Welcome to Davis…

Welcome to Davis…. Outer Banks National Scenic Byway. Davis was first settled by four families in the early 1700s. Though the main occupations were a combination of farming and fishing its fame was its waterfowl legacy., Waterfowl meat was in demand in urban America and supplied by market hunters. Diminished wild stocks caused this occupation to be outlawed in 1918. This lack of available wildgame sparked the sports hunting craze developed among the elite during the 1920-30s., Davis is the easy access point to the waterfowl’s migratory path on Core Sound. This influx of hunters kept Davis residents busy as guides, boatmen, inn keepers, cooks, and decoy carvers from early November to February. Davis hunting guides were beloved and respected by the community as well as the rich and well-to-do seasonal hunters. The hunters returned year after year because of their life-long friendships not just for the sport., The famous Babe Ruth came to Davis, too. When the Babe would return to the mainland from hunting on the banks, he was always met by a flock of young boys eager to carry his guns ashore for him., Davis Ridge, an area of Davis, was one of the few black settlements in eastern Carteret County. They were successful fishermen and boat builders that enjoyed plentiful gardens supplemented with hogs and chickens. They built one of the first menhaden plants in the county. The 1933 hurricane completely destroyed their houses and they lost everything but with no loss of human life., Families resettled in North River and Beaufort., (captions) , Miss Lue Lewis Picking Crabs | Nancy Lewis Collection , > Cook at Davis fish camp | CSWM&HC Collection , Davis Ridge Hunting Lodge | CSWM&HC Collection Carteret Gun and Rod Club | Richard Gillikin Collection , Davis School is now site for Scout 252 Scout Building that serves all the communities of Down East | CSWM&HC Collection , Sterling Dixon Ferry from Davis to Core Banks | CSWM&HC Collection , The Bernice Gray of Davis, 1950s | CSWM&HC Collection , Left to right, Babe Ruth, guide Ammie Willis, and two other hunters | CSWM&HC Collection , Davis Harbor | CSWM&HC Collection, A Taste of Davis… , Wild Onions with Dodgers, Ingredients: , 3 slices of salt pork , 1.2 lb(s) of wild onions , 1 gal water , 1 – 10 qt heavy stock pot, Dodgers: , 2 cups self-rising flour , 2 tbsps shortening , salt to taste , water, Wild onions are traditional in Davis. These onions appear in the spring and are gathered along the roadside or in secret places known only to Davis natives. When you get home, clean the onions in a basin of cool water by gently rubbing them down to remove old, dry skin, cutting the roots from the bulbs. Slice the onions into desired lengths., Fry the salt pork in the pot to extract the grease. Add onions and water in the pot and simmer until tender (approx. 20 minutes)., For dodgers, combine flour, shortening and enough water to set the mixture until it holds together. Make into sausage-like rolls and place on top of boiling onions. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve with ice tea and apple dumplings for a heavenly meal., Adapted from Fran Smith’s recipe