45 Fun Facts About the Outer Banks of North Carolina Visual Story

By Alli Sewell

Introduction

45 Fun Facts About the Outer Banks of North Carolina Visual Story

These 45 fun facts about the Outer Banks of North Carolina will teach you something...

FACT 1

The Outer Banks was the settling place of the first English Colony in the US

Roanoke Island is where the first English colony settled in North America. Roanoke Colony was...

FACT 2

That same colony mysteriously vanished

In 1587, settler John White left the Roanoke Colony on an expedition. Upon his return...

FACT 3

The first child born to the New World was born on the Outer Banks

The first English child of the New World was born in 1587 in the Roanoke...

FACT 4

The Outer Banks created the world's longest-running outdoor symphonic drama

An outdoor play called The Lost Colony premiered in 1937. It is traditionally performed at...

FACT 5

Jockey's Ridge State Park is home to the largest sand dune on the East Coast

Jockey's Ridge State Park in Nags Head on the Outer Banks features the tallest sand...

FACT 6

The tallest lighthouse in the US is in Cape Hatteras

This Outer Banks fun fact is about Cape Hatteras. The town is home to the...

FACT 7

Bodie Island Lighthouse was built three times

A lesser-known lighthouse, the Bodie Island Lighthouse, has a fascinating history. The lighthouse that stands...

FACT 8

Cape Hatteras National Seashore preserves the coast for future generations

The Cape Hatteras National Seashore is stunning and attracts millions of visitors a year. But...

FACT 9

Ocracoke Island Cemetery is actually on British ground

When in Ocracoke, you can visit Britain! In a way. The British Cemetery of Ocracoke...

FACT 10

The novel and film Nights in Rodanthe was set in the Outer Banks

Rodanthe on the Outer Banks was the inspiration for the Nicholas Sparks novel and subsequent...

Kyle J Little/Shutterstock.com

FACT 11

The Outer Banks are home to many wild horses

One of the Outer Banks, North Carolina facts for animal lovers is that wild horses...

FACT 12

The US Lifesaving Service was founded on the Outer Banks

The ocean plays a big part in Outer Banks' history, and this fun fact is...

FACT 13

The Outer Banks feature the best windsurfing spots in the world

The Outer Banks is a windsurfing paradise. The combination of shallow waters, rolling waves, and...

Hackman/Depositphotos.com

FACT 14

The Wright Brothers' first flight was flown in the Outer Banks

An interesting fact about North Carolina is that both the Wright Brothers' first ever flight...

actionsports/Depositphotos.com

FACT 15

The Outer Banks is a sandbar, not an island

While many think that the Outer Banks is an island, it's actually a sandbar. The...

FACT 16

The oldest and shortest lighthouse in North Carolina is in Ocracoke

The Outer Banks isn't just home to the tallest lighthouse in the US; it's also...

FACT 17

Celebrities love the Outer Banks

This Outer Banks fun fact will have you keeping an eye out for star-studded vacationers...

FACT 18

It's an incredible fishing location

Another of many fascinating facts about the Outer Banks, North Carolina, is that it is...

FACT 19

Hatteras is home to many six-toed cats

Those visiting Hatteras Island's Burrus Red & White Supermarket will have noticed the cats that...

FACT 20

Nags Head got its name from pirate folklore

The Outer Banks are rich in pirate history. The town of Nags Head even got...

FACT 21

Kill Devil Hills has an interesting naming story too

Kill Devil Hills got its name from folklore stories too. Most believe the name comes...

SherryVSmith/Depositphotos.com

FACT 22

Cape Hatteras is very dangerous for sailors

Cape Hatteras in the Outer Banks has a history of being extremely dangerous. There are...

FACT 23

The pirate Blackbeard frequented the Outer Banks

The most famous pirate, Edward Teach, or Blackbeard, sailed the Outer Banks on his ship...

FACT 24

Pea Island employed the first black lifesaving station keeper

One of the more interesting Outer Banks historical facts relates to Pea Island's lifesaving station...

FACT 25

Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge is home to over 300 bird species

Found in northern Hatteras Island, Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge is home to approximately 370...

FACT 26

Hatteras received one of the first distress calls from the Titanic

The Hatteras Weather Bureau Station was commissioned in 1902 to reduce disasters in the dangerous...

FACT 27

Many Civil War battles happened in the Outer Banks

During the Civil War, pivotal battles were fought on the Outer Banks, benefiting the Union...

FACT 28

There were two slave safe havens on the Outer Banks

After the victory at the Battle of Roanoke, two safe havens for runaway slaves were...

FACT 29

The Outer Banks has a population of just over 57,000

The entire Outer Banks has a small population of just over 57,000. Despite this, the...

FACT 30

Native Americans played a big part in the Outer Banks' history

There is a lot of Native American history in the Outer Banks. It's believed that...

FACT 31

Many Outer Banks towns had Native American names

Many of the towns of the Outer Banks were originally named by Native American tribes...

FACT 32

The Outer Banks is a popular wedding destination

Due to its Atlantic coastal beauty, the Outer Banks have become a popular place for...

FACT 33

Experiments for the first radio communication transmission occurred here

Known as the father of voice radio, Reginald Fessenden made the first radio communication transmission...

FACT 34

There is a Netflix drama about the Outer Banks

This Outer Banks fun fact made the area a household name. The Netflix show, called...

FACT 35

The Outer Banks show wasn't filmed on the Outer Banks

The show wasn't filmed in North Carolina but was instead filmed in Charleston, South Carolina...

FACT 36

Whalehead was a secret testing location for rocket fuel

The famous Whalehead Club in Corolla was used to test rocket fuel during the cold...

FACT 37

The Outer Banks have the most stunning maritime forests in the US

The Outer Banks is full of natural beauty, and one of many Outer Banks NC...

FACT 38

The Whalehead Club housed US soldiers

Another Outer Banks fun fact about the Whalehead club! During WWII, protecting the North Carolina...

FACT 39

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse has been moved

It's been mentioned that Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is the tallest brick lighthouse in the US...

FACT 40

The Outer Banks are under threat from climate change

Not so much a fun fact, but definitely an important one! Like many natural ecosystems...

FACT 41

OBX is somewhat of an advertising term

Another of the interesting facts about the Outer Banks, North Carolina, refers to how the...

PantherMediaSeller/Depositphotos.com

FACT 42

The Oldest Grapevine in the US is found in OBX

The oldest grapevine in the United States is called the "Mother Vine" and is found...

FACT 43

The Outer Banks briefly had an extra island

Another of many interesting facts about the Outer Banks of North Carolina shows what a...

FACT 44

Some former Outer Banks residents make money from shipwrecks

The 17th and 18th-century residents, known as wreckers, would scavenge the many shipwrecks in the...

FACT 45

Duck in the Outer Banks is the founding town of a popular donut chain

Duck Donuts was founded in Duck on Outer Banks, North Carolina, in 2006. Along with...

Conclusion

In Conclusion

The Outer Banks is a beautiful area of North Carolina packed full of history, culture...

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