The photo on the right is my grandfather, Daniel Ray Leary (1894-1956) of Currituck, standing on the monument he hauled to the site of the first flight to mark the 25th Anniversary in 1928.  I was told about this move by my uncle Milton Leary who was age 8 and with Dan in 1928.  The truck was a 1926/27 REO Speed Wagon heavy duty truck Dan used for hauling salted barrels of fish up north as well as barrels of potatoes from the farm in Jarvisburg. Dan hauled fish and mail from Caffey’s Inlet to the Currituck courthouse by barge, then drove the fish to Norfolk or further north to sell.  The story I’m told was the granite stone, quarried near Pilot Mountain, broke the axels on the truck originally hired when it was loaded off the train near Sligo.  Folks knew Dan had a stout truck so he was asked to haul the monument and he agreed. They crossed on the ferry (picture on left) which was owned & operated by Thomas Azariah Baum** who ran from Point Harbor to Kitty Hawk.   They laid boards to run the truck over the sand areas to reach the site. Milton helped move the boards, a slow process for sure. You can see the boards in the picture of the truck on the ferry.

**Capt. Thomas A. Baum, 61, prominent citizen and civic leader died suddenly in his home at Manteo shortly before noon Sunday, December 23. He was a native of Nags Head and had lived here for 18 years upon his return from Norfolk where he lived many years, leaving the position of Superintendent of the Chesapeake ferries. Capt. Baum established the first ferry service connecting Roanoke Island with the outside world in June 1926 and his tireless work was largely responsible in creating a demand for bridges which later replaced his ferries. When bridges were built, he established a ferry service across Croatan Sound and Alligator River, and for 3 years these ferries have operated free under contract with the State. Capt. Baum was a member of the Manteo Methodist Church, the Rotary Club, and the Dare County Draft Board. He was one of the county's most highly esteemed citizens and a liberal supporter of all causes for community betterment. He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Annie Melson Baum; one daughter, Mrs. Clarence L. Frank of Chicago; two sisters: Mrs. H.J. Liverman of Norfolk and Mrs. R.R. Darden of Miami, Fla.; four brothers: J.E. Baum and I.N. Baum of Kitty Hawk, L.M. Baum of Norfolk and Albert Baum of Philadelphia.  (Source: Dare County Times - Friday, December 28, 1945; pg. 1)

Photo credit: Susan Cook © 2019