The following is reprinted from the Town of Southern Shores:
After a hiatus for 2015, the Southern Shores Historic Flat Top Cottage tour is back, and will be held on Saturday, April 23, 2016 from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM. Tour tickets ($5.00) will be available on the day of the tour at 156 Wax Myrtle Trail or 13 Skyline Road. The $5.00 donation covers visiting all the cottages on the tour. Proceeds will benefit the Flat Top Preservation Fund of the Outer Banks Community Foundation. This fund was established to provide maintenance funds for the flat top located at 13 Skyline Road, which was donated to the Outer Banks Community Foundation and which serves as its office.
Frank Stick, (1884-1966), beloved Outer Banks artist and developer, obtained an option on the land that is now Southern Shores, and supervised the platting of lots, the installation of roads, and the design and erection of the first flat top cottages. These now quaint architectural houses were reminiscent of the cottages he had seen in Florida, and were of cement block construction, with wide overhanging soffits, propped up shutters, and flat tar and gravel roofs.
These historic cottages that once dominated the town’s architectural landscape, will be featured in an afternoon of open houses. We are proud to offer more than ten of these gems of varying sizes, locations, styles, and finishes for a self guided open house tour. Approximately 30 examples of this original architectural style still remain as flat tops in Southern Shores. The attached photo is of the Mackey cottage, nestled on the oceanfront at 218 Ocean Blvd.
There are two headquarter cottages where tour tickets will be sold: 156 Wax Myrtle Trail (facing Porpoise Run) or 13 Skyline Road (Outer Banks Community Foundation). Maps will be available at headquarter cottages, detailing the addresses of each open house. Brief histories of the cottages will also be provided.
Red and blue balloons will mark cottages that are open on the day of the event. Parking will be available at the intersection of Wax Myrtle and Porpoise Run. From here, several cottages participating in the tour will be within walking distance of each other.
In addition to the two headquarter flat tops (Clarke Cottage and Outer Banks Community Foundation), the following cottages are on the tour: 69 Ocean Blvd (Sea Spray), 113 Ocean Blvd (Knight),120 Ocean Blvd (4 Gulls), 157 Ocean Blvd (Sea Breezes), 159 Wax Myrtle Trail (Falconer) 169 Ocean Blvd (Atlantic Breezes), 172 Ocean Blvd (Pink Perfection), 18 E. Dogwood Trail (Oh So Sandy), and 218 Ocean Blvd (Mackey).
Information is also available at the Facebook page for Southern Shores Historic Flat Top Cottages: https://www.facebook.com/Southern-Shores-Historic-Flat-Top-Cottages-421136131314749/ .
The day before the Flat Top tour, the Kill Devil Hills Historic Landmark Tour will take place on Friday, April 22nd from 1-5 PM. Information is available from the Town of Kill Devil Hills at 252-449-5318.
For additional information about the Southern Shores Flat Top Cottage Tour, please contact Sally and Steve Gudas at 804-399-8342 or [email protected].
