• WiFi *
    • Keyless Entry *
    • Fully Equipped Kitchen *
    • Cook & Tableware *
    • Coffee Maker *
    • Outdoor Grill *
    • Sheets & Towels *
    • Signature Welcome Package *
    * All houses include these items.

    Outer Banks History

    From pirates to explorers to inventors, the Outer Banks has a rich history

    The outer banks have a long and storied history. These Barrier Islands off the coast of North Carolina have been home to Native Americans, pirates, shipwreck survivors, and more.

    The first recorded European expedition to the outer banks was led by Italian explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano in 1524. However, it wasn't until the early 1600s that English settlers began to establish permanent settlements. In 1659, the first official town, Bath, was founded. Since then, the Outer Banks have become a popular vacation destination for both US citizens and international visitors. From world-class surfing and fishing to nature trails and lighthouses, there is something for everyone on these beautiful islands.

    Once you're done exploring below, you may even want to test your knowledge with our Outer Banks history quiz.

    Steam Packet Sirius
    The Steamship William Gibbons
    Wright Brothers Monument and First Flight Airport
    Museums and Historical Landmarks on the Outer Banks
    Buffalo City Logging Crew
    Buffalo City: From Historic Logging Town to Prohibition-Era Moonshine Haven.
    The USS Fanny
    The USS Fanny
    Jockey’s Ridge State Park & Carolista Baum
    The Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum
    The Wright Brothers Little Known Facts
    Island Farms in Manteo, NC
    William Tate and the Wright Brothers
    The Monument to a Century of Flight
    Port Ferdinando and The Lost Colony
    The Revenue Cutter Mercury
    The Burnside Expedition
    Thomas Jarvis
    The Pea Island Cookhouse
    The USS Huron
    The Metropolis
    The M&E Henderson
    Outer Banks Wild Horses
    Outer Banks and WWII
    History of Outer Banks Fishermen
    History of the Outer Banks and the First Flight!
    The Spirit of Kitty Hawk Returns: Igor Benson and His Gyrocopter
    When War Raged Offshore: WWII
    Priscilla
    The Sinking of U576
    Traditional Songs of the Outer Banks and the South
    Old Pamlico Bridge
    The Sinking of the Kentucky
    The Sinking of the City of Atlanta
    The Nags Head Casino
    Carroll A Deering
    The Lesser Known Tales of Blackbeard
    The Sinking of the SS Home
    Reginald Fessenden and the Radio
    Sir Walter Raleigh’s Historie of the World on the Outer Banks
    Pappy’s Lane
    WWII Radar Stations on the Outer Banks, NC
    A Winter of Disasters: Outer Banks Shipwrecks in 1877 & 1878
    Outer Banks Graveyards: Early OBX Cemeteries
    Airports on the Outer Banks
    The History of Nags Head Woods: A Remarkable Story
    Mystery of the Sea
    Moor Shore Road Kitty Hawk: A Piece of Outer Banks History
    The Miracle of the Mirlo
    Laura A. Barnes
    Joachim Gans & His Fort Raleigh Science Lab
    The Irma in Kill Devil Hills, NC
    The History Of The Outer Banks, NC
    Outer Banks Town Names
    Historic Jarvisburg Colored School
    The Great Atlantic Hurricane of 1944
    Graveyard of the Atlantic: Where did the Name Come From?
    The George A Kohler
    FDR visits the Outer Banks
    Currituck Beach Lighthouse
    Catherine M Monahan
    Cape Hatteras National Seashore
    Billy Mitchell: The Father of the Air Force and the Outer Banks
    Becoming the Outer Banks
    Currituck Inlet History
    Shipwreck at Nags Head
    A Day of Fear and Heroism: WW1 Outer Banks Shipwrecks
    A Brief History of the Hunt Clubs of the Outer Banks & Currituck
    NC12: Best Scenic Drives on the East Coast
    More Unique OBX Facts
    Monkey Island
    The Midnight Ride of Betsy Dowdy
    Hidden Treasures of the Outer Banks
    NC – VA Boundary Marker Little Known Secrets
    “The Boiler” (Oriental)
    Outer Banks Shipwrecks
    First Flight Adventure Park
    The History Of The Outer Banks