From Swan Quarter Volunteer Fire Department

In mid-2018, the Swan Quarter Volunteer Fire Department started raising funds to build a permanent display for the old cast iron bell that hung outside the Hyde County Courthouse in the 1920s. With the help of generous donations and numerous fund-raising events, the Hyde County Courthouse Bell Project will soon become a reality, with construction scheduled during June 2019.

Hyde County native Ben Cahoon of Cahoon and Kasten Architects, of Nags Head, provided the drawings and specifications for the project, which includes a small landscaped park with park benches. The park will be located directly in front of the Hyde County Government Center and will encompass the current flagpoles.

The brick and metal display will be centered in the park and is designed to blend in with the new Government Center, which was built in 2007. The old Hyde County Courthouse, where the bell was once used, is adjacent to this area.

The park area will be dedicated to past and present Hyde County Watermen. The bell display itself will be dedicated to the “People of Hyde County.” Dedication plans will be made public as soon as they are known.

In the meanwhile, project committee members are seeking Hyde County memorabilia to be placed in a time capsule in the bell display for future generations to open. All appropriate items will be considered, but there is a space limit.

SQVFD Fire Chief Jeffrey Stotesberry has put out a call for appropriate items saying, “Due to the size of the time capsule, sizes of items may be limited but we will include as many things as we can. Photos, newspapers, letters, currency, and videos are just some of the things that come to mind that would let future generations learn about Hyde County in the 21st Century.”

Anyone who would like to contribute an item for the time capsule should contact committee member Clare Baum at 252-926-2261 or by email at c.baum@earthlink.net no later than June 21.