magic. There is enough magic on Hatteras Island to fill any void you might have in your life. Magic is everywhere you turn on the Island if you only will allow it to happen in your life.

I can not thank all of you enough who have brought magic in our lives by your visits to the Old Gray House. It is our hope that we have in some way added a little magic to your life. We would love to hear about your special Hatteras Island Magical Moment that we might put it our website to share with others. If you have a magical moment or pictures you would like to share then e-mail it to us at OuterBanksShells.com

If you have any comments you can contact up at OuterBanksShells.com

OLD GRAY HOUSE POEM

While visiting the Old Gray House and walking the garden path, Johnny Baum the Hatteras Island Poet, was inspired to write this poem. We hope this magical moment that Johnny had at The Old Gray House provides you as much enjoyment as it brought us.

By Johnnie Baum

To some it's just an old house, sitting on a hill. But the things that make this old house, a library could fill.

The memories in each piece of wood, shout loudly to be heard. Another waits impatiently, while each one is stirred.

Each short path leads somewhere, you can sit and rest. To the ghosts of the Old Gray House, you are an honored guest.

This is a most peaceful place, if it's peace you seek. Where strong spirits wait, to help those who are weak.

Lifesavers and Light-keepers, men of the bay and sea. Memories and traditions, that kept us proud and free.

Each step you take, each sound you hear, and all that you feel. When you leave will follow you, and into your heart steal.

And sometimes when your world seems cold, and your life's a storm. The memories of the Old Gray House, will help to keep you warm.

The laughter of good spirits, as they watch you from the sky. Will bring joy to your heart, no matter where you lie.

Johnny Baum

Making a Presentation at the British Cemetery on Ocracoke Island

Southern Hospitality

by Michael Letso

Michael Letso an annual visitor to Hatteras Island, and the Old Gray House has encounter many magical moments that led him to express his feeling in the song he wrote entitled, "Southern Hospitality". Whenever I hear the song I think of the wonderful joys one receives by being on Hatteras Island. We thank Michael for sharing his Magical Song with us.

A couple of years ago I was facing the fact of missing my annual Fall trip to Hatteras. As the time to go approached I was hit with great yearning, knowing I'd be stuck here in New Jersey. It was then a song came to me, about all the things I love about my visits. People like Dewey and Mary Parr, and places like The Old Gray House.

Southern Hospitality
Strangers smile, wave 'hello', talk about the weather.
No big hurry. Never, no. A little get-together.

Maybe go visiting with kin.
The neighbors stop to chat again.
Always find the time to say,
"how y'all doin' today ?"

Southern Hospitality
sure do feel like home to me.
"Bless your heart, set a spell.
Thank the Lord, pray do tell."

Down the trail, through the woods.
Down the hill, to the sea.
Grandpa's tellin' stories.
Junior's sittin' on his knee

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the old gray house

By Art Dervaes

Archaeologists know that much can be told about a civilization or culture just from looking at the structures which exist, or existed, in that culture. Although it is a relatively modern "culture," Hatteras Island is no exception to this rule. Driving down Highway 12 through the present day villages on the island, one has little idea of the age of many of the houses which glide past the car windows, and no inkling at all as to what part a particular house might have played in the history of Hatteras. If only the walls could talk, what a tale they could tell. One such house is the "Old Gray House" in Buxton.

"As the family who built me settled in on the island, it wasn't too long before they began to need more space. One 'great room just wasn't going to be enough. So another part of me was built, the long part of which was perpendicular to the original room. This is the part of me that can still be seen today. It was built around 1868. This new part provided the private living space which was lacking in the original. You know, living room, parlor, bedrooms, and eventually years later even an indoor bathroom. When that was finished, the original part really became the kitchen and dining room. I remember there was a wood burning stove at the far end of the kitchen and in the center was one of those wonderful old oak wooden tables. You know the kind, the big round ones with lots of leaves for extra family and company. And the big 'ball and claw' feet. Then there was this kid who used to come here. He'd always crawl around under the oak table and rub the toes on those huge clawed feet. That kid was named Dewey Parr although most folks knew him as 'Sonny' then. And, would you believe it, he owns me now and still lives here today. He says he wanted to preserve me because a lot of his memories center around this place. That's nice.

"Anyway, the kitchen is no longer here for Dewey to play around in, though. Time and the elements took their toll on the old kitchen. It finally deteriorated so badly that it had to be pulled down. In the early part of this century, as I recall. You can still see the "V" of the gable from the old section where it has marked the tin roof of the new section. Kendrick Gray, who came to be my owner (before Dewey), made a few changes after the old kitchen fell down. He took the better pieces of wood out of the old kitchen and added the little kitchen that's there now. The foundation for it was just made out of stumps and logs. Kendrick took the shingles off a house owned by Walter Barnette that used to stand where Fox Water sports is today and used a lot of them on me. When electricity came to the island Kendrick put in a little wiring, mostly for lights. It was pretty primitive by today's standards. No switches for the lights; you had to screw the bulbs in and out to turn them on or off. The upstairs was left in its original state and never finished off with plaster and paint.

There weren't too many other houses close by for a long time. Dewey, my present owner, remembers when this was the only place on Dark Ridge, what this area used to be called before the street was put in and named Lightplant Road. Dewey's father, Dewey,Sr., was quite a house builder. He built at least three of my neighbors around here. One on the Back Road that's now owned by Loretta O'Neal's mother. Another one on the front Road (Highway 12) right across from Hollowell Gray's store where Harry Jennette lived. And a third one is on the Ridge Road and I think Dewey Parr owns it, too.

"Dewey Parr's father came to Hatteras when he was 18 years old. He was a radio-man in the Navy then and was stationed at the old wireless site in Buxton called Wallace Station. Dewey, Sr. was originally from New Orleans, Louisiana and one of a family with 12 kids. While stationed at Wallace Station, he met Melissa Gray of Buxton and in March of 1923 they were married up in Manteo. When he first got out of the Navy, he delivered ice on the island for a while. Ice trucks used to be quite common around here before electricity. You could recognize them because they were covered with a thick, heavy canvas tarpaulin and water was always spilling out of the back. Normally you could always find a bunch of kids around the truck when it stopped because they were looking for the big slivers of ice which would fly off the ice blocks as the iceman chipped them out to deliver them. Do you remember those great big metal tongs they used to carry the ice with? They looked like giant pinchers! Anyway, young Dewey used to ride around a lot with his father in the ice truck

"When young Dewey was about five years old, his family was living in the house next to Hollowell Gray's store and his father was building a house across the street at the time. Mosquitoes were a terrible problem in those days before there were ways to control them better. Folks either had to swish them off with a brush of some sort or you could make a 'mosquito smoke.' To make a mosquito smoke, you took a bucket, filled it with pine straw, and then poured a little kerosene in it. Then you put some green pine straw on top to make it smoke. When it was lit, it would smolder and create enough smoke to chase the pesky mosquitoes away. One day little Dewey was playing in the yard and got the idea to make one of these mosquito smokes. He didn't realize it, but when he poured kerosene in the bucket he soaked his overalls. Then when he struck a match to light the smoke, he and the bucket both went up in flames and Dewey was very badly burned over both of his legs. Even though the flames were quickly smothered, his burns were bad. For a time it looked like one leg even might have to be amputated. But an old doctor, named Thomas Mann, who lived in the Buxton woods wanted to try and save it.

"Well sir, they put young Dewey up in the front window to recover, and he stayed there for about a year. The doctor built a long box out of window screen to allow air to get to the burns and keep the bugs out. Every so often, he would come by to remove the scabs and flush the burns with a saline solution until they healed. And it seemed everybody in the area would come by to stop and talk to Dewey. One of the fellas from the WPA camp down in Brigand's Bay would come to see him every week and bring him a cigar box full of candies he had collected from the other guys in the camp. When it came time for Dewey to walk again, this fellow had whittled out a set of crutches for him to use. Dewey still has these in one of my closets today.

"Life takes strange turns sometimes. For young Dewey, such a turn came during World War II when his father was called back into the Navy for recruiting duty in Huntington, West Virginia. Dewey ended up marrying a West Virginia girl and made his life and career there, even after his parents returned to Hatteras. He spent many years as a 5th grade school teacher, but the would always return to Hatteras each summer because it was really the center of most of his memories. When he retired from teaching recently, he and his wife made the move back to Hatteras.

"Kendrick Gray was my owner during much of the first half of this century and he was the last Gray to live here. He and his wife, Helen (Helen Spencer of Ocracoke) lived on Hatteras all of their lives. In 1975 Kendrick sold me to Dewey who granted Kendrick lifetime rights to the old place "And now I am a gift shop and sort of a museum piece of Hatteras history. It just goes to show you that you never know what is liable to happen to you when you get older. Who knows what'll happen next - I'm excited to find out!" (To be continued next mouth - What's in store for this old house).

Scotch Bonnet Square has the most modern rental fleet on Hatteras Island. Fourteen-to twenty-one-foot boats powered by Suzuki motors. Half day and daily rates. Bait and tackle sold on premises. If you like, bring your own boat. For the more adventurous, zoom over the water at 35 mph on our Jet Ski fleet. One and two seat models available

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Business Spotlight--What's In Store for The Old Gray House: Meet Mary Parr, Owner

By Art Dervaes

Hello! My name is Mary Parr. I live in the Old Gray House and manage the Old Gray House Gift Shop. I want to share with you why I opened a consignment craft shop in the Old Gray House and what my plans are for the future. To begin, I need to explain to you why I love Hatteras Island and the people who live here. My family is originally from Huntington, West Virginia and I had never seen the ocean until after I married Dewey "Sonny" Parr, who was raised in Buxton.

Dewey's mother was Melissa Gray and the Old Gray House is his grandparents' home. They were William Hawkins Gray and Melissa Ann (Farrow) Gray.

I will never forget my first trip to the mighty ocean and Cape Hatteras Island in 1953. This little girl from the mountains of West Virginia thought the end had come when she finally arrived at Oregon Inlet. As we waited to board the wooden ferry holding eight cars and as I gazed across the inlet watching the waves splashing, I figured my time had come and this would be my burial at sea. At that time when you crossed the inlet you went straight across.

When we finally boarded what I called a wooden barge we were right up front with nothing between us and the wind and water except a thin chain. I knew they put something under the wheels, but I figured nothing could save me from the sea. As the engine began to roar and we headed out, I resigned myself to the fact nothing could save me from the sea and my family in West Virginia would only have bones to put in my casket, because the flesh-eating fish and crabs of Hatteras would pick my bones clean.

The journey across the inlet was even worse than I had anticipated. With every splash of water on the windshield of our car my fears became greater and greater. Hid my eyes, afraid to look while Dewey held me close. He occasionally laughed at me, as I know you may, but you've got to remember you are used to the sea, but to a young girl who had never seen the ocean to suddenly find her-self in the middle of it, on a bobbing piece of wood it could be a frightening experience. Well, thanks to God, we arrived after what seemed like an eternity, to the other side.

The trip down the beach to Buxton was the greatest adventure of my life. Never had I seen such natural beauty. The tall dunes and some areas where you could see water on both sides of the road were fantastic. Vegetation like I had never seen before and birds of all description, miles and miles of nothing except things untouched by human hands, and fashioned from the finger of God. Truly, I thought this had to be my Fantasy Island. Even to this day, every time I travel the beach I still experience that same beautiful feeling I did the first time I saw our beloved Hatteras Island.

My next great experience was meeting the members of the Gray family and the people of Hatteras Island. I have met friendly people before, but never like the people of Hatteras Island. Everybody was cordial, but they went beyond that. They wanted to know all about me and they let me know they accepted me and really cared about me personally. Never had I met such caring and generous people before. William Alfred Gray was a good example. He immediately wanted to leave us a piece of land to build a house on so we could live forever at Hatteras. You know, it was later that he gave the Buxton Volunteer Fire Department the land where they built the fire station. Everywhere we went people offered us so much food I began to think they surely thought West Virginia was all rocks and couldn't grow any gardens. You know, Hatteras people have always been known for their generosity.

One of the first things I did notice was the lack of places to shop for practical items or gifts. There were a few which had gifts such as Bertie Dixon's Shell Shop located where the Buxton Small Engine Repair Shop is now. Then there was Ormond's nice shop which still operates today, hma Lang had a cute gift shop between Buxton and Frisco. As I recall there was something in Frisco and Hatteras. Generally speaking, in the Buxton area the three general stores were the center of activities. There was Hollowed Gray's store along with Ike Jennette and Effe Midget's stores that supplied Buxton.

Loving gifts and giving gifts to others as I do, I decided that someday I hoped to be able to have a little gift shop on Hatteras Island. A shop where the Islanders as well as those who were visiting on the Island could acquire quality hand-crafted gifts. Little did I dream that 38 years later I would be able to fulfill my fantasy on Hatteras Island, my Fantasy Island. What gives me great pleasure is not only do I have a gift shop but I have the opportunity to preserve a part of the island history at the same time, by preserving the Old Gray House as a monument to all who love the sand and the sea. It's my genuine hope that everyone who visits my little shop will begin to become more aware of their family history and strive to preserve it. I know progress is important, but progress without preservation of the past can be detrimental to the overall development of Hatteras Island.

Let me share with you what you will see when you visit the Old Gray House. You will find quality items, many one of a kind, which can be used for gift-giving or personal use. Items such as baskets, stuffed toys and dolls, pillow cases, wood items, stained glass and many more. At the present time I have 55 crafters from 15 states. The ages of our present crafters range from eight years old to 92 years old. We have many crafters who have never displayed their work anywhere before. This is why we can say: "We offer unique pieces; many are truly one-of-a-kind, many are limited edition collectibles so sought after and enjoyed."

The fact I am a consignment craft shop means my items are constantly changing, I guess my biggest thrill in working with the Old Gray House Gift Shop is providing an opportunity for talented people to display their works of love. As you know, people who work with their hands to produce a work of art have a passion for it comparable to those who love to fish. Just as fishermen are willing to stand on the beach from early in the morning to late night to catch a fish to share with others, a true crafter will work days on end on a single item to share with another. Crafters are not motivated by money because they never receive a return comparable to the time and effort they put in producing a product. Crafters love what they do.

When people purchase a hand-crafted gift they are really acquiring a portion of the crafter's heart. True crafters put their heart and soul in their work. Grafting is really a sharing process that carries on the Hatteras Island spirit of loving to share themselves with others. It gives me great joy to let my crafters know their works of love are bringing joy to people who purchase them from all over the United States and many foreign countries.

What's in store for the Old Gray House in the future is the fulfillment of my dream. Not only will I be able to preserve the past memories of a laid-back, unspoiled Hatteras Island, but become known as a center for quality American-made hand Grafted items.

If you have any comments you can contact up at OuterBanksShells.com

The Old Gray House On The Outer Banks
Is The Stuff Of Legends...

Barbara Weibel

'Exploring the back roads of Hatteras Island in search of old homes that have weathered scores of hurricanes and provided shelter for generations of fishermen is one of the many delights of any visit to the Outer Banks. The Old Gray House, tucked into the woods just off the main road in the tiny village of Buxton, is one such structure. If only this'; Exploring the back roads of Hatteras Island in search of old homes that have weathered scores of hurricanes and provided shelter for generations of fishermen is one of the many delights of any visit to the Outer Banks. The Old Gray House, tucked into the woods just off the main road in the tiny village of Buxton, is one such structure. If only this house could talk it would tell many tales. Fortunately, the home’s current owners, Dewey and Mary Parr, are happy to speak with visitors about their homestead.

The Old Gray House takes its name from a seafaring family by the name of Gray, whose descendants have inhabited Hatteras Island since the early 1600’s, beginning with Dewey’s great grandmother, who was shipwrecked on Hatteras Island. She was on board a ship coming from Newfoundland that ran aground and, transportation being difficult in those early days, she just stayed on. Dewey’s early years were spent in Buxton, but during World War II the family relocated to Huntington, West Virginia where his father was stationed as a Navy recruiter. After the war was over Dewey remained in Huntington, where he met and married his wife, Mary, and pursued his career in education. Dewey served as teacher, principal, and central office administrator, but he and Mary returned to Buxton every year to vacation at the family’s cottage.

As they grew older, Dewey and Mary began to consider how they would spend their retirement years. Mary had always dreamed of having a little gift shop, full of hand-made items she could share with others. Dewey’s dream was to spend his days puttering around with plants, entertaining tourists, and roaming the beach in his four-wheel buggy. By this time, Dewey had already retired, however Mary could not be persuaded to stop working. For three years, Dewey secretly worked on his grandparents’ old homestead and on Valentine’s Day, 1992, gave Mary the Old Gray House Gift Shop on the condition that she would finally agree to retire.

Today the entire home is open to the public for viewing and for browsing. Much of the Old Gray House was built from the scraps found on the beach, rafters from ships, and even shipping boxes that had been discarded from ships (sailors who used to pass by Hatteras Island would toss items overboard to help those who lived on the isolated island). In the main house, Mary has filled each of the rooms with unique and locally handcrafted items. The other structures on the site are Dewey’s domain.

The old outhouse is now a library and the chicken coop is one of four buildings that offer shells from all over the world. The pathways that connect the various buildings are decorated with shells, old fishing floats, ropes, nets, chunks of coral, and an assortment of antiques. A teepee of fishing poles stand stacked and ready. Even an old bowling ball has been put to use: painted neon blue, it sits in the center of a birdbath that is tucked into an out-of-the-way corner where Spanish Moss hangs from the heavy limbs of Live Oaks.

Tourists who find their way to this slightly dilapidated, very funky shop are regaled with legends and lore about the Outer Banks and the house (ask about the ghost that inhabits the house). A visit to The Old Gray House is more than a shopping experience. It is a history lesson, a biology lesson, and a geology lesson, all willingly and delightedly provided by Dewey and Mary Parr, who make it their mission in life to preserve the folklore of the Outer Banks.

Who is Barbara Ann Weibel the Author of this Story

While surfing the Internet I recently ran across a web site entitle "The Hole in the Donut" Much to my surprise and delight there was an article and pictures about the Old Gray House. The web site owner, Barbara Ann Weibel, wrote it. Click Here to go to her web site www.holeinthedonut.com

Not only was I pleased with the article but also fascinated with the meaning of "The Hole in the Donut". I would encourage you to read the article about the Old Gray House and then take time to read about the author. When you read her story you will understand why she calls her web site the Hole In the Donut. Also take time to scroll down on the Home Page and read the many wonderful short stories about Barbara Weibel’s travels. You might also want to review her great pictures. We thank her for adding the Old Gray House as part of the filling for the Hole in the Donut.

Barbara Ann Weibel is a talented writer who is living her dream of traveling the world and sharing her adventures with others.

If you have any comments you can contact up at OuterBanksShells.com

Visitors Find their way to the old gray house published in: July of 1996 Visitors Find their way to the old gray house Rae Winnicki People laughed when Mary and Dewey Parr talked about opening a gift shop in the Old Gray House on Light Plant Road in Buxton. They said no one would find the shop, or bother to search it out, if it wasn't right on Highway 12. Mary and Dewey went ahead anyway and envisioned themselves sitting on the porch of the shop, relaxing in their retirement, and occasionally getting up to wait on a customer who happened to wander in. Much to their surprise, it hasn't been that way. Instead, the business has taken off. It has grown each year, and the Parr's are busy from morning until night throughout the season. This year is their fifth year in business, and they are every bit as enthusiastic about it now as they were in May, 1992, when they first opened the doors to the public. The Old Gray House is unique on the island. It offers affordable, hand-crafted items from a wide variety of craftspeople, prettily displayed in an historic Hatteras home. In its short life as a gift shop, the Old Gray House has already become a fixture in Buxton. Many customers (or "guests" as Mary prefers to call them) return each year to check out what is new and different and to renew acquaintances with Mary and Dewey. It is common for many Hatteras residents to have lived "off-island" for their career years and then to return in retirement or to begin a new career. So it was with the Parr's. Dewey grew up in Buxton, leaving at age 13 when his father was called back into the Navy during World War II and assigned to be a recruiter in Huntington, W.Va. There he finished school and met Mary. There they raised their two children and pursued successful careers. But Hatteras always beckoned. They returned many times to visit family or just to vacation. Both Mary and Dewey took early retirement from their successful careers by 1992. They still call Huntington home, though they spend six months of the year operating their business on Hatteras Island. Dewey was a teacher, a school principal, and then worked in the school administration offices in Huntington until his retirement. Mary worked at Marshal University in Huntington as an accountant. When she left she was director of support services. Both were active in the community. The Old Gray House was owned by Dewey's maternal grandparents, and it always held great fascination for him. It was built in the 1880's, probably using wood salvaged from shipwrecks, as many old Hatteras houses were. Over the years, it was added to and changed as the family's needs changed, and Dewey and Mary take pleasure in retelling the history of those changes to their guests. In 1975, Dewey bought the house from his uncle Kendrick Gray with the understanding that Kendrick would live in the house as long as he wished, and he did so until his death in 1988. When Dewey and Mary both decided to take early retirement it was natural that they would gravitate to Hatteras and the Old Gray House was waiting. Mary's lifelong dream was to open a gift shop. She had "played store" as a child, and she still sees herself as "playing" at this second career. It is obvious that the venture is fun for her. She makes about 25 percent of the merchandise herself during the long winter months that they spend in Huntington. Sometimes she works on projects while she is minding the store or in the evenings after the shop is closed. The first summer the Parrs had their business they "camped out" in the Old Gray House. They slept in the unfinished upstairs room and made their meals in the tiny kitchen. The success of their business called for extra display space, so now both of these rooms have been converted into show rooms. They now live in another house off Highway 12 in Buxton during the summers, though most of the time they can be found at the Old Gray House. During the winter, they also travel to visit old and new crafters and pick up items for the shop. There are several things that make this shop special, and not the least of them is Mary's friendliness and voluble conversation. She is ready to talk about her crafters, all of whom she seems to know personally, but most of all about the history of the house. If Mary's guests surrender themselves to the experience at the Old Gray House, they leave feeling they have made a friend, as well as found some treasures to keep for themselves or to take back home as special gifts. Many visitors also find new ideas for their own dabbling in crafts, for Mary is gracious with hints about "how to do it." The shop is Mary's project, and it is her vision that has made it what it is. She has herself been a craftsperson all her life. She remembers knitting sweaters for the war effort in the '40's when she was only 8 years old. She started piecing a quilt before she was 6. Through the years she tried many different kinds of projects and because of her interest, met many other crafters. A friend sold candy at craft fairs throughout West Virginia, and Mary tagged along and sold her own things and met many other crafters who now consign items to her for sale in her shop. Dewey's contribution to the Old Gray House experience is the yard and gardens. He has worked to establish native plants and an herb garden, and he invites guests to wander around and pick the herbs for their dinner if they wish. A trellis and winding paths are enlivened by his green thumb. The garden is where Dewey "plays" while Mary minds the store. One of his projects was the construction on an "outhouse" (non-functional, of course), complete with Sears Roebuck catalog that contributes to the old-fashioned look of the house and grounds. Visitors often will take pictures of this reminder of the past, and Dewey even provides certificates that they have sat on the "Seat of Learning." Dewey is steeped in the history of the island and the house and enjoys telling about both. What is one likely to find in the Old Gray House Gift Shop? Christmas decorations, many made from shells, decorated baskets and wreaths, aprons, counted cross-stitch pictures and towels, placemats and napkins, birdhouses, dolls, potholders and plastic bag holders, country wooden knick-knack shelves and knick-knacks of all kinds. There are also garden statues and birdbaths formed of concrete and finished to look like weathering metal. There is a large collection of sea shells, both local and exotic, displayed in an outdoor annex. As an example of Mary's enthusiasm for crafts and her dedication to pleasing her guests, one evening she made a prairie doll because one of her customers wanted one to match her daughter's room. A prairie doll is a soft doll made by ripping and tying fabric to form a winsome girl-doll, using scraps of material and Spanish moss for the hair. It is said that pioneer women made them for their girls on covered wagon treks when they did not have access to more sophisticated methods of doll making. They are sometimes called "church dolls" because they make no sound when dropped on the floor by a sleepy or grumpy child. One of Mary's best-selling items is an artificial Christmas tree decorated with small, mostly local sea shells and topped with a tiny starfish. Last winter Mary used 4,500 shells and 200 glue sticks to fashion these popular gifts — and sold most of them. The venture of the Old Gray House brings together Mary's life-long interest in sewing and crafting and Dewey's absorption in the history of the Old Gray House and of the island itself. They chose to preserve the house as it was, rather than to try to spruce it up and rob it of its charm. The venture has added to the pleasure of their retirement and made them many new friends and acquaintances from all over the country. It has also given Hatteras visitors and residents a great place to shop for unique, hand-crafted items while they soak up the lore of by-gone days on the Island. Photo By Irene Nolan Dewey Parr and his wife, Mary, own and operate the Old Gray House gift shop just off Highway 12 in Buxton. If you have any comments you can contact up at OuterBanksShells.com Roger a friend from WEST VIRGINIA seeks information. Our friend Roger sent us these pictures of a huge shell that he acquired at and auction that he would like to share with you. It is a pearlized Giant Green Turban shell of the Turbindinae family that has been crafted for some special purpose. When I looked at it I immediately thought that it was probably used as ceremonial piece. As you can see from the pictures a master craftsman has fashion an ornate lid on it as well as a chain for holding it. I definitely feel this was done in some foreign county for a specific purpose. In today’s market the shell itself is considered a collectors item. Roger purchased it at an auction and there was no history available concerning the shell. He states, “If anyone has more information about this shell send them my way.” Take a close look at the pictures and if you have any information about the shell we would appreciate hearing from you so we can send it on to Roger. Click Here to contact us A Pearlized Giant Green Turban Shell of the Turbindinae Family Larger image Larger image Larger image Larger image A message sent by Kevin Burgart: Hello Dewey and Mary, I posted this photo on "Wunderphotos" Taken 06/08. Sadly we were unable to make it to OBX this year so but posted photos of our many fond memories. I thought you would appreciate this. Hello again, I love this photo! Thanks for making the Old Gray House such a special place! We enjoy visiting every year. With Regard, Kevin Kevin Burgart Kevin Burgart Kevin Burgart A letter from Steve from Indianapolis, IN Hi-My wife and I enjoyed some time one afternoon in June at your shop. This was not our first visit to your shop either! We like the "real thing" and your shop was the best we found all up and down Route 12. We were looking for a large Queen Conch that had not be sanded to round the lip of the shell. Is this a rarity? Or, would you have one available? Thanks, Steve My Reply to Steve, Queen conchs have not been available for five years. If you go to the Caribbean you will see them stacked high as the Old Gray House for they are a food source for the people. The reason they have been stopped is to discourage over harvesting. In the near future I hope to have some available that have been used as a food source rather than just collected for the shell. After reading your e-mail I will try to obtain some that have not been filed in order to show people what they are like when they come out of the water. The ones you see in shops have been filed because the edges are razor sharp and irregular and shop keepers are fearful someone will get cut. Thanks for your comments about our shop. Dewey Mary and I thank Bonnie Thomas for this e-mail and the pictures they took and posted on http://www.obxconnections.com Our greatest pleasure in our retirement has been getting to meet wonderful folks like bonnie and her family. We thank all who take the time to share their Gray House experience with us. You might want to take time to visit the OBX Connection web site. They do a wonderful job letting you know about all the wonderful things about our Island. You might want to take the time to become an OBC member. http://www.obxconnections.com Dewey and Mary. I wanted to share this with you. I have been so impressed with you folks and your shops. So I decided to tell about you in the OBXC website where I can post photos. I thought you might like to see what I posted. My user name on there is "Sheller" and my daughter's user name is "Famolina". She and I came to visit you three weeks ago while we were in Ocracoke. The posted photos have been drastically reduced so as not to take up a lot of space and the quality suffers. If you would like, I can email them to you in better format. Dewey, I did read your latest story. Mary, I am so sorry it had to happen to you. But I am happy for you that you have a caring husband to lean on. That can make all the difference when dealing with the dreaded "C". Both of my sisters are cancer survivors. I have been the care-giver for my younger one. Support is very important. I wish you well and cancer free. You have been added to my prayer list. We will be back to see you both in Oct. How long do you keep the shop open in the fall? You folks take care. Click Here to view post a message on www.obxconnection.com/outer-banks-message-board/showthread.php?p=111748&posted=1#post111748. All Shell Lovers Probably a lot of you know about the "Gray House" in Hatteras. But for those of you who have not discovered it yet... this is for you. I had been there once before, so 3 weeks ago during our Ocracoke trip, I wanted to share it with my daughter, Famolina. She agreed it was well worth the time. Dewey and Mary Parr are the owners. You will not find a more gracious and welcoming pair. They make you feel like family and you know they really mean it when they say, "Please come back and see us." The old house had originally belonged to Dewey's grandparents. The Parrs retired to Hatteras after purchasing the house and opened their shell and craft shops. I say "shops" because there is a lot more than just the house. Little outbuildings and sheds hold wonderful treasures. There are paths to walk, curios to see and time stands still while you are there. They have a website, OuterBanksShells.com ,check it out and take time to read Dewey's stories about life as it used to be in Hatteras Larger Image Larger Image Larger Image Larger Image Larger Image Larger Image Larger Image Larger Image Larger Image Larger Image Bonnie Thomas Lynn writes: My husband and I were at your shop last week and thoroughly enjoyed the wonderful experience. It was fun to walk down the paths, look at all the beautiful shells, browse through the house, and learn all about your place. We just wanted to say thanks to both of you, Mary and Dewey Parr, for the welcome we received. And your website is awesome. I will cherish the lovely shell necklace. Thank you again! Lynn and Graham Austin Hickory NC Carter Writes: A friend of the Old Gray House direct us to this complimentary comment about our retirement hobby the Old Gray House. We thank Carter Hall for coming to see us and hope others do so. Carter said our shop was the Best kept secret on the Island. If you have not done so you need to check out the website where this appeared and you will find it is no secret that the Red Drum Tackle and the People who run it are the greatest. Click here   for the Red Drum Tackle Carter Hall Comments as appeared on the Red Drum Tackle Forum Best kept secret on the Island I found one of the best kept secrets on the Island today and I wanted to share it with those of you that would be interested. On the road across from Conner's, down by the Anglers Club is the Old Gray House. I've walked into a lot of gift shops when I first started coming down here with all the family and kids...walked back out of most of them too, being put off by what I call imported junk and of course pricing. I haven't been in one in years. But I happened to walk into the Old Gray House today...as the fishing hasn't been the best.... And I will go back. That is walking back in time and there are treasures there like no other place on the island. The prices are more than reasonable. That is an understatement, to say the least. But the greatest treasures are Mary and Dewey Parr that own the shop. What great people! Their wealth of information and stories about this island need to be put in a book, they are so interesting. I don't normally do something like this, but felt it was a very unique experience. I thought some of you might appreciate it too Marilyn a friend from Pearisburg, Va writes: I have just been looking into your website and wanted to tell you how much I am enjoying it. There is so much of interest to read and reminisce over. I just loved it. I read the comment one visitor had, "Who would want to live in a house like this?" My thought was, "I would!" What a quaint little place - cozy and sturdy - just the kind of house you need on the Outer Banks. And with the variety of items you have for sale there, especially the shells, I could spend a lot of time there. I hope to visit again in the spring and chat about crafts and such. And this time I will be sure to visit the Learning Center - I somehow missed it on my earlier trips. In the meantime, I'll visit your website! Thanks for my wonderful visits to the Old Gray House - both real and virtual! Marilyn Pearisburg, Va The Stovers write: It's been way to long since we've ventured to the Outer Banks. We've visited twice in the last 6-7 years. Of all my memories, the Old Gray House sticks out the most. We were having a great time, loafing and just taking it easy the beach has a way of making time go slower. On one day, we didn't have much else to do, while driving around we stumbled upon the Old Gray House. I admit, at first I didn't want to go, boy am I glad that I did. Every thing was great each room was so packed with great memories of the beach, and forgotten times. The outside was just as wonderful as the inside. Everywhere you looked, something caught your eye. We bought a puffer fish, and a few other shells and such, all priced very reasonably. We had time to sit and talk, and even found out the best time to get the "good shells". You all were so helpful and nice, we didn't want to leave. We had to come back the next year, and the memories were just as great as the first year. I can't wait to get back, to my home away from home the outer banks, and the Old Gray House, where you feel like family, and not like a stranger at all. Thanks so much for the memories, guess we'll have to come back next vacation. Thanks for making a great vacation, even better, The Stovers While surfing the Internet we ran across this web site with comments from Friends who have visited the Old Gray House. Mary and I want to thank you for your kind comments about our shop. It was pleasure to meet and greet each one of you. Hopefully you will come back and visit with us. We also thank NCBeaches.com for listing us on their great web-site. Mary and Dewey Parr Mary Dewey, can you tell us what this is? A friend sent this picture. It was posted on Web. I know it is a scallop shell, but what is the creature inside.? David and Maxine Wylie and Lou write. Dear Mary & All, We greatly enjoyed out visit to the Old Gray House last week. We are back home now in Forest City NC, but will "visit" you from time to time thru the website. It is great! Loved your place & will tell others! Wylie and Lou It was a great privilege and pleasure to meet you both on our recent visit to Buxton. I was the one that bought the Orthoceras fossil for my son (the Biology major), and then came back to the Gray House to share it’s wonderfulness with my family. I have enclosed the pictures I showed you on my 2nd visit and included a shot of sea turtle tracks on Carol Dillon’s property…the nest is now VERY PROPERLY roped off from dastardly tourists and local islanders. Please use the pictures as you see fit…if you want to name me as the photographer, I would be honored to have my name on your web site or inside Gray House…but it isn’t necessary to give me any credit. The sea bean I now carry in my pocket is a great way to remember you and your business…thank you for that. I also have a new addition to my office…found a sea brick in the surf just north of Ms Dillon’s place and I have it prominently displayed on my shelves as a very adequate bookend. Tim Rhyne Tim Rhyne     Tim Rhyne Tim Rhyne Best Regards, Tim I'm really enjoying reading about The Old Gray House, and all the lore and stories. I had to figure out what the material was in the Beach Rocks story. Thought I'd send you a link with a picture. http://geology.about.com/library/bl/images/blfulgurite.htm Hope to see the house one day. Thanks, McRae I just wanted to tell you that we have been coming to the island since 1997 you are my very favorite place to stop, and I tell everyone that I know or meet here to come see your place. You are wonderful friendly people, and you do have the best prices on the entire island, one day I hope to have the same dream as the two of you. this island has to be a slice of heaven. The Vilsack Family Pittsburg PA A friend from the Chicago area writes: Thank you for making my trip to the Hatteras Island the most memorable time of my life..........I think about you two and The Old Gray House everyday fondly. I tell everyone we accidentally found a piece of heaven when we found you. A friend from Chicago Mr. and Mrs. Parr, thank you so very much for sharing your life on the Island with us. I cannot express the feelings that your website has conjured up inside of me. As a child’s memory guides me, a vivid account of my Dad and his following troops headed off to do battle in the surf on Hatteras Island every Fall fishing season in the early 50’s. Upon their return, the local rural folks of Gibson, NC would gather to share in the treasure: flounder, Va. mullet, drum, blues and sometimes a rare striper. This became one of the highlights of the town every October and or November. I recall one old friend of my Dad placing his foot on the tail of a giant drum and scaling him with a garden hoe. He would thank my Dad and appreciate the fact that Santa came early that year. When I finally got to visit Buxton, the first thing my Dad had me do was to climb the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. Upon reaching the top, one of the most beautiful sights I’ve ever seen awaited. A storm was coming in from Diamond Shoals. The sky was pitch black with brilliant bolts of lightening striking the ocean. I’ve been enjoying my visits to the Island since the early 70’s. We would often stay at the Atlantic View Motel, owned and operated by the Gray Brothers. Ben Pate, Pinehurst, NC Your web site is GREAT!!! We enjoyed our picture-THANKS. The food at the Captains Table was really good. Thanks for helping complete a perfect vacation. We even got an apple ugly (Orange Blossom) on the way out Wed. morn. John and Lynda

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