The Elizabeth II, based at Manteo, NC, is a replica of one of the three ships used by Sir Walter Raleigh to bring English settlers to the "New World". The first colony was located at Fort Raleigh on Roanoke Island in 1584. This colony was later to be Known as the"Lost Colony" because it completely vanished. It was here that the first English child was born in the "New World" on August 18, 1587. The child's name was Virginia Dare.

If you should happen to visit Manteo, be sure to see "The Lost Colony". This is the oldest, continuous running outdoor drama in the United States. The first show was presented in 1937.

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Tryon Palace is located in New Bern, NC. It was originally built in 1770 by the British Governor of North Carolina, William Tryon. This mansion served as the home for the governor and as the Capitol of the Colony of North Carolina. After the Revolutionary War, it would serve as the first Capitol of the free State of North Carolina. The Palace has been restored and is furnished with an outstanding collection of antiques and art. The gardens have also been restored and are among some of the most beautiful in the United States.

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North Carolina could claim the distinction of being "First in Freedom". On April 12, 1776, the Fourth Provincial Congress adopted the "Halifax Resolves" in Halifax, North Carolina. This was the first official act of independence by any colony. A portion of "Historic Halifax" still stands in northeastern North Carolina along the banks of the Roanoke River.

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Fort Macon was built between 1826 to 1834 to replace Fort Dobbs which had been built in 1756. It came into prominance during an artillery siege by Union forces which lasted from March 23,1862 until April 26, 1862. The fall of Fort Macon gave the North control of the North Carolina Coast, excepting the Fort Fisher area. Fort Macon was also manned during the Spanish-American War and during World War II.

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Fort Fisher was the largest earthen fort manned during the Civil War and was extremely important to the South. With 22 guns pointed towards the ocean, the fort was able to keep Federal Blockade ships at a distance, thereby allowing Blockade runners a safe entry into the Cape Fear River and the Port of Wilmington. When the fort was taken by Federal Forces on January 15, 1865, The South's last line of supply was cut. This sealed the fate of the Confederacy.

The most famous structure on the North Carolina coast has to be the "Barber Pole". The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse was built in 1869 to warn ships away from Diamond Head Shoals and the "Graveyard of the Atlantic". It is the tallest lighthouse in the United States, standing 225 feet.

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The Cape Lookout Lighthouse over looks the treacherous Lookout Shoals and the southern end of the "Graveyard of the Atlantic". This lighthouse stands 160 feet tall and was built in 1859.

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This is the second Ocracoke Light and it has looked over Ocracoke Island since 1823. The original light built in 1803 was destroyed by lightning.

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Jockey's Ridge is the largest sand dune on the East Coast standing approximately 140 feet in height. From the top of the Dune, you can get a good view of Nags Head and Kill Devil Hills. You can also see both sides of the island, with Roanoke Sound on one side and the Atlantic Ocean on the other.Many a daredevil has gone parasailing from its ridge.

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 Here on the fields of Kitty Hawk, Wilbur and Orville Wright made the first powered flight of a heavier than air machine in the United States on December 17, 1903. The Wright Brothers Memorial has a shop and a museum in its base which is a "Must See".

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North Carolina Beaches are among some of the finest on the East Coast. From Corolla in the north to Sunset Beach in the south. Along the Outerbanks to Ocracoke, Atlantic Beach, Surf City, Topsail Beach, Wrightsville Beach, Carolina Beach, Holden Beach, Ocean Isle Beach and many more in between.

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Wilmington is a beautiful old city on the banks of the Cape Fear River. It has been an important sea port since before the Revolutionary War. Wilmington is rich in history and has a number of tours available to the visitor, including a ride on the paddle-wheeler Henrietta II. Across the river from Wilmington is the USS North Carolina Battleship.

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 The USS North Carolina is a lasting memorial to the more than 10,000 North Carolinians who lost their lives in World War II. Though the active duty span of the USS North Carolina was brief (11 years), she fought in every major offensive action in the Pacific Theater during World War II. She earned a total of 12 Battle Stars and, during her time, was the greatest sea weapon ever built by the United States. After dark, during the summer months, the history of the USS North Carolina is told in a light and sound spectacular called "The Immortal Showboat".

 

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The North Carolina Coast has some of the best fishing waters to be found. A number of record fish of different species have been caught here. Whether you like to fish from a pier, stand at the roaring surf, or take a boat out to the Gulf Stream, North Carolina has something for everyone.

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