Located across from the iconic U.S. Weather Bureau Station, the Hatteras Convention Marker provides…read moreinsight into a lesser-known period of Civil War history. It captures the intricate political scheming and allegiances that developed throughout the Outer Banks, where some residents sought safety under the Union flag despite never having favored secession. It honors a daring but brief attempt at reunion during the Civil War. Following the occupation of the region by Union forces, Union Colonel Rush C. Hawkins called the Hatteras Convention on November 18, 1861. In addition to designating Hatteras as the state's temporary capital and appointing Marble Nash Taylor as its interim governor, delegates ruled that North Carolina's secession was void. Taylor even demanded a congressional election, but the U.S. Congress disregarded the results, and the experiment was essentially terminated when President Lincoln appointed Edward Stanley as military governor. [Review 790 of 2025 - 4222 in North Carolina - 24350 overall]

This monitor is along North Carolina Highway 12 not too far from the Hatteras Ferry Terminal. It…read morepoints out an important naval battle of the Civil War that took place some distance from here. The marker has the same text on both sides. It reads, "U.S.S. MONITOR. Fought C.S.S. "Virginia" ("Merrimac") in first battle of ironclad ships. Lost Dec. 31, 1862, in gale 17 miles southeast. First marine sanctuary." The USS Monitor, designed by Swedish inventor John Ericsson, was a groundbreaking ironclad warship during the Civil War, notable for its raft-like hull and revolving turret armed with two eleven-inch Dahlgren guns. Ericsson secured 240 patents for its equipment, including forty-five for the turret alone. On March 9, 1862, the Monitor famously faced the CSS Virginia at Hampton Roads in the first battle between ironclad ships. After four hours of combat, the Virginia withdrew, granting the Monitor a tactical victory. The ship's innovative design and its dramatic role in naval history continue to captivate, especially through stories of its modern-day recovery. On December 29, 1862, the USS Monitor left Hampton Roads to be towed to waters off the coast of Wilmington. Shortly after midnight on December 31, the ironclad sank during a storm off the coast of Cape Hatteras. Four officers and twelve crewmen were lost. The ship was found in 1973, bottom up, in about 240 feet of water. There is room here to stop and view the marker. It is number B-50 and it was erected in 1976 by the North Carolina Division of Archives and History. [Review 791 of 2025 - 4223 in North Carolina - 24351 overall]

This marker is next to the parking lot of the Hatteras Ferry Terminal. It has the same text on both…read moresides, reading "Fort Hatteras and Fort Clark, 2 miles s. west, fell to Union troops on Aug. 29, 1861, after two days of heavy naval bombardment." Online, there is more information. In 1861, Hatteras Inlet was a vulnerable point in the Confederate defense of North Carolina, prompting Brigadier General Walter Gwynn to recommend fortifications there. Despite approval from Governor Henry Toole Clark, the forts--Hatteras and Clark--were poorly equipped and manned by undertrained troops with short-range weapons. By late July, both forts were completed and flying Confederate flags, but their sand-and-sod construction and limited firepower left them exposed. On August 28-29, Union forces led by General Benjamin F. Butler launched a successful assault, quickly capturing Fort Clark and bombarding Fort Hatteras until its surrender. This defeat opened the way for Union control of the Pamlico and Albemarle Sounds, marking a strategic turning point in the coastal campaign. There is room to stop and read the marker. It is number B-38 and it was erected in 1959 by the North Carolina Archives and Highway Departments. [Review 787 of 2025 - 4219 in North Carolina - 24347 overall]

The lighthouse is currently under an impressive renovation- and even that is impressive! Go see it…read moreon every stage of this immense project and see the powerful historical part of the coast! The museums are also amazing and well managed. Can't wait to go back when it's completed!

A major bummer that the lighthouse is under repair, completely scaffolded and with none of its…read moreusual charm. It was supposed to be done later this year but with funding cuts, they no longer have an ETA. The gift shop is really nice and the folks working there were extremely apologetic and perhaps a little embarrassed. Still, it's a historic lighthouse and worth stopping by. Just check in first to see if they're finished the refurbishment. [Review 795 of 2025 - 4227 in North Carolina - 24355 overall]

No passport needed for this thrilling trip to a small section of the UK! Recommend the fish and…read morechips.

First some backstory taken from another site:…read more "The stories of how the sailors came to rest on the Outer Banks are intertwined, and begin with the sinking of the San Delfino, which was destroyed by German torpedoes in 1941. After the attack, the body of one of the ship's officers Michael Cairns washed ashore on the beaches of Buxton, and was quietly but respectively buried nearby in Buxton Woods by village locals. A few weeks after the sinking the body of an unknown sailor washed up and was buried next to Cairns. " The below article explains the history of the site in Buxton and the site on Ocracoke better than I can. www.charlotteobserver.com/living/travel/article9080264.html If you go: During the annual ceremony in May the general public is welcome to attend. The rest of the year if you are going to visit (assuming that you're coming from the north) just follow the directions to the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse except instead of making the left turn into the parking area continue down Lighthouse Road. Pass Loggerhead Lane and then maybe a fifth of a mile on the right you will see an NPS style brown sign letting you know that you've arrived. There's parking for maybe two or three cars and the graves are set back a few yards on the right under the trees.

I've been obsessed with lighthouses since I was a child (an English thing, I guess?). Bodie…read more(Bow-dee NOT "body", I wish carpetbaggers would stop changing the pronunciations-two generations are now mispronouncing it) is not only beautiful, but has the additional museum and boardwalk to a scenic observation deck overlooking wetlands. I'm deathly afraid of heights so I can never go up, but I can appreciate the beauty and history from the ground.

After visiting the Hatteras Lighthouse and finding it all wrapped up in scaffolding, I was super…read moreexcited to get here to Bodie Island to find this one ready to photograph and visit. The Bodie Island Lighthouse is a striking black-and-white banded tower that has stood sentinel over the Outer Banks since 1872. This lighthouse is the third built in the area--the first, constructed in 1847, was abandoned due to a poor foundation, and the second, built in 1859, was destroyed during the Civil War by retreating Confederate troops. The current structure rises 156 feet and houses an original first-order Fresnel lens, casting light visible for up to 19 nautical miles. It was automated in 1940 and later transferred to the National Park Service in 1953. After extensive restoration, it opened to the public for climbing in 2013. Visitors can ascend its 219 steps for panoramic views of the surrounding marshes and Roanoke Sound. The lighthouse is part of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore and remains one of the few tall brick lighthouses in the U.S. still equipped with its original lens. It was way too hot today to try climbing anything let alone that. I took my pictures and was more than satisfied. [Round number review 800 of 2025 - 4232 in North Carolina - 24360 overall]

So, if there is anything to know about me, I will go out of my way to visit a museum. No matter how…read morebig or small. No matter the cost. I enjoy learning a bit about an area, it's good to expand your knowledge. As most have noticed, this is a free museum to visit. Unlike what the one reviewer said, you actually get more than "what you pay for." Other things that others have touched on. Yes, this is end of the line before the ferry to Ocracoke. Be mindful of the lanes when trying to get here, you may end up at the ferry. Ample parking, and there is beach access nearby. I have to touch on this, they did a really good job on design here. They incorporated the shipwreck theme throughout. From the entrance of the land you see large anchor. The building, when you are further away from it, looks like a large boat. Almost like an ark. Then, when you do get inside, the theater area where they show the video, you are inside the hull of a sunken metal ship. You don't see this until you are outside this area and roaming about the rest of the museum. Like there are holes in hull. Then there is the big lifeboat display. It's quite stunning. Then there area the display of items from shipwrecks. So many different eras here. Touching on safety and rescue here as well. The lighthouse display feels massive in this room. And that's the thing, everything this museum has is housed in one room. But it is partitioned in such a way that each display feels like its own area. After you are done with the museum portion the exit takes you into the gift shop. Take your time to find the right souvenir. Once you exit the gift shop make sure to check out the displays in this area. It's kind of a continuance of the museum. I will leave you with this. My favorite part about this museum was the digital display at the beginning. Showing you just how high the storm surge can get during any given storm. Topping out at over twenty feet. When you stand next to it, you feel tiny. On your way out, check out the grounds area around the parking. More information out there.

Pretty cool museum showing history of the area. Great for all ages and free to enter!read more

What a unique experience I had finding this place…read more I had posted on Facebook that I was in town from LA and a friend from 30 years ago, then at first met at my first job in California randomly responded about the Old Burying Ground and said I should visit it. We were downtown and hitting a couple spots, and I was mentioning to my friend that lives locally about her response and it came right at the same exact moment that we were passing the cemetery and she pointed it out, so we quickly stopped and backed up and parked, and took a venture inside, mainly to see the girl that was buried in a barrel of rum, holy cow when you see the age of some of these graves and realize how extremely old they are, and you really quickly getting a sense of the magnitude of the history of the place. It is well worth your time to visit and explore.

Beautiful , historic graveyard . If you love history this burying ground is definitely worth a stop…read more. Plan to spend around 30 minutes here , maybe longer if you take your time to read the tombstones . It's a well kept graveyard but be sure to watch your step as the terrain is uneven in some areas . If you really want to learn more about the town's oldest graveyard , you can take a tour offered by the Beaufort Historical Association . Go to the website or visit the Beaufort Historical Center on Turner Street for more info . It's a peaceful final resting place for hundreds of notable people , soldiers , seaman and most notably , the Rum Girl .

This was the number one thing I wanted to see on Ocracoke and now that I've seen it, I'm happy! I…read morelove lighthouses, having visited 128 lighthouses across the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Portugal, the Republic of Ireland and even a lightboat in Sweden. Do lighthouses in Oklahoma (Lake Hefner), West Virginia (Summersville) and Vermont (Shelburne) count? They do for me! Ocracoka's lighthouse is easy to access with parking lots nearby and it's maybe a one mile walk from the ferry terminal. It was built in 1823 by Massachusetts builder Noah Porter and is the oldest operating lighthouse in North Carolina and the second oldest still standing in the state. It was constructed to guide ships safely through the treacherous Ocracoke Inlet into Pamlico Sound, a vital route for maritime trade and military supply lines. Standing 75 feet tall with a conical brick structure, the lighthouse was automated in 1955, and while visitors can access the base during summer months, the tower itself is not open for climbing. Its enduring presence and simple elegance make it one of the most beloved landmarks on the Outer Banks. [Review 775 of 2025 - 4207 in North Carolina - 24335 overall]

Well it's another lighthouse. There is free parking a block down, or park at the church just past…read morethe lighthouse for a donation. There is a boardwalk to the lighthouse that keeps your feet dry. Can't climb the stairs. Basically this is a 5 min visit, take some pics, read the history sign, then leave. I guess once the light keepers house is done with restoration there may be a museum to see?