Island's oldest realty company makes a move

A new campus has emerged in the heart of Hatteras village.

Renovating a 1942 building, sprucing up two others and moving a fourth, Midgett Realty has created an operations campus.

The campus showcases history with a renewed vibrancy.

Over a month ago, Midgett Realty shut down its sales, rental and corporate office operations and spread its staff into a renovated building to continue providing services to its rental and sales clients. The shut-down lasted two hours.

In preparation, Midgett Realty's construction staff renovated the 1942 Old Station building, including raising the floor level to meet flood plain requirements. That building now houses offices and the firm's technology equipment and, in the future, an in-house laundry for the company's rental operations.

Behind the new Old Station is a garage building. During the aftermath of Hurricane Isabel this facility was used as a shopping center by Hatteras residents. The building was chocked full of donated cleaning supplies, pet food and all the other items sent to help Hatteras villagers. This metal building with its new coat of paint matching others will continue to be used as a storage and garage.

Next to the garage, a two-story brick building has been completely refurbished and holds offices now, but plans call ultimately for the top floor to be used for employee housing.

The final structure for the new campus was moved into place on July 19 when Expert House Movers stopped traffic and provided visitors a new experience. Down N.C. 12 came a two-story building with a tower. The building now resets on new pilings and completes the realty company's operations campus.

Visually, the campus is held together by color and history and live oak trees.

In moving the 40 by 72 foot building, Expert House Movers saved live oak trees. Large canvas straps pulled the trees back to let the building slide into place.

Other live oak trees hold graceful arms over a family cemetery. Before Midgett Realty created its campus that cemetery was inaccessible, held in place by a wall of asphalt.

Now, the old cemetery is surrounded by a picket fence and held in place by an interlocking block wall gracefully curving in front of the campus.

Roses are blossoming and English ivy is beginning to take root.

The cemetery holds eight Gaskins family gravesites marked with various styles of headstones, all noting lives that began in the 1800's. Two graves are for children.

The gravestone for Dewey, son of William and Henrietta Gaskins, carries the phrase "Budded on earth to bloom in heaven." Dewey was born May 27, 1898 and died September 29, 1911 .

Daisy W. Gaskins died on July 19, 1895 at the age of 4 years, 9 months and 29 days. Her gravestone speaks: "Too bright for earth, the angels came and bore our child away. But when the Lord shall claim His own, we'll join her in that day."

Midgett Realty is one of Hatteras Island 's oldest family-owned businesses. Brothers Stockton and Anderson Midgett gained their real estate licenses in 1962 and started the firm. The third generation of Midgett family members is now a part of the family business.