The Outer Banks is an area rich in both history and culture. During your time on the Outer Banks, you will enjoy taking some time to discover the many unique stories of the area on your Outer Banks history adventure.
Early European settlers also play a large role in the history of the Outer Banks. Sir Walter Raleigh brought early explorers to the area in 1585 and they settled on Roanoke Island. America’s first English child, Virginia Dare, was born here in 1587. The adventures of these explorers are re-enacted each summer during The Lost Colony performance on Roanoke Island.
Wild horses are also residents of the area in both Corolla and Ocracoke. Though no one knows for sure how the horses arrived to the Outer Banks, it is believed they came to the area with early Spanish explorers. About 60 wild horses roam the 15,000 acres between the northern edge of Corolla and the Virginia State Line. There are also 30 horses in Ocracoke known as the Ocracoke Ponies that live in a 180-acre pasture maintained by the National Park Service.
Throughout the Outer Banks, there are many tales of pirates, but one of the most notorious is Pirate Blackbeard. During his career as a pirate, Blackbeard captured over 40 ships and was killed in battle at Oregon Inlet in 1718. Today, many local shops and streets are named after the legendary Blackbeard.
The Civil War plays an important role in the history of the Outer Banks. The Civil War Trail of the Outer Banks features numerous historical markers, monuments and displays that will teach you about the area’s Civil War history. The historical marker for the Battle of Chicamacomico Races, which was the battle when the Confederacy attempted to reclaim Hatteras Island from the Union, is located across from the Chicamacomico Lifesaving Station in Rodanthe. Another part of Civil War history is the Freedmen’s Colony in Manteo, which is located at the Fort Raleigh National Historic Site and was a colony set up after Union forces captured the island.
The Outer Banks is home to four major lighthouses that boast a history of flashing beacons to aid boats to shore. Though the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in Buxton is the most famous because it survived a move of over 1,600 feet away from the eroding beach in 1999, the other three Outer Banks lighthouses are also popular attractions. The Currituck Beach Lighthouse, the Bodie Island Lighthouse and the Ocracoke Island Lighthouse are also an important part of the history of the Outer Banks.
Lifesaving stations were also an important part of history. Before the United States Coast Guard was an active branch of the military, lifesaving stations were located about every 7 miles along the coastlines of the Outer Banks. The Kill Devil Hills Lifesaving Station, originally built in Kill Devil Hills in 1878 and visited by the Wright Brothers during their many trips to the area, is now located in Corolla. The Chicamacomico Lifesaving Station is located in Rodanthe and is one of the original seven lifesaving stations built on the Outer Banks. This station was an active station for more than 70 years and currently acts as a museum of lifesaving equipment and artifacts.
The Wright Brothers National Memorial is perhaps one of the most famous attractions located on the Outer Banks. On December 17, 1903, Orville and Wilbur Wright stayed in the air for 59 seconds and traveled more than 852 feet with their homemade flying machine. The Wright Brothers are known for this amazing feat of the first powered airplane flight into the sky. The Memorial was built in 1932 and is still standing today, though is now accompanied by a visitor center, gift shop and museum.
A reminder of historical conflict can be seen by visiting the British Cemetery in Ocracoke. This memorial cemetery was created for the crew of the British vessel HMS Bedfordshire. On May 11, 1942, a German submarine torpedoed and sank this 170-foot British ship that had four officers and 33 enlisted soldiers on board. All men on board the ship drowned, and a few days later four of the bodies were found on shore by local U.S. Coast Guard officers. Ocracoke residents buried the soldiers in a small section of land next to the Island’s cemetery and hold a ceremony there each year on the anniversary of the deaths of these British soldiers.
The Outer Banks is referred to as the 'Graveyard of the Atlantic' because of the more than 100 shipwrecks noted throughout history. Many of the shipwrecks are on the ocean floor and only visible by scuba divers, but others are either onshore or in other land locations. The 1921 Shipwreck of the Schooner Laura A. Barnes is located on Coquina Beach, where it was placed for public display. The 1933 Shipwreck of the Schooner G.A. Kohler can be viewed at the edge of the surf at low tide at 4WD beach access Ramp #27 (between Avon and Salvo.) Located in Hatteras Village, you will find the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum, which was created to preserve the maritime history and shipwrecks of the Outer Banks. The time periods from 1524 to 1945 are displayed in the museum, which has a unique design with an entrance modeled after the timbers of the many shipwrecks that have occurred along the shores of the Outer Banks.
As you can see, no matter what your interests in the history of the Outer Banks, you are sure to find something about the Outer Banks history that will intrigue you. What are you waiting for – come learn more about the history of the Outer Banks!
    
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