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Hrs. Hoffman, born in 1863j was the daughter of Hary Butler and Albert Green,
a prosperous New York merchant in the late iSOO’s and one-time governor of
Nei7 Jersey. Upon the death of her maternal grandfather Alice Hoffman in
herited a substantial fortune, including a ‘]2,000-a-month trust fund, a
princely sum in those days. In 1920, while visiting in France, she met her
husband-to-be and shortly thereafter they were married. The marriage ended
in divorce two years later, however.
As a consequence of Summer visits to the Horehead City area she became in
terested in Bogue Banks and in 1917 purchased some 1500 acres on the Banks
from.John A, Royal, apparently as an investment.
About 1920, however, and after several years of traveling between her Long
Island home and Paris, she elected to reside on Bogue Banks and built the
home she occupied until her death July 15, 1953* She had been bed-ridden
for many years, the result of an injury to her hip she had suffered earlier
v/hen., while getting off a train while it v/as still moving slov/ly, her hoop
skirt was caught under the wheels of one of the cars. She passed av/ay in
her own bed in her "Home On the Sound".
The home v/as a rambling, well cared-for structure set on solid basement
walls. The basement featured a well-provisioned storm cellar, a most com
pletely stocked wine cellar and other rooms. The home was characterized
by spectacular views of Bogue Sound across a meticulously-kept series of
terraces and a long dock stretching into the Sound, On one side of her
bedroom v/as an open veranda containing a large and stately dogwood, and in
the opposite corner v/as another open veranda in the center of v/hich was a
shapely holly tree. Mrs. Hoffman loved the trees of the estate, but v/as
deathly afraid of lightning. Consequently, most of the tall cedare were
rigged v;ith lightning rods and ground v/ires. She raised milk cov/s on the
island and on the mainland v/here she also operated a large commercial dairy*
The animals v/ere transported between the island and the mainland by barge
and v/ere cared for by tx-jo South Dakota cov/boys.
Alice Hoffman v/as a benevolent and thoughtful v/oman and was much beloved by
the people v/ho worked for her. During ^'orld ^Jar II she operated her own
"USO" in her home for the benefit of troops stationed on the island. riany
of them repaid her kindnesses v/ith gifts in later years.
The house remained empty for a few years after her death and v/as finally
torn dov/n, except for the t\/o guestrooms. In the early 1960’s, v/hen the
Roosevelts, who had inherited the property, v/ere developing what is nov/ Pine
ICnoll Shores, the guestrooms were moved intact to a location near the corner
of Yaupon ana Salter Path Roads to serve as an office for the manager of the
development. In 197^ the building v/as moved to its present location on
Pine Kholl Boulevard,
The property on v/hich the house was located v/as subsequently acquired by the
H. K. Hallers, v/ho filled in most of the basement rooms, Ilov/ever, because
of their substantial construction some of the v/alls had to remain*
The house v/as an intricate part of the fabric of Bogue Banks and in retro
spect — expecially in the view of many — its razing v/as a loss to the
island.
Our thanks to the recollections of Nettie and '''^illiam Ilurrill, Mrs. Eugene
Willis, Mrs, Don Fiorini, Don Brock and George H. McNeil,
G, Eastland
FROM THE MARIiiE RESOURCii^S CEi.T-i-R; Field trips \\dll cohtinue into September,
Check v/ith Center on these. Public hearing September 7» 10 a.m. on pro
posed. changes in fishing regulations. Craft Fair September 2k and 25*
Hurricane Av/areness display remains up for our continued inspection follow
ing very successful week of films and lectures,
THE ANCIENT I-jARINERS BOMjING LEAGUE v/ill begin its Monday afternoon bowling
in early October. Interested persons who did not bowl last year and desire
to be on a team or to be alternates should contact LIB FLEMIiTG, 6-37SO or
BOB MCK:.ii;N, 6-7451. Further information will be forthcoming as the secre
tary, ED SIGALL, begins v/ork on setting up the teams.
PKS FALL TENNIS is about to begin. The tournament v/ill be similar to the
one in the sprihg, and all tennis enthusiasts of PKS v/ho want to play ought
to ring up BILL MACDONALD at 6-6727» JIM REDFI^LD, 6-2668, or ^JILLIAM I4ARTIN,
6-5656, and get on the list.
Kick-off meeting v/ill be held, rain or shine, at the tennis club house on
Friday, September 9? s-t 9 a.m.; doughnuts and coffee v/ill be served. Fol-
lovd-ng the meeting v/ill be a fun round robin.