On the site of the former 1901 Island Inn, Ocracoke village's Island Inn & Commons site is becoming a cherished village attraction. The site includes hundreds of recently planted plants and trees (including more than 20 types of native Ocracoke species), gardens, benches, a pergola, open space, paths and new restrooms in a park-like community gathering space. Restoration work on the 1901 building, which will become a visitors center, is ongoing. The two-story Island Inn was originally a lodge for the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, with Ocracoke's K-12 school operating on the first floor until 1917. The building later became one of the island's first hotels, Silver Lake Inn, and doubled as a dance hall. The site was a popular hotel and restaurant until the 2000s. Ocracoke Preservation Society (OPS) purchased it in 2018 with the help of Ocracoke Occupancy Tax Board and Ocracoke's Tourism Development Authority. OPS and community members are bringing the entire site back to life as the Ocracoke Island Visitors Center, event space and community gathering spot. If you're riding the Ocracoke Tram, you'll find the commons at Tram Stop #2 on the corner of Lighthouse Road and Irvin Garrish Highway.
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