Ray Couch Photographs, AV.5131

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Ray Couch Photographs, AV.5131

Abstract

Ray Couch was a retired Lieutenant Colonel of the U.S. Army and photographer living in Buxton, North Carolina, from the 1960s to the 1990s. The Ray Couch Photographs, 1955-1990 and undated, comprise prints, negatives, contact sheets, and color slides documenting the Outer Banks and other topics during this time period, with a particular focus on Hatteras Island subjects and sportfishing.

Descriptive Summary

Title
Ray Couch Photographs
Call Number
AV.5131
Creator
Couch, Raymond Benson, 1912-1995
Date
1955-1990 and undated
Extent
5.800 cubic feet
Language
English
Repository
Outer Banks History Center

Series Quick Links

Restrictions on Access & Use

Access Restrictions

Available for research.

Use Restrictions

Copyright is retained by the authors of these materials, or their descendants, as stipulated by the United States copyright law (Title 17 US Code). Individual researchers are responsible for using these materials in conformance with copyright law as well as any donor restrictions accompanying these materials.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], AV.5131, Ray Couch Photographs, Outer Banks History Center, Manteo, NC, U.S.A.

Collection Overview

The Ray Couch Photographs, 1955-1990 and undated, consist of photographs in various formats taken by Ray Couch. The images primarily focus on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, with a special focus on fishing. The collection includes black and white prints, contact sheets, negatives, and color slides. Much of Couch's photography focused on subjects on Hatteras Island, where he lived, including the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, Cape Hatteras National Seashore, and local buildings, people, and scenes. However, Couch also traveled to other areas to take photographs, including other towns and villages along the Outer Banks and several international destinations. Couch was also interested in local flora and photographed numerous flowers, grasses, trees, and other plants in the Outer Banks region. The prints and contact sheets in the collection are undated but appear to date from roughly the 1970s to 1980s.

Arrangement Note

The collection is arranged into four series: Prints, circa 1970s-1980s; Cape Hatteras Lighthouse Color Plates & Negatives, circa 1970s-1980s; Contact Sheets, circa 1970s-1980s; and Slides, 1955-1990 and undated. Slides are arranged alphabetically by folder title, then chronologically within each folder with undated slides at the end of the folder.

Biographical/Historical

Raymond Benson Couch was born 12 September 1912 in Durham, North Carolina. He was the son of William Carlton Couch (1866-1949) and Alie A. Jones Couch (1878-1972). He attended Duke University and majored in engineering but left at age 24 to pursue a career in music, touring with the Johnnie Long Orchestra. In 1940, he enlisted in the army, where he would serve for 24 years, achieving the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He served in World War II and the Korean War, working as a demolitions and airstrip construction expert and instructor in addition to serving in combat. He was awarded the Bronze Star for meritorious achievement in the South Pacific in 1945.

In 1964, Couch retired from the Army and moved to Buxton, North Carolina. He operated the Red Drum shopping center, which included a tackle shop, service station, auto parts store, and food mart. He was also an avid photographer, working under the direction of Dare County Tourist Bureau photographer Aycock Brown to capture images of the Outer Banks region, with a particular focus on sportfishing, in order to promote tourism to the area. He also helped establish the Outer Banks Preservation Association. He passed away 30 September 1995 after a long illness. He was survived by his wife, Juanita Stewart Couch, as well as three sons: Raymond Stewart Couch, John B. Couch, and Daniel C. Couch.

Contents of the Collection

1. Prints, circa 1970s-1980s

Fishing, circa 1970s-1980s

Blues
Image Box 1
Blues
Image Box 1
Bluefish
Image Box 1
Bluefish
Image Box 1
Blues
Image Box 1
Blues
Image Box 1
Blues
Image Box 2
Blues
Image Box 2
Blues
Image Box 2
Blues
Image Box 2
Blues
Image Box 3
Drum
Image Box 3
Drum
Image Box 3
Drum
Image Box 3
Drum
Image Box 4
Drum
Image Box 4
Drum
Image Box 4
Drum
Image Box 4
Drum
Image Box 4
Albacore
Image Box 4
Billfish
Image Box 5
Cobia
Image Box 5
Commercial Fishing
Image Box 5
Flounder
Image Box 5
General
Image Box 5
Gray Trout
Image Box 6
Gray Trout
Image Box 6
Mackerel (also Wahoo)
Image Box 6
Mackerel (also Wahoo)
Image Box 6
Pan
Image Box 6
Pompano [Jack]
Image Box 7
Records (fishing)
Image Box 7
Roland Martin
Image Box 7
Sharks
Image Box 7
Speckled Trout
Image Box 7
Stripers
Image Box 7
Surf Fishing
Image Box 7
Tournaments
Image Box 8
Tournaments
Image Box 8
Tournaments
Image Box 8
Tarpon
Image Box 8

General Subjects, circa 1970s-1980s

Alligators
Image Box 9
Baton Twirlers
Image Box 9
Beach Scenes
Image Box 9
Boats
Image Box 9
Cape Hatteras School
Image Box 9
Cape Hatteras Lighthouse
Image Box 9
Cape Hatteras Lighthouse
Image Box 9
Cape Hatteras Lighthouse Replenishment
Image Box 9
Driftwood
Image Box 10
Hatteras Island
Image Box 10
Miscellaneous
Image Box 10
Miscellaneous Buildings
Image Box 10
Miscellaneous Organizations, Presentations, Awards
Image Box 10
Miscellaneous People
Image Box 10
Oddities (including fish)
Image Box 11
Outer Banks Preservation Association
Image Box 11
Ray Couch
Image Box 11
Storms
Image Box 11
Sunken Trucks
Image Box 11
Trees & Flowers
Image Box 11
United States Coast Guard
Image Box 11
Weddings
Image Box 11

2. Cape Hatteras Lighthouse Color Plates & Negatives, circa 1970s-1980s

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse Color Plates & Negatives, circa 1970s-1980s
Image Box 12

3. Contact Sheets, circa 1970s-1980s

Contact Sheets-Aycock Brown Day
Image Box 13
Contact Sheets-NPS/Dogs/Garden Club/Surfing/Monitor
Image Box 13
Contact Sheets-USCG/Tournaments
Image Box 13
Contact Sheets
Image Box 13
Contact Sheets
Image Box 13
Contact Sheets
Image Box 13

4. Slides, 1955-1990 and undated

Aerials, 1978
Image Box 14
Animals, 1967-1976 and undated
Image Box 14
Beach Scenes, 1968-1981 and undated
Image Box 14
Birds, 1973-1980 and undated
Image Box 14
Boats, 1960s-1979 and undated
Image Box 14
Buildings, 1960-1979 and undated
Image Box 14
Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, 1963-1981 and undated
Image Box 14
Cape Hatteras National Seashore, 1956-1980 and undated
Image Box 14
Driftwood, 1974-1980 and undated
Image Box 14
Events, 1970-1980 and undated
Image Box 14
Fishing, 1973-1981 and undated
Image Box 14
Hatteras Island, 1955-1981 and undated
Image Box 14
Houses, 1960-1981 and undated

Scope and Content:

Includes a color image of the flying saucer-style Futuro house in Buxton taken shortly after being built in 1973.

Image Box 14
Kill Devil Hills, 1964-1976 and undated
Image Box 15
Lighthouses, 1955-1976
Image Box 15
Nags Head, 1958-1977
Image Box 15
National Park Service/UMS Slide Presentation, undated
Image Box 15
Ocracoke, 1958-1978 and undated
Image Box 15
Oregon Inlet, 1956-1967
Image Box 15
Personal, 1960-1980 and undated
Image Box 15
Plants, 1973-1981 and undated
Image Box 15
Shipwrecks, 1950s-1980 and undated
Image Box 15
Storms, 1958-1981 and undated
Image Box 15
Surfing, 1973-1978 and undated
Image Box 15
Travel: Germany, November 1959
Image Box 16
Travel: Chateaux Sur le Loire, 1959-1960
Image Box 16
Travel: Le Mans, July 1960
Image Box 16
Travel: De Brava, July-August 1960
Image Box 16
Travel: Bremerhaven to New York, October 1961
Image Box 16
Travel: Virginia and North Carolina, 1962, 1973
Image Box 16
Travel: General, 1966-1990 and undated
Image Box 16
Travel: London, undated
Image Box 16
Other Slides, 1965-1986 and undated
Image Box 16

Subject Headings

  • Cape Hatteras Lighthouse (N.C.)
  • Fishing--North Carolina--Outer Banks
  • Tournament fishing--North Carolina--Outer Banks
  • Hatteras Island (N.C.)--History--20th century
  • Outer Banks (N.C.)--Description and travel

    • Acquisitions Information

    Donated by Danny Couch, September 1998 and November 2013.

    Processing Information

  • Processed by Samantha Crisp, November 2019.