The Pea Island Preservation Society, Inc. (PIPSI) is a nonprofit organization based in Manteo, North Carolina, dedicated to preserving and interpreting the history of the Pea Island Lifesaving Station, its legendary Keeper Richard Etheridge, and the African American heritage of Roanoke Island. Our work ensures that the courage, service, and legacy of these men—and the community that shaped them—remain visible and valued for generations to come.

Through partnerships with the Town of Manteo, the East Carolina Pathways to Freedom Coalition, and numerous local and regional organizations, PIPSI has helped bring to life one of the most important African American maritime stories in the United States.

The Cookhouse Museum

One of the Society’s earliest and most significant achievements was the preservation of the original cookhouse from the Pea Island Lifesaving Station. With support from Dominion Power, Charter Communications, local law enforcement, and a private donor, the building was moved from Rodanthe to Collins Park in Manteo in 2006. After restoration, it opened in 2008 as the Pea Island Cookhouse Museum, honoring the lifesavers who served from 1880 to 1947.

The Richard Etheridge Statue

Through grants from the North Carolina Department of Transportation, PIPSI commissioned sculptor Steven Smith to create a life-sized bronze statue of Keeper Richard Etheridge. Installed in the roundabout at Collins Park, the statue stands as a powerful tribute to Etheridge’s leadership and legacy.

The Herbert M. Collins Boathouse

In 2010, the Society dedicated the Herbert M. Collins Boathouse, named for Lieutenant Herbert M. Collins—the last surfman to serve at Pea Island before its decommissioning in 1947. The project was made possible through a gift from the Collins family and a matching grant from the Dare County Tourism Bureau. The boathouse houses a restored early-1900s Monomoy surfboat, on loan from the National Park Service, representing the type used by Collins and generations of African American lifesavers.

Looking Ahead

PIPSI continues to work with the Town of Manteo and nonprofit partners to secure funding for a replica of the Pea Island station’s living quarters. This future structure will be surrounded by the Dellerva Collins Memorial Gardens, honoring one of Manteo’s most beloved civic leaders. Dellerva Collins—longtime Town Commissioner, Mayor Pro-Tem, founding member of the Freedmen’s Colony Coalition, and descendant of Pea Island lifesavers—championed this project throughout her life.

A second planned building will serve as a living history site, offering cultural heritage programs designed to help young people connect with the rich African American history of Roanoke Island and the Outer Banks.