Beautiful Emerald Isle, North Carolina

Beautiful Emerald Isle, NC runs along the eastern coast of the United States, in an area known as the Crystal Coast. While the population is relatively small (approximately 3,800), close to 50,000 tourists visit each year.

Emerald Isle, located entirely on the Bogue Banks, was home to the Algonquin Native American Indian tribe until it was settled by whalers and fisherman during colonial times. Henry Fort purchased 500 acres of land on the isle for $70,000 in 1922. He had hoped to develop the land adjacent to the beaches into a tourist resort. However, he passed away before that was realized and the land was inherited by his daughter Anita Maulick.

A thirteen-mile undeveloped section of the western part of the island was purchased by seven individuals in 1953 for the price of $350,000. At the time, that was the largest amount of money paid for land in Carteret County. Those thirteen miles were divided up into 54 blocks of 1,000 feet each, with ownerships of the blocks being chosen by a draw. The isle was named by a consultant who was hired to advise the original team of owners. To give Emerald Isle a family atmosphere, the owners limited both commercial development and mobile homes.

How did Emerald Isle get its name? When the original seven individuals were considering purchasing Emerald Isle, they hired a consultant from Florida for advice. As he was being flown over the property to assess it, he noticed that the isle, having no development on it, looked like a green gem from the sky. At that point, legend has it that the adviser said "This place shall be known as Emerald Isle."

Access to the isle was opened up when a ferry service began in 1960. By 1971, the Cameron Langston Bridge, which spans the Intracoastal Waterway, was opened. While there are now homes on the oceanfront and a few condominiums, there are no large oceanfront hotels as are seen on many beaches, which helps the isle preserve its family feel.

Today, Emerald Isle offers quaint accommodations for tourists who love to fish, swim, scuba dive, take boat tours, kayak, just enjoy the view of the ocean, or just take an ecology tour to learn more about the environment. Nearby attractions include the North Carolina Maritime Museum in Beaufort, the North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores, The Core Sound Waterfowl Museum, and the history Fort Macon.