06/30/2023
Happy Independence Day from your friends at Midgett Realty! The 4th of July in Hatteras is one where we islanders celebrate our freedom with friends and family at the beach or out on the boat, eating hot dogs, playing in the sun, and watching fireworks burst across the nighttime sky. It is also a day that is special to the Midgett Realty Family as it was the birthday of one of our beloved and vibrant co-founders, Stockton “Stocky” Midgett, who this year, would have celebrated his 95th birthday.
Celebrate The 4th of July in Hatteras
As a young man, Stocky and his two older brothers, Anderson, and Harold, were introduced to hospitality at an early age. Their father, T. Stockton Midgett, saw a gap in transportation as the island at that time was without any paved roads or bridges, so in 1938 he began the Manteo-Hatteras Bus Line that ran from Manteo down to Hatteras Village. Tragically, he died of a heart attack two months later, leaving his three young sons to continue on with his vision using only a Ford station wagon. Successfully growing the business to the point where it was necessary to switch to larger buses, they ran the Manteo-Hatteras Bus Line for the next 35 years.
As infrastructure came to Hatteras Island with the paving of Highway 12 and the completion of the Herbert C. Bonner Bridge in 1963, so ended the need for the bus line, but by then, the young entrepreneurs had already branched off into several other business ventures, including what would soon become well established as their greatest. Here, Stocky and Anderson would continue their love of sharing our seashore with the world, which would become their legacy, internationally known as Midgett Realty.
Born on such a festive holiday, Stocky loved to celebrate his birthday, often with huge outdoor parties at one of the family businesses, Teach’s Lair Marina, with his brother Anderson right by his side. This year, wherever and however you choose to ring in the 4th, we hope you’ll channel your love for Hatteras Island with smiles and fond memories of your time at Stocky’s favorite place, the seashore! We sure can’t wait to see you again soon!
