• 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.


    The USS Fanny
    The USS Fanny
    Jockey’s Ridge State Park & Carolista Baum
    Jockey’s Ridge State Park & Carolista Baum
    The Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum
    Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum
    The Wright Brothers Little Known Facts
    Wright Brothers Little Known Facts
    Island Farms in Manteo, NC
    Island Farms
    William Tate and the Wright Brothers
    William Tate and the Wright Brothers
    The Monument to a Century of Flight
    Monument to a Century of Flight
    Port Ferdinando and The Lost Colony
    Port Ferdinando
    The Burnside Expedition
    The Burnside Expedition
    Thomas Jarvis
    Thomas Jarvis
    The Pea Island Cookhouse
    Pea Island Cookhouse
    Wild Horses Of The Outer Banks
    Outer Banks Wild Horses
    Outer Banks and WWII
    Outer Banks and WWII
    History of Outer Banks Fishermen
    History of Outer Banks Fishermen
    History of the Outer Banks and the First Flight!
    History of the Outer Banks and the First Flight
    The Spirit of Kitty Hawk Returns: Igor Benson and His Gyrocopter
    The Spirit of Kitty Hawk Returns—Igor Benson and His Gyrocopter
    When War Raged Offshore: WWII
    WWII on the Outer Banks
    The Sinking of U576
    The Sinking of U576
    Traditional Songs of the Outer Banks and the South
    Traditional Songs of the Outer Banks
    Old Pamlico Bridge
    The Wooden Road to Hatteras
    The Nags Head Casino
    The Nags Head Casino
    The Lesser Known Tales of Blackbeard
    The Lesser-Known Tales of Blackbeard
    Reginald Fessenden and the Radio
    Reginald Fessenden and the Founding Days of Radio
    Sir Walter Raleigh’s Historie of the World on the Outer Banks
    Raleigh’s Historie of the World on the Outer Banks
    WWII Radar Stations on the Outer Banks, NC
    Outer Banks WWII Radar Stations
    A Winter of Disasters: Outer Banks Shipwrecks in 1877 & 1878
    Outer Banks Shipwrecks in 1877 & 1878
    Outer Banks Graveyards: Early OBX Cemeteries
    Outer Banks Graveyards
    Airports on the Outer Banks
    Outer Banks Airports from WWII
    The History of Nags Head Woods: A Remarkable Story
    Nags Head Woods
    Moor Shore Road Kitty Hawk: A Piece of Outer Banks History
    Moor Shore Road—A Piece of Outer Banks History
    Joachim Gans & His Fort Raleigh Science Lab
    Joachim Gans – The First Scientific Lab in the Americas
    The History Of The Outer Banks, NC
    History of the Outer Banks
    Outer Banks Town Names
    History of Outer Banks Town Names
    Historic Jarvisburg Colored School
    Historic Jarvisburg Colored School
    The Great Atlantic Hurricane of 1944
    The Great Atlantic Hurricane of 1944
    Graveyard of the Atlantic: Where did the Name Come From?
    Graveyard of the Atlantic
    FDR visits the Outer Banks
    FDR visits the Outer Banks
    Currituck Beach Lighthouse
    Currituck Beach Lighthouse
    Cape Hatteras National Seashore
    Cape Hatteras National Seashore
    Billy Mitchell: The Father of the Air Force and the Outer Banks
    Billy Mitchell and the Outer Banks
    Becoming the Outer Banks
    Becoming the Outer Banks
    Currituck Inlet History
    Northern Outer Banks Inlets
    A Day of Fear and Heroism: WW1 Outer Banks Shipwrecks
    A Day of Fear and Heroism
    A Brief History of the Hunt Clubs of the Outer Banks & Currituck
    A Brief History of the Hunt Clubs of the Outer Banks
    NC12: Best Scenic Drives on the East Coast
    Outer Banks NC 12
    More Unique OBX Facts
    Outer Banks History – More Unique Facts
    Monkey Island
    Monkey Island Outer Banks
    The Midnight Ride of Betsy Dowdy
    The Midnight Ride of Betsy Dowdy
    Hidden Treasures of the Outer Banks
    Hidden Treasures of the Outer Banks
    NC - VA Boundary Marker Little Known Secrets
    NC – VA Boundary Marker Secrets
    Outer Banks Shipwrecks
    Outer Banks Shipwrecks
    The History Of The Outer Banks
    History Of The Outer Banks