Currituck County is one of the oldest regions in North Carolina, and as a result, the region has a deep and multi-layered history that revolves around pirates, Indians, and the Outer Banks' first tourists.

Spanning nearly 350 years, visitors will find a wealth of stories and American history in both the small but distinguished mainland, and the barrier island beach communities

Facts

Here's a quick overview of the notable and not-so-commonly known facts about history-rich Currituck County.

  • The name "Currituck" originated from an Indian word which meant "Land of the wild goose."
  • Currituck was essentially settled a quick 50 years after the famed Jamestown colony, by settlers who trickled down from Virginia.
  • The region has always been prized for its oysters. As early as the late 17th century, visitors and colonists noted that the local oysters were among the biggest and fattest they had ever seen.
  • In 1663, settler John Harvey received 600 acres as a grant. Five years later, a huge tract of land known simply as "Carolina" was granted to eight men, known as the Lords Proprietors, who set up a government and divided this main county, Albemarle, into 4 precincts - Pasquotank, Perquimans, Chowan, and Currituck.
  • After settlement, Currituck became prime farming territory, and the estates were huge. The average farm size ranged from 100-250 acres by the 1730s.
  • Pig farming was one of the earliest and most popular types of farms in the mainland region, and the county is still known for pig farming today.
  • The early 1700s also marked the establishment of an active port at the "New" Currituck Inlet in present-day Moyock. This seaport attracted tradesmen and shipping companies, but it also attracted a few notorious pirates, including Blackbeard himself, who was a rumored friend of the collector of the Currituck Customs House.
  • Currituck was surprisingly active during the Revolutionary War. Locals provided supplies to area soldiers, and the Currituck and Camden troops helped General Skinner and Cornwallis throughout the war.
  • The Old Currituck Jail and Historic Courthouse, both constructed in the 1700s, are two of the oldest buildings in Currituck County and coastal North Carolina.
  • The 19th century was relatively quiet, and by the late 1800s, Currituck had developed a reputation as a rustic sportsmen's paradise. Wealthy New England and New York residents would shuttle down to the mainland and the barrier island communities to go duck hunting and fishing.
  • After the paving and establishment of NC Highway 12 in the latter half of the 20th century, which connected Corolla with the rest of the Outer Banks, development boomed. Thousands of vacation rental homes, shops, and businesses were subsequently built in the 1980s and 1990s.
  • Today, Currituck County welcomes hundreds of thousands of visitors to its beaches, although its historic relics, including the Whalehead in Historic Corolla, Currituck Beach Lighthouse, and historic county courthouse and jailhouse, remain some of the county's top attractions.

Events

Tracing Currituck County's history is a lengthy process, but the following timeline covers a good chunk of the region's most significant and landscape-changing events.

  • Pre-1500s - Currituck County serves as the comfortable home for the Chowanog, Yeopin, and Poteskyte Native Americans who enjoy an abundance of fresh fish, oysters, and fertile farm lands.
  • 1566 - Spanish explorers land on the Currituck County beaches, and the region is noted by European Explorers for the first time.
  • 1607 - The Jamestown, Virginia Colony is settled
  • 1663 - John Harvey receives 600 acres as a land grant in what is now Currituck County
  • 1665- Peter Carteret receives a land grant in present-day Powells Point, and builds a home in the new colony
  • 1668 - Currituck officially becomes an incorporated county after the 8 Lords Proprietors divide the Albemarle tract into four distinct regions
  • Early 1700s - Currituck County's original Courthouse is constructed.
  • 1775 - The Battle of Great Bridge- a 30 minute skirmish with the British - occurs in Currituck County.
  • 1776 - The Colonial Legislature grants permission to build the historic Currituck Jail.
  • 1842 - A new county courthouse is constructed, which replaces the early 1700s structure, but which currently serves as the home of Currituck's governmental administrative offices.
  • 1859 - The Albemarle Chesapeake Waterway opens, providing a vital passage for mariners traveling from Maine to Florida. The waterway is known today as The Intracoastal Waterway.
  • 1873 - Construction on a lighthouse, the Currituck Beach Light, begins in the northern barrier Island region of Currituck.
  • 1875 - The Currituck Beach Light is turned on for the first time, providing a guiding beacon for mariners passing by off the coastline.
  • Late 1800s to early 1900s - Currituck begins garnering attention as a rustic but premier destination for hunters and fishermen. Locals begin small guide service businesses, while wealthy visitors start building hunt clubs and retreats in the area.
  • 1925 - The Knights construct the famous Whalehead in Historic Corolla in Corolla at the cost of $400,000
  • 1960s-1990s - NC Highway 12 is constructed and paved, providing an easy route to the northern Outer Banks. Development booms in the Currituck Beaches.
  • 1992 - Currituck County purchases the Whalehead in Historic Corolla and 28.5 acres of surrounding land to secure the historic structure's future as a local attraction
  • 2000s and beyond - Currituck County remains one of the most visited counties in the state of North Carolina, thanks to its abundance of vacation homes, shops, restaurants, and attractions.

Sites

There are a number of historic sites to explore in Currituck County, both on and off the beach. Be sure that these local attractions are on your list of "must-see" destinations while visiting the region.

The Whalehead in Historic Corolla - Built in 1925 by Edward C. and Marie Louise Knight as a private residence, the historic Whalehead in Historic Corolla is effectively one of the first opulent vacation homes in Currituck County. Today, visitors can tour the 21,000' square foot structure, which is renowned for its authentic and striking art deco architecture.

The Currituck Beach Lighthouse and Keepers House - Constructed in 1873 and completed by 1875, the Currituck Beach Lighthouse is one of the oldest lighthouses along the Outer Banks and can be seasonally climbed for a small fee. The adjacent and original Lighthouse Keepers cottage now serves as a small museum and gift shop, and features original lighthouse artifacts.

Old Currituck Jail and Historic Courthouse - These two historic mainland sites, both constructed in the 1700s, are two of the oldest buildings in the state. Restoration plans are in the works to renovate the aging structures, however visitors can still admire these sites, (which are both found in the town of Currituck), while work is in progress.

Corolla Schoolhouse - Built somewhere between 1890 and 1905, this small one-room schoolhouse operated until 1958 for Currituck County beach residents. The building was restored in 1999 when it was turned into a museum focused on the wild horses of the Currituck Outer Banks.

Corolla Chapel - The 1885 Corolla Chapel, located on 1135 Old Corolla Village Road, is one of the oldest churches along the northern Outer Banks. Recently restored, the Corolla Chapel still holds regular inter-denominational services on Sundays.

 

Island Smoothie Cafe

Island Smoothie Cafe

At Island Smoothie, we have created a menu and atmosphere that is designed to be as unique as the northern shores of the Outer Banks. Our creations utilize fresh local produce when possible. There is nothing better than local NC strawberries, blackberries or blueberries. Make sure to try our Carolina peaches. From our amazing acai bowls and smoothies to our signature sandwiches and wraps you simply won’t find anything like Island Smoothie.

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Back Country Safari Tours

Back Country Safari Tours

Discover wild Spanish Mustangs and our unique Barrier Island ecology on the Wild Horse Safari. Explore over 30 miles of "off road" beach, dune and sand trail and ride with a professional naturalist guide in a custom 4x4 open-air Safari Cruiser, or experience the Beach Cruiser and Kayak Safari combination tour to paddle in the placid waterways of the wildlife rich Currituck Sound. The Outer Banks Leader in off road Eco-Adventures! Where the Road  Ends....The Adventure Begins.

Brew Thru

Brew Thru

No trip to the Outer Banks is complete without cruising through Brew Thru, the Outer Banks’ original drive thru convenience store. Whether you’re looking for a refreshing cold beverage of Coke, Pepsi and other soft drinks on the go, stocking up your cooler with refreshments to enjoy at the beach or piling up on beer and wine for a party, Brew Thru is a fun and unique experience all vacationers need to see for themselves.

Drive-Through Beer & Gear

Brew Thru is Your One-Stop Shop at the Beach

The year was 1977, and Dana and Becky Lawrentz were chatting with friends over brews in their hometown of Akron, Ohio. They got to talking about a gas station convenience store in the area that had built a makeshift drive-through. Everyone agreed it would be pretty great if you could actually drive through a convenience store and pick up everything you needed without getting out of the car. But what would you call a place like that?

Well, you’d call it a Brew Thru.

It was an idea they couldn’t shake, so the Lawrentzes moved to the Outer Banks and built the first Brew Thru with the help of a partner. The idea was that people could come buy everything they would need for their trip to the beach—beer, wine, soft drinks, snacks, ice—without getting out of the car. That same year, a t-shirt salesman visiting the store and talked them into adding t-shirts to their product line—and 44 years later there are now more than five million Brew Thru t-shirts out in the wild.

The Lawrentzes’ daughter Brandy and her husband Philip Foreman purchased the business from them in 2002, and they now operate five locations across the Outer Banks.“We love being the one-stop shop for folks on the way to their beach house,” Foreman says. “Our car tenders are the friendliest people at the beach. We’re here to greet you, get you everything you need for your trip, load it up in the trunk for you, and have you leaving with a smile on your face.”

The store is quite expansive, featuring more than 100 brands of beer, dozens of wines and even a vast selection of cigars—not to mention all the snacks, t-shirts and other gear. To make ordering a little easier, customers in line get a menu—fondly known as the Summer-y—that outlines everything available at the store. These Summer-ies are also available in many of the beach rentals, which allows vacationers to decide what they want before driving through.

For customers who would like to get out and stretch their legs, there’s the Brew Thru Shop in Kill Devil Hills, where you can find their world famous t-shirts and other gifts. New t-shirt designs are created each year, making a yearly Brew Thru t-shirt a favorite of locals and annual visitors to the Outer Banks.

The Foremans both grew up in the Outer Banks, and they love that Brandy’s parents’ vision for a friendly and convenient place for people to grab their brews and other beach stay essentials is continuing to flourish.

“Our family has been welcoming people to the Outer Banks since 1977,” Foreman says. “We love this beautiful place, and we want everybody to get to enjoy it.”

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