The Secret Life of Boundary Markers At the northernmost point of Carova, against the fence that marks the southern boundary of Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge, there is a concrete obelisk with a date of 1728 along with a list of names. The marker is the first survey point of …
Edmund Ruffin was a walking contradiction. Ruffin was a wealthy Virginia plantation and slaveowner, and an outspoken and uncompromising proponent of states rights. When he learned of Lee’s surrender at Appomattox Courthouse ending the Civil War, he committed suicide rather than live under the rule of the federal government. He …
Even though the Tri-Villages of Hatteras Island, Rodanthe, Waves, and Salvo are the first towns on the road to Hatteras, in many ways they have been the most isolated over the years. They have certainly experienced change and modernization, but there is one tradition that the villages have carried over …
With modern vacation homes lining the shoreline and the beauty of near perfect vacation getaway, the Outer Banks almost seems to be a place that came into existence 30 or perhaps 40 years ago. Sure, the Wright Brothers came to what was then Kitty Hawk—now Kill Devil Hills—to fly kites …
When the Bodie Island Lighthouse was completed in 1871 there was only one stretch of the eastern US coastline that remained dark—a condition the US Lighthouse Board noted in its 1871 report. “With the completion of the light house at Body’s Island (Bodie Island) there will remain only one important …
The winter of 1877-1878 was one of the most tragic there ever was on the Outer Banks. Two ships ran aground in heavy seas—the USS Huron and the steamer Metropolis. The loss of life shocked the nation. Perhaps most tragically, the tragedies could have possibly been prevented. The Huron was …
On July 12, 1958, Louis Armstrong (Satchmo), arrived on the Outer Banks, and Ras Wescott’s Nags Head Casino was packed! By reputation, the top level dance floor held 1,000 people, and we can only imagine that there were more awaiting the performance of this legendary jazz musician. It was a …
The history of the Outer Banks is remarkable, and at times it has been tragic. No more so than activities on the sea’s edge during World War II. Since North America was discovered by European explorers, shipping has hugged the coastline, riding currents that head south before bearing east for …
People tend to take for granted the history of the communities in which they live or visit, and the Outer Banks is no exception to this observation. Most know about major local history events like the story of the Wright Brothers and The Lost Colony, but often lesser known facts …
