Mid August 1937—excitement was running high on the Outer Banks. President Roosevelt was coming to Manteo for the August 18 birthday of Virginia Dare and a performance of “The Lost Colony.” Getting FDR to the Outer Banks was a logistical nightmare. There was no good water service to Manteo that …
Today, Nags Head Woods is one of the most diverse and interesting of the maritime forests that line the sound side of the Outer Banks. It is administered by the Nature Conservancy, and is one of four patches of maritime forest that have been preserved in our area. The other …
The Mighty Oyster Goes to War The oyster is a remarkable creature. Capable of filtering and cleaning up to 50 gallons of water a day, it is considered an integral part of a healthy estuarine ecosystem. It’s quite capable of growing on its own, although most of today’s oysters are …
Boat Building – An Important Piece of the Outer Banks Economy It’s no secret that the Outer Banks economy is dominated by tourism—and it’s been that way for some time. But even though tourism is the engine that drives the local economy, it is of course not the only important …
The Secret Token: Myth, Obsession and the Search for the Lost Colony of Roanoke A Book Review There is, perhaps, no mystery as enduring as the fate of The Lost Colony. Abandoned in an unfamiliar land, lacking many of the skills needed to survive, the riddle of what happened to …
In the Pirate’s Wake – The Other Tales of Blackbeard Behind every great pirate, there are stories to be told, and that is certainly the case with Blackbeard. Famous, or infamous, as he may have been, he did not reach the pinnacle of piratical legend without the help of others …
Carteret Town – A Planned Community Looking at Manteo today and seeing it as a wonderful, picturesque, small town, it’s difficult to imagine that if not for apparent incompetence and outright corruption, the town might today rival Wilmington as the major port of North Carolina. Pure speculation? Of course, but …
Colington Island – An Early History The names of the towns, villages, and areas of the Outer Banks are an interesting mix of American Indian names—Manteo, Wanchese, Kitty Hawk, and Hatteras. Some places have names from England—Nags Head. And a smattering of random names were created to satisfy the US …
4 Facts about Outer Banks History that Will Surprise You Looking around at the modern version of the Outer Banks, it can be hard to imagine that there was ever anything else here that what we currently see. But there is a history here—a very rich and wonderful history. Of …
As US 64 heads west after passing through Manns Harbor, an apparently impenetrable marsh and swamp seems to creep ever closer to the road. There are a few homes and buildings that mark East Lake, but other than that, there is almost no sign that civilization has ever encroached on …
