The Hatteras Island Weather Bureau Station was built in 1901 was one of eleven stations built around the country. The station is one of only three remaining nation wide and the only one restored to its original 1901 condition. The Army Signal Service operated the first US Weather Bureau Station from the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse Keeper’s Quarters in 1874, in 1880 it was moved to the Hatteras Life Saving Station and then to a private residence in 1883. In 1891 the United States Weather Bureau was established and in 1901 the station was built at its present location in Hatteras Village. The station was equipped with telegraph communication to the District Forecast Center in Washington D.C. and was manned by an observer and a maintenance man. Besides hourly checks of the weather, the station also received information from lifesaving stations, issued coastal forecasts and storm warnings. On April 15, 1912 the Hatteras Weather Station received the SOS from the Titanic. During restoration two of the artifacts that were found under the floorboard were a 1914 telegraph dispatch detailing the Hatteras weather condition and a Hatteras Weather Bureau Logbook dated 1901-1911 that detailed supplies, equipment orders, weather conditions and personal. The Weather Bureau operated this station from 1902 till 1946. In 2005 the complete renovation was finished and it now operates as the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau and Welcome Center. |
