Annita Thomas interviews local historian Darrell Collins about Richard Etheridge

Annita Thomas interviews local historian Darrell Collins about Richard Etheridge, the Pea Island Lifesaving Station, the Pea Island Cookhouse, the Coast Guard service, shipwrecks and other stories of note.

Annita is the on-air personality of the award-winning travel radio show Travel With Annita. She shares fascinating human interest stories exploring destinations through the eyes and voices of people who call them home. Travel with Annita has been on the air for 10 years with broadcast signals in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, North Georgia and metro Atlanta. Her show is streamed online for listeners around the globe to be inspired. She also hosts the award-winning podcast, Quarter Miles Travel, exploring the United States based on the designs on the state and commemorative U.S. Mint quarters.

For 13 year Annita traveled the world with Pan American World Airways, working as a purser. Annita worked with the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the 1996 Olympics Planning Committee training volunteers in intercultural communications and awareness for the Olympic Games. She is also a Superhost with Airbnb and shares tips for starting and maintaining short term rentals. Annita has been to over 98 countries and each of the 50 U.S. states. She continues today, exploring destinations and inspiring others to get out, and have their own unique travel adventure.

Darrell Collins is a native of the North Carolina’s Outer Banks and resides in Manteo on Roanoke Island.

He worked with the National Park Service in the division of interpretation and education for over 38 years, spending the majority of his time at the Wright Brothers National Memorial, where he served as the Historian. He served with NASA in a series of educational programs promoting aviation and the Wright brothers to young children.

In 1990 he was selected as the National Park Service top Interpretative Ranger for the Freeman Tilden Award. In 1999 he was selected by the Department of the Interior to represent the National Park Service for the “Park Ranger Tour Program,” an outreach program for children in major U.S. cities. In 2003 the centennial year of the world’s first flight at Kitty Hawk, he presented the National Park Service nationally and internationally promoting the 100th Anniversary of that great milestone in human history.

Darrell ranks in the top 5 historians in the world on early aviation and the Wright brothers. He is the author on numerous articles and consulting editor for play writes and authors on early aviation and the Wright brothers AND has just co-authored a book with Doug Stover on the origins of the Wright Brothers National Memorial entitled, “Images of America, Wright Brothers National Memorial” published by Arcadia Publishing.

In 2003 the Governor awarded him the “Order of the Long Leaf Pine,” the highest civilian recognition given by the State of North Carolina for his outstanding and dedicated service to Wright Brothers National Memorial. Also in 2003, the National Aeronautic Association presented him with an International award, the Paul Tissandier Diploma for his career of service to aeronautics and the preservation aviation history. Darrell also received a Certificate of Appreciation in 2017 from the Dare County Board of Commissioners in recognition of his distinguished career with the National Park Service serving as historian and inspiring generations with the spirit of flight that was born in Dare County, North Carolina.

His Uncle Herbert Collins was the last commanding officer of the only all black Pea Island Coast Guard Station on the Outer Banks of North Carolina before it was decommissioned in 1947. His father Frank M. Collins served 10 years in the U. S. Coast Guard before he perished in Hurricane Donna that swept the Outer Banks of North Carolina in September 1960 when he was 5 years old. The family has lived on Roanoke Island on the Outer Banks of North Carolina for over 168 years. His mother Dellerva E. Collins served over 26 years as a Commissioner of the Town of Manteo. His grandfather Frank Wise’ parents where members of the Freedmens Colony that settled on Roanoke Island in 1862 during the Civil War.

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