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Folklore

Your gateway to Outer Banks legends, ghosts, and folklore.

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The Joebell Flower

While the Gaillardia x grandiflora is regularly known by its common name Blanket Flower, on the Outer Banks, we call those little red and orange flowers on roadsides and dunes Joebells. Our State Magazine says there are multiple origin stories for the arrival of Joebells on the Outer Banks, here are a couple.
According to Outer Banks folklore collector and writer Charles Harry Whedbee, the proliferation of Joebells on our beaches goes back to the story of Joe and Josephine Bell. A couple who vacationed up and down the beach, but especially in Nags Head, were beloved by the local community on their seasonal visits and nicknamed, 'The Joebells'. In late middle age, Josephine died and soon after, Joe found a group of blanket flowers in her garden bed. He carefully dug them up, traveled to Nags Head, and planted the flowers at one of their favorite beaches. In the following years, Joe would make his annual trip to the Outer Banks with his flowers and planted them all along our shores. Locals began calling the flowers Joebells in the couple's honor.
The Ocracoke Preservation Society shares the story of a gentleman named Joe Bell who arrived on their tiny island "love-sick and broken-hearted" with a pocket full of flower seeds. He sprinkled the seeds around Ocracoke and there they thrived.
You can find more on this story by checking out a book at a Dare County Library location near you:
Whedbee, Charles. Outer Banks Mysteries & Seaside Stories. John F. Blair, Publisher, 1978..
Image Source: North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox; https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/gaillardia-x-grandiflora/

The Magic Lute

In the 1600s wealthy families from Virginia began to migrate south to the alluring shores of the Outer Banks. One such family, the Willinghams, moved from the settlement of Jamestown to the beaches of Currituck. The Willingham family consisted of the father Romulus, mother Marybell, son Roumuls Jr, and twin daughters Serena and Susanna, who though they were twins were opposites. Serena was a dark-haired, blue-eyed, beauty who was very sharp-witted, intelligent, and had a knack for getting the two into trouble. Susanna in contrast was fair-haired, brown-eyed, and had a demeanor on the sweeter side, a gentle soul.
    At the age of 23, the girls were nearing their "old maid" years so Marybell decided to start taking them to Jamestown where they could attend balls, parties, and find eligible suitors. One such suitor was Rufus Duberville. Rufus Duberville was handsome, wealthy, and rumored to be of royal blood. Rufus was also interested in both Willingham sisters. He traveled down to the shores of Currituck to visit with the family and as a guest got to know both sisters. As a guest, he had to show equal attention to both because otherwise would be improper, and as such both daughters believed he would choose them. Eventually, he made a decision and asked Romulus for the hand of sweet Susanna.
    Susanna was overjoyed at her engagement but Serena was miserable watching the two of them stroll hand in hand happily down the beach every day. She began to devise a plan to take her sister's place. One winter day the girls were walking along the shore discussing the upcoming wedding and Susanna slipped and began to fall towards the tumultuous Atlantic ocean, Serena seized the moment and pushed her causing her to fall into the sea. Susanna begged for help but Serena sat on the beach and watched her sister drown. Serena soaked her dress in a nearby tidepool and ran for help claiming that she too almost drowned trying to save her sister. Search parties were launched to rescue the girl but Susanna was gone.
    Rufus didn't leave the beach house though, he hoped Susanna would be found and come back to him. While he was waiting and grieving Serena tended to him hand and foot and did her best to win him over slowly, which in time she did and he once again became engaged to a Willingham girl. The Willingham parents were happy for Serena but sought to throw a small but elegant wedding in the wake of such a tragedy. Their solution was to have a small guest list but hire the finest entertainment.
    Far to the south, the body of Susanna had washed ashore and locals were in awe of her. She was obviously well-to-do, and so pretty but yet no one knew her. A musician, Overstreet, was so struck by her beauty that when he broke strings on his lute he got permission to use strands of her golden hair to replace them. Overstreet was already talented but suddenly the lute began to play the most sweet, beautiful melodies that drew crowds and caused Overstreet to become locally famous. Thus Romulus hired him to play at his daughter's wedding.
    A few days before the wedding the young minstrel was just about to give the family a preview when without even touching it the lute began to speak. It was the voice of Susanna and she began to thank everyone in her life she loved one by one. She then spoke to her sister and condemned her telling the whole family how she plotted her death. Serena screamed and ran into the ocean where she too was washed away. The family searched for her in vain and eventually gave up hope. Rufus returned to Jamestown and eventually married another.
You can find more on this story by checking out a book at a Dare County Library location near you:
Whedbee, Charles. Blackbeard's Cup and Stories of the Outer Banks. John F. Blair, Publisher, 1989..

The White Stallion

North of Penny Hill in Carova there is said to be a house cursed so that no one can ever live there. People that have tried have left after seeing a ghostly white stallion angry, snarling, stamping its hooves, trying to drive them away.
Before being driven back to the mainland, on the shores of Carova lived a tribe of what was called mustees. Mustees were people with a lineage mixed of Native American and Italian bloodlines. This particular tribe was said to be stunningly beautiful, smart, and strong. One in particular was White Fawn, daughter of Chief White Stallion. She was so beautiful and sweet that she was admired by everyone, and it wasn't long before a new resident, Benjamin Smith, was head over heels in love.
Benjamin Smith swept White Fawn off her feet and asked Chief White Stallion if he could marry his daughter. His plan was to build them a home and run a farm there where she could stay near her father, who loved her so much. Once the chief said yes, Smith set about building the home. What the poor family couldn't know though was that Smith was a flighty man and had a hard time staying interested in anything. Soon other families arrived and one such family came with a young Irish woman who had a very large dowry. That dowry was enough to entice Benjamin Smith to break off his engagement with White Fawn. When he went to tell the father, the chief was so mad that he cursed the house that was supposed to be for his daughter so that no one could ever live there. The young woman was so heart-broken that her health slowly declined and within a year she had passed away. The ghostly white stallion seen to this day is the spirit of Chief White Stallion, ensuring that Benjamin Smith would never live happily in that house.
You can find more on this story by checking out a book at a Dare County Library location near you:
Whedbee, Charles. The Flaming Ship of Ocracoke & Other Tales of the Outer Banks. John F. Blair, Publisher, 1971..

The Ghost of Currituck Beach Lighthouse

Local legend in Corolla, a village almost to the end of the paved road at the top of the northern Outer Banks, holds that the North Room of the Light Keepers' house is haunted. Several people have felt a presence or a terrible sense of uneasiness in the room. It is said that no one has slept in the North Room since 1938.
    Lloyd Childers, Currituck Beach Lighthouse keeper from 1997 to 2002, writes in her memoir about her time in Corolla:
    'One bedroom on the north side of the house seems cooler and darker than any other room. Some visitors are very uncomfortable in this room even before they hear the local legends about it being haunted. One candidate for the ghost is the young daughter of one of the early keepers who disappeared from the beach, leaving her little shoes by the water. The other is a woman who died here while visiting [Light Keeper and his wife] Homer and Ophelia Austin.'
    It is suggested that a third possibility for the presence could be a lighthouse keeper's wife who passed away in the room from tuberculosis. After her passing in 1938, the Currituck Beach Lighthouse was taken over by the U.S. Coast Guard and the keepers' house neglected until the late 1990s when a conservation effort restored the building, which once again serves as the home to its current Keeper.
You can find more on this story by checking out a book at a Dare County Library location near you:
Roberts, Nancy. Ghosts from the Coast. University of North Carolina Press, 2001.
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Childers, Lloyd. The Keepers' House & Other Reflections: life at the Currituck Beach LIghthouse: A Memoir and Paintings by Lloyd Childers. Hilltop Publications, 2006
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Schmidt, Peggy. Ghosts of the Outer Banks. Schiffer Publishing, Ltd., 2012.

Whalehead Club

The Whalehead is a massive 21,000 square foot home built in 1922 by Edward Collins Knight Jr. in what is now Corolla. He built the house as a winter home for him and his wife, Marie Louise Lebel Bonat, and it was the biggest and grandest home on the island, having electricity and running water long before most residents on the island.
    In October 1933, the Knights arrived at the Whalehead to spend the winter, like they did each year, but only stayed 3 weeks before moving out. The Knights passed away in 1936, having never returned. Since then, the Whalehead has served as a WWII Coast Guard receiving station, a research center for a company trying to develop rocket fuel, and various other things. In 1992, Currituck County purchased the Whalehead property, and it is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
    People who visit the Whalehead claim to have seen smoking paintings, self-igniting candles, and cigar smoke in the same room as Edward's portrait, where he often sat and smoked. A ghostly figure of a woman has been seen kneeling on the floor in Mary Louise's bedroom. Others report hearing disembodied voices, pots and pans clanging in an empty kitchen and doors closing on their own. A police officer reported feeling someone grab his leg when he was alone on the second floor. One time a little boy ran screaming from the house claiming a little girl was chasing him, but no little girl was seen.
    Coastal Paranormal Investigations conducted extensive research on the Whalehead in the summer of 2009. The investigators reported the presence of a ghostly little girl, claiming to have seen her in the basement. At one point, the elevator had to be shut down and bolted because it would regularly run to the basement without anyone at the controls. The paranormal investigators would not even spend the entire night there.
    Many people report feeling an uncomfortable energy in the house, but no tragic events have ever happened there, that we know of...
You can find more on this story by checking out a book at a Dare County Library location near you:
Carmichael, Sherman. Mysterious Tales of Coastal North Carolina. The History Press, 2018. Pgs 99-100. 975.6 CAR.

The Black Pelican

The legendary Kitty Hawk restaurant, Black Pelican, is most well-known for being housed in the former Life Saving Station from which Will and Orville Wright sent their telegram read around the world announcing their first flight. However, its many inhabitants throughout time have left their indelible marks on the building.
    Murder Most Foul
In the 1870s and 1880s, what we now know as Black Pelican was home to Station Six - home to a life saving crew who patrolled the beaches to watch for and provide assistance to stranded and wrecked boats along our treacherous coast. At the time, Captain James. R. Hobbs ruled his crew with a marked sternness and brooked no disrespect for himself, his crew, or his wife, who lived in a small house nearby. One day, a young surfman named T.L. Daniels joined the crew, to whom Hobbs took an instant dislike.
    The story goes that Hobbs and Daniels rubbed each other the wrong way; a situation most likely exacerbated by stress from work and isolation on our as-yet-to-be developed shores. Tension escalated quickly and the two grew to view each other with great disdain. One unfortunate evening, events necessitated that Daniels provide Mrs. Hobbs a ride home in her carriage. During the ride, Daniels' mouth full of chewing tobacco, accidentally spit a dribble of chaw all over Mrs. Hobb's dress.
    Soon after, the crew and Mrs. Hobbs were together at the Life Station preparing for dinner when Hobbs learned of the offense to his wife. He withdrew a revolver and shot Daniels to death in the south room of the station. Without any sort of local law enforcement in the vicinity, it was decided that those present would clean away evidence of the crime and send the body out to sea in a lifeboat.
    To this day, stories abound of gusty breezes in the Black Pelican restaurant that overturn chairs and spin tables, of patrons and staff being grabbed on the shoulder with no one nearby, and a red stain on the floor of the south room that never goes away.
    A Legendary Name
According to the original Life Saving crew of Station Six, upon launching their services, a Nor'easter came up right away and a vessel was stranded. Beyond the sight line of the lifesaving crew, a large black pelican swooped down upon the crew along the shore, getting their attention in an attempt to alert them to the vessel.
    Throughout the years, the black pelican flew near the shore of Station Six and, time and again, led its crew to stranded vessels, rescuing many sailor's lives. It was considered both a sign of goodwill and a portent of impending disaster.
You can find more on this story by checking out a book at a Dare County Library location near you:
Whedbee, Charles Harry. Blackbeard's Cup and Stories of the Outer Banks. John F. Blair, 1989.
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Roberts, Nancy. Ghosts from the coast: a ghostly tour of coastal North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. University of North Carolina Press, 2001.
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Schmidt, Peggy. Ghosts of the Outer Banks. Schiffer Publishing Ltd, 2012. Pages 46-51. 133.109 SCH.
Photo Credit: Little Kinnakeet 1874 LSS Station, NPS photo

Kill Devil Hills

How did Kill Devil Hills get its name? The legends and stories behind this are vast! As a part of the Graveyard of the Atlantic, over 1,000 shipwrecks occurred off the coast and often those ships were carrying English rum called Kill Devil. The 'wreckers' that scavenged the remains of the rum and brought it ashore to what we now know as Kill Devil Hills.
Another story goes that the rum was strong enough to kill the devil! Or, the name could've come from barrels of the Kill Devil run hidden behind the hills. Still others say Kill Devil Hills comes from the silhouettes of foxes at sunset on the hill. Their ears look like devil's horns! Sailors would say it was enough to kill the devil to try to navigate the treacherous waters in these parts.
One story goes that a local man tried to sell his soul to the devil for a bag of gold. The two made arrangements to complete the deal on top of the highest hill at midnight. When the two approached each other, the man told the Devil to throw the bag of gold ahead of him, then come and claim his reward. The Devil did so and as he walked forward he fell into a deep pit that the man had dug beforehand and the Devil was immediately covered by sand, thus Kill Devil Hills! You can find more on this story by checking out a book at a Dare County Library location near you:
Stick, David. The Outer Banks of North Carolina, 1584-1958. The University of North Carolina Press, 1958.
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Carmichael, Sherman. Mysterious Tales of Coastal North Carolina. The History Press, 2018.. Photo Courtesy of Outer Banks Distilling

Kill Devil Hill Library

The Kill Devil Hills Library is full of great books, great people, great energy, and unusual noises!
The KDH Library is only 34 years old, really too young to have any ghosts, but librarians say they have heard unexplained noises in the building. The librarians only hear these noises when they are alone. Voices in the meeting room, clinking dishes in the kitchen, knocking and clanking throughout the library and books jumping off the shelves!
Come by the KDH Library and check out all the great resources available and maybe you'll hear our poltergeist, too!

The Indian Gallows Tree

Many live oaks grow in eastern North Carolina, and more than one makes an appearance in our tales here, but Colington Island had two special ones. These two oaks grew so long and so tall, but as they did, a branch of one grew into the other, forming an "H" with the cross-branch high above the ground. These trees would come to be called the Indian Gallows Tree, named after the hanging of a young Native American prince, Roanoke.
     Early in the 1700s, settlers came to the coast. One family, the Austin's, were shipwrecked here but luckily were rescued by local Native Americans. They helped them find a place to live on what would later become Roanoke Island and taught them how to live there.
    The family had a daughter, Elnora, and the young native prince, Roanoke, fell madly in love with her. Elnora cherished him as a friend but she was betrothed to someone else, and he would be joining them in the new world soon. Even though he was heartbroken, Roanoke continued their friendship, but as their friendship grew, Roanoke's father, King Cashie, grew tired of the new settlers.
    King Cashie was uniting the local tribes and by 1713 he had decided to attack and kill all the new settlers, including Elnora. Once Roanoke discovered this, he set out to warn them, but he was too late and her family had been killed. Miraculously, she had seen the attack from a distance and had hidden where Roanoke alone could find her.
    Roanoke scooped her up and under the cover of darkness they made the trek to Edenton where she would be safe. He warned them an attack was imminent, but they had just received a ship and on it were muskets and black powder. Unfortunately for poor Roanoke, Elnora's betrothed was also on board. Nevertheless, he helped the settlers defeat his fellow Native Americans.
    Years went by and Roanoke felt alone. He remained friends with Elnora, but this just saddened his broken heart more. Eventually, he decided to return home in the hopes that his father loved him enough to forgive him. Sadly, this wasn't the case though and his father ordered him hanged from the oak tree shaped like an "H". You can find more on this story by checking out a book at a Dare County Library location near you:
Whedbee, Charles. Outer Banks Mysteries & Seaside Stories. John F. Blair, Publisher, 1978..

Nags Head

According to historical records, during the 1700s locals, composed partially of castaways from various shipwrecks, in the area of what would become known as Nags Head would hang lanterns on the necks of their horses at night and walk them along the beaches. The lights 'mis'-guided passing ships into thinking they were lighthouses or landing areas. Instead, the ships believing they were headed toward safe harbor would wreck in the breakers and the local 'land pirates' would raid the ships of their cargo. Stories circulated of specters seen walking the beaches of Nags Head at night, the ghosts of those sailors maliciously led to their doom along our shores.
You can find more on this story by checking out a book at a Dare County Library location near you:
Whedbee, Charles. Legends of the Outer Banks and Tar Hill Tidewater. John F. Blair Publisher, 1966.
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Walser, Richard. North Carolina Legends. North Carolina Division of Archives and History, 1980.

The Goat Man

The newest story on this site is the story of the Goat Man of Nags Head Woods. The story began circulating sometime in the 70s and took a strong hold among teenagers in the 80s and 90s. As with most stories passed down over time, there is a hint of truth and a lot of flair to this one.
    As the legend goes, the Goat Man lived in a little yellow shack in Nags Head Woods with nothing to keep him company but his goats. One night, teenagers showed up to his house and while he was away in the woods they vandalized his house and killed his goats. Goat Man emerged from the woods to see this horror and chased down the teenagers, throwing his ax at them. To this day, he is rumored to kidnap or chase teenagers, with some of the stories having him appear as a man and some saying he is a half goat, half man.
    The house has been torn down for a few years now, but for decades, teenagers ventured into the woods and knocked at the door hoping to catch a glimpse of Goat Man. Around the year 2000, a summer intern for The Nature Conservancy was staying in the cabin and said he would lay in bed listening to the sounds of teenagers roaming around looking for Goat Man. Some would honk in the driveway, some knocked at the door, and others just partied.
    The truth is, the cabin was just a retreat for a local man who wanted to hunt and fish in Nags Head Woods. And the tales are just the musings of teenage minds in a small town during the off season without much else to do. Probably.
If you want more local legends and stories check out a book at a Dare County Library location near you:
East Albemarle Regional Library.

The Witch of Nags Head Woods

After a single visit, it's easy to see why there are several stories and legends told about the murky and mysterious Nags Head Woods. One that has endured through time is that of a witch who lived there during the times of pirates. Another legend tells of a witch on whom local fishermen relied to bring the right winds for a good catch.
Miss MabeAccording to Charles Harry Whedbee - a truly 'legendary' Outer Banks storyteller himself - along the shores of the Roanoke Sound deep in Nag's Head woods lived Miss Mabe, "a genuine witch." Children would collect coins and venture to Miss Mabe's home to get their fortune told and see her "coterie of black cats." Local fishermen paid tribute to Miss Mabe by tossing a prime piece of their catch on her dock as tribute; if they forgot, Miss Mabe would use her witchy powers to switch the wind to the north, pushing boats back to shore and preventing them from catching anything at all. If Miss Mabe let the winds blow from a northerly direction for more than three days, a group of fishermen would approach, ask forgiveness, and promise to remember her with their next catch - it was usually enough for her to switch the wind to something more favorable. (Of course, most people believe Miss Mabe was just a nice old woman who had no powers at all, but relied on the fishermen for fresh meat.)
The Pirate's DaughterAccording to a different legend, there lived a witch in Nags Head Woods during the time of marauding pirates. One group swooped in and kidnapped the witch's son, forcing him to become a member of their crew. After a time, they returned to the witch with the sad news that her son had died at sea. Learning about the loss, in her grief, the witch cursed the pirate captain and sent him on his way. After that, his wife left him, taking their daughter with her; the pirate died sad and lonely. But the curse was apparently passed on to the pirate's daughter; on her wedding night, the daughter disappeared without a trace. As time wore on, stories spread that the house was haunted by a young woman whose face could be seen in the windows. An intrepid fellow, determined to solve the mystery, eventually found the body of the Pirate's Daughter in a hidden room in the house - once her remains were laid to rest, the ghost vanished. You can find more on this story by checking out a book at a Dare County Library location near you:
Whedbee, Charles. Legends of the Outer Banks and Tar Hill Tidewater. John F. Blair Publisher, 1966.
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Schmidt, Peggy. Ghosts of the Outer Banks. Schiffer, 2012.

The Seven Sisters

The Seven Sisters is known today as an area located in Nags Head near milepost 14. According to one legend, the area got its name during the end of the Civil War when a slave owner released his seven slaves to return to their homeland. These seven slaves, all sisters, disappeared the next day after their release when a large storm bombarded the region...leaving seven large sand dunes in its wake.
    Another version of the story tells of a benevolent slave owner in Perquimans County who built a tuberculosis recovery village near milepost 14 in Nags Head in the time before the Civil War. He brought seven sisters, their husbands and children to the village to help slaves recover from the disease. The village stood for three years, becoming a self-sufficient community, and all the patients recovered. After three years, the slaves and their families were moved back to the plantations in Perquimans County and the village on the Outer Banks was abandoned and overtaken by the forest. The location of this village is said to be on the exact spot where the seven hills now stand.
    Each hill was named after one of the seven sisters, who were said to be daughters of an African king. These princesses were sold into slavery while their father, the king, was sick. Legend has it that the spirits of these seven princesses return to this site of their great happiness and good fortune. This is said to always occur in the summer, the season of their greatest enjoyment of the Outer Banks.
    If you find yourself in the area during the summer, you may see the ghost of one, or more, of these seven royal sisters walking on the crest of her own namesake hill.
You can find more on this story by checking out a book at a Dare County Library location near you:
Whedbee, Charles. Legends of the Outer Banks and Tar Hill Tidewater. John F. Blair Publisher, 1966.

Pin Hill

South of Jockey's Ridge there used to be a collection of sand dunes marked on old maps. One such dune was called Pin Hill. It is said that if you go to Pin Hill you will find 1000s of straight pins, some new, some old, some rusted, some fused together as if struck by lightning. If you collect all the straight pins you can see, and you return the next day, the dune will again be covered in straight pins. There are some less colorful explanations, but the best is a story told by an old man that ran a hotel right near the dune.
    In the early 1800s, farmers from the mainland brought their corn over to the Outer Banks to be ground by windmills that were scattered along the coast because of the steady winds. Fishermen in the area would take side jobs grinding corn into cornmeal and then take some of it as partial payment to sell up and down the coast in their boats. One such fisherman was Christopher Midgett of Hatteras Island.
    Christopher had a piece of property with a windmill and was home one day to grind cornmeal when he noticed that a previously dried up pond on his property was filled with partially submerged porpoises. The evening before, a squall had blown in, and the tide pushed the porpoises into the pond, but they were unable to escape. Christopher, being a kind man, could not stand to see them suffer and he labored the entire day and evening to dig a trench that would allow them to escape back to the water. After a hard day of non-stop labor, he was successful in saving the animals.
    That evening, while he slept, his room filled with a glow and Poseidon himself appeared before him to give him a gift for his kindness, a ring that would grant 3 wishes. Christopher, being a practical man, wished for a long healthy life for himself, and one for his wife. At the time, he was unable to think of a third wish, so Poseidon let him keep the ornate ring but warned him the wish would transfer to someone else if lost.
    That week Christopher decided to travel up the coast to sell his cornmeal and that is where he met a traveling pack peddler selling goods out of his pouches along the coast. The peddler was not an honest man and decided he was going to take money from Christopher. He hatched a plan to get Christopher drunk and then win his money by gambling. This plan worked so well for the peddler that Christopher even put up and lost his ring with one remaining wish.
    Poseidon appeared before the peddler and granted him one wish, even though he was mad that the man had been deceitful in getting the ring. The peddler thought of his money pouch and wished for the contents within his pouch to double every hour. Poseidon did not like the peddler, so he demanded to know the color of the pouch he wanted to double. The problem was he was too drunk and couldn't remember which of his pouches contained the money and seeing Poseidon's anger, he quickly shouted "The black one". Running back to his room, the peddler discovered that his money was in the brown pouch, not the black one that contained straight pins. He chucked the already doubling pouch out the window where it was eventually buried by the sand and is still doubling below Pin Hill.
You can find more on this story by checking out a book at a Dare County Library location near you:
Whedbee, Charles. The Flaming Ship of Ocracoke & Other Tales of the Outer Banks. John F. Blair, Publisher, 1971.

Queen of the Sounds

Frenchy Godette found himself stationed on Roanoke Island during the Civil War. He loved the area and the people who lived there; so much so that when the War ended, he decided to make the Outer banks his home. Looking for a unique occupation to meet the needs of the locals, Frenchy commissioned the building of a riverboat, The Queen of the Sounds.
    Fully equipped with bars, female entertainment, and a player piano, the Queen made tours of the Currituck and Albemarle Sounds for two years, docking everywhere from Elizabeth City to Manteo. Locals celebrated the arrival of the Queen as if it was a holiday and Frenchy found himself a rich man.
    But wealth doesn't always fulfill a man and Frenchy soon fell in love. She was said to be young and beautiful but with one major flaw - she was a witch. Not long after the two took up together, Frenchy started openly talking about worshiping the Devil.
    Of course, even talk of the Devil doesn't stop folks looking for a good time, so when the Queen weighed anchor at the start of her third season in the Sound between Wanchese and Bodie Island, locals got in row boats and made their way over for a night out. Unfortunately, Frenchy had convened a coven of witches and declared plans to summon the Devil that weekend - on a Sunday, no less. Despite their pleas to call it off, Frenchy couldn't be talked out of his sinister plan.
    On the night of the Summoning, witnesses claimed that chanting could be heard from the Queen not long before the player piano began beating out a loud and boisterous tune which continued through the night. Over the piano music, a booming voice was heard and those on the water kept their distance. After a few hours of this cacophony, steam pierced the air and the Queen exploded into a thousand burning splinters. No one survived.
    To this day, if you stand on the Causeway bridge between Nags Head and Manteo on a warm summer night when the wind is right, some say you can hear the tinkling of a player piano and see the reflection of the Queen's lights on the surface of the sound.
You can find more on this story by checking out a book at a Dare County Library location near you:
Whedbee, Charles. Outer Banks Mysteries & Seaside Stories. John F. Blair, Publisher, 1978.
Photo Credit: "Comet" Currituck-Norfolk freight & passenger boat early 20th century. From The Outer Banks History Center, Manteo, NC. PC.5099 Henry Clark Bridgers, Jr. Papers, Box 8.

The Lost Colony

In the summer of 1587, Roanoke Colony was established as colonists - men, women, and children - attempted to form the first permanent English outpost in North America. Approximately 115 English settlers arrived at Roanoke Island and one month later they welcomed Virginia Dare, the first English child born in the new world. Later that year, the governor of the Roanoke Colony, John White, returned to England for supplies, leaving behind the colonists, including his granddaughter, Virginia Dare.
As White arrived in England, war with Spain broke out and every ship was ordered into action. Thus, it was three years before he could make the return trip. Once Governor White returned in 1590, he found the colonists had disappeared and the only clues of their whereabouts were the letters "CRO" carved into a tree by the sound and the word "CROATOAN" carved on another tree near the remains of Fort Raleigh.
Though there are many theories about their fate, the colonists were never found and what happened to them remains a mystery to this day.
You can find more on this story by checking out a book at a Dare County Library location near you:
Stick, David. Roanoke Island, the Beginnings of English America. The University of North Carolina Press, 1983.
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Gabriel-Powell, Andy. Richard Grenville and the Lost Colony of Roanoke. McFarland & Company, Inc., 2016.

Legend of the White Doe

This tale centers around Virginia Dare who was the first English child born in the New World on August 18, 1587. She was the daughter of colonists Eleanor and Ananias Dare, and the granddaughter of John White, Eleanor Dare's father, and the Governor of the 89 men, 17 women, and 10 children sent by Sir Walter Raleigh to establish a British colony on Roanoke Island.
    Just nine days after baby Virginia was born, Governor John White was pressed to set sail back to England for supplies. And because of the threat of invasion from Spain, and the shifting political mood of the Elizabethan Court, he was not able to return to the colony for three long years.
    When White finally returned, the colonists were gone. The only clue to their fate was one word carved into a tree: CROATOAN. Or were they? Many believe that a good number of colonists had escaped an Indian massacre, with the help of an English-speaking Indian named Manteo, and had gone to live with the Croatoan Indians on a nearby island.
    Several years earlier, Manteo and another Croatoan named Wanchese had met the initial reconnaissance expedition for the first attempted colony. They traveled back to England with them and met Queen Elizabeth, learning English along the way, and returned to Roanoke with the first group of colonists.
    And now the legend. This version of the Legend of the White Doe begins with Virginia Dare, growing up happily among the Croatoan Indians, educated in the ways of the forest by her good friend and protector, Manteo. She soon blooms into a beautiful young woman and naturally begins attracting the attention of suitors, especially a young chieftain named Okisko. However, the first to ask for her hand is Chico, a much older medicine man skilled in magic. Already in love with Okisko, she refuses him, and he flies into a rage of jealousy.
    Overcome with anger and spite from her rejection, Chico decides that if he cannot have her, no one else will. He concocted a bewitched potion, tricked the lovely Virginia into drinking it, and she was transformed into a snow-white deer. Sightings of the white deer spread and hunters began to pursue her. Chico decided to act and break the spell before Virginia was harmed, but the only way was to shoot her with a magic arrow.
    Unfortunately for her, Chico found her seconds too late and as he shot his magic arrow to turn her back, another hunter shot an arrow. She was transformed back to her human form seconds before being killed by an arrow. The white doe is still spotted on Roanoke Island and locals say if you listen hard enough you can hear it speaking in the voice of a young woman.
You can find more on this story by checking out a book at a Dare County Library location near you:
Schmidt, Peggy. Ghosts of the Outer Banks. Schiffer Publishing Ltd, 2012.
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Whedee, Charles. Pirates, Ghosts, and Coastal Lure The Best of Judge Whedbee. John F. Blair, Publisher. 2004.

Roanoke Island Inn

The Roanoke Island Inn is a large beautiful building overlooking the sound in downtown Manteo, with the original portion of the house dating back to the 1860s. The house remained in the same family for generations and, according to some guests, one of those family members is still there.
    Roscoe Jones was quite happy in his life, living in a beautiful house in Manteo with his wife and children. Thanks to some handy political connections, he was appointed Postmaster of Manteo. This was a huge honor for Roscoe and he was bursting with pride over the position. He loved his job, visiting friends along the route and spending quality time with his family, and could not imagine retiring. Unfortunately for him, his friends fell from power and their successors fired all political appointees, including Roscoe. He tried everything to save his job, but it was no use.
     Roscoe turned in his key at the post office and, almost completely overwhelmed by shame, made the painful walk home. He took one long look at the roses climbing up the trellis, the beautiful views, and walked straight into the house. Roscoe locked himself in his room upstairs and would not come out. His wife would leave food outside his door, but the humiliation he felt was so severe that Roscoe remained in seclusion for what little remained of his life, never speaking to his family again.
    Not long after he died, a neighbor saw Roscoe in his postal uniform walk up the road to the post office and back through the front door. More recently, guests at the Roanoke Island Inn saw their jewelry moving on the dresser, and employees heard screams and footsteps in an empty room. Like the shame that haunted his last days, Roscoe's presence continues to haunt the Roanoke Island Inn.
You can find more on this story by checking out a book at a Dare County Library location near you:
Schmidt, Peggy. Ghosts of the Outer Banks. Schiffer Publishing Ltd, 2012.

The Pioneer Theatre

In 1967, Brenda Holland came to the Outer Banks, working as a crew member for the Lost Colony drama. On July 1st, when she didn't show up for work, Brenda was reported missing. Tragically, five days later, Brenda's body was found in the water near Roanoke Island. She had been beaten and strangled. To this day, no one has been arrested for the crime and Brenda Holland's murder remains a mystery.
But, Brenda's spirit may still be in the area. The summer after her murder, a group of friends were at the Pioneer Theatre watching a movie in which a character played by Rod Steiger was reading a newspaper. The friends realized that the newspaper on screen showed an article about Brenda's murder. Steiger's character was a serial killer who preyed on young women and the title of the movie was No Way to Treat a Lady. Was this a message from Brenda?
A short walk from the Pioneer Theatre leads to the sound where Brenda's body was found. At the time of that discovery, many emergency vehicles from the surrounding area responded to that location. More than 45 years later, workers at Roanoke Island Festival Park have reported seeing flashing emergency lights in the rearview mirror as they are leaving in the evening. Turning around, there are no vehicles there, only the appearance of mysterious lights as a reminder that Brenda's mystery remains unsolved.
You can find more on this story by checking out a book at a Dare County Library location near you:
Schmidt, Peggy. Ghosts of the Outer Banks. Schiffer Publishing Ltd, 2012.
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Railey, John. The Lost Colony murder on the Outer Banks : seeking justice for Brenda Joyce Holland. The History Press. 2021.
Photo Credit: The Pioneer Theatre’s original pre-1970 marquee. Here it is in 1950. (Courtesy of Michael Basnight) Retrieved from wavy.com

Legend of Old Buck

Every Christmas, Old Christmas, on Jan. 6th, that is, the village of Rodanthe is visited by the bull, Old Buck. Old Buck, also known as Bucca, has lived in Trent Woods for 400 years, and he makes an appearance to share which children have behaved that year. The story of how he got there spans continents and centuries.
    English folklore tells the story of a dragon who dominated England and of Saint George, who defeated the dragon, freeing the country from its clutches. Some legend, though, says that the dragon begged for its life and vowed to never return to England if his spirit was spared. Saint George granted the dragon this wish and the dragon's spirit left England and spent its time passing from creature to creature.
    Later in the sixteenth century, a Spaniard named Don Carlos Montiero was hastily preparing a ship to sail to the new world. Montiero had potentially been part of a plot to overthrow the monarchy and he was on his way out of town quickly. He decided he was going to bring bull fighting to the new world and he loaded a massive bull named Bucca on the ship.
    Bucca was a gentle-tempered bull and gave no fuss as he was loaded on the ship. That was until a week later. The dragon had decided to inhabit Bucca and suddenly the gentle bull was kicking and heaving and busting everything around him. When they finally got him calm, they assigned two sailors to care for him and, although they were terrified of him, they would come to appreciate him.
    As they neared the coast, a storm came upon them and tore the ship apart, drawing everyone but Bucca and his two caretakers. As they bobbed in the powerful surf, the sailors got the idea to each grab one of Bucca's giant horns and there they clung as he made his way to shore. He swam for hours until the three of them finally made it to the shores of Hatteras Island.
    The sailors were rescued by local Native Americans where they eventually learned to communicate and passed down the story of what they endured. Bucca wandered into the woods where he lives now, keeping an eye on the children of Hatteras Island.
You can find more on this story by checking out a book at a Dare County Library location near you:
Walser, Richard. North Carolina Legends. North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources, Second Printing 1981.
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Whedbee, Charles. Outer Banks Mysteries & Seaside Stories. John F. Blair, Publisher, 1978.

Drum of Old Christmas

In the 1700s, England was battling Scottish rebels who believed Prince Charles Edward should wear the crown. The battles in the Scottish highlands were ferocious and deadly and all took place while bagpipes and drums rang. One lad, Donald MacDonald, wanted to join the charge but, because of his age, was instead given the duty to carry the Golden Drum of Prince Edward.
    The Golden Drum was revered by highlanders. Legend said it would start to beat softly on its own when danger was coming for the drummer. One day in battle, the English finally gained the upper hand and mercilessly defeated the Scots. Young MacDonald managed to escape but not without being severely wounded. After a long hard recovery, he wanted to continue the fight, but the British were killing all the rebels and the highlanders were giving up the cause. So Donald made the decision to sail to the new world to start a new life, taking his prize possession, the Golden Drum, with him.
    Once close to shore, a horrible storm came and wrecked his ship just east of Rodanthe. MacDonald was able to float safely to shore though using the drum as a flotation device. Once on shore, he was rescued by the local Payne family and eventually became a part of their family. With no children of his own, he passed the drum on to the children of his rescuers.
    To this day, the drum continues to be passed down among the Payne family and every year for Old Christmas in Rodanthe they come together and play the Drum of Old Christmas. They say the drum still beats on its own when America is in danger and that it has beat before every war we have had.
You can find more on this story by checking out a book at a Dare County Library location near you:
Whedbee, Charles. Outer Banks Mysteries & Seaside Stories. John F. Blair, Publisher, 1978.

The Portrait of Theodosia Burr

Did you know that Alexander Hamilton was responsible for the erection of Cape Hatteras Lighthouse? Sailing ships traveling along the East Coast had to sail close to the shore to temper the effects of the powerful Jet Stream. Hamilton was caught in a particularly bad storm near Hatteras and requested a lighthouse be built to protect ships from the dangerous coastline. But the lighthouse couldn't save everyone…
    A popular tale around Hatteras Island is the story of Theodosia Burr Alston, the only child of Vice President Aaron Burr's first marriage. Theodosia was married to Joseph Alston and had a young son named Aaron Burr Alston, who died at age ten due to malaria. Theodosia and her father were very close. She raised money and attempted to gather support for him when he was exiled following Burr being arrested for treason. When her son died and the War of 1812 broke out, Theodosia was sent by her husband to her father's home for safety. She boarded the schooner Patriot in Charleston, SC; Theodosia carried with her a portrait she commissioned as a special gift for her father. The boat and its crew were never seen again.
    One story says Theodosia's ship was boarded by bloodthirsty pirates. They forced passengers and crew to walk the plank, plummeting into bloody shark-filled waters. Theodosia's mind broke from terror, and the pirates, ever fearful of madness, put her ashore still clutching her portrait. A Nags Head fisherman and his wife found her wandering the shore and took her in. A doctor came to see her and, in the custom of the time, was offered something from the house for his fee. The doctor said he would take the portrait. Theodosia leapt off her sickbed shouting, "It is mine! I am taking my father a portrait of his darling Theodosia!" She ran from the house and was never seen again. The next day, the portrait was found on the beach with no sign of Theodosia.
    Some say she died while others say she got away but suffered from amnesia. In 1869, a doctor from Elizabeth City named Dr. William Pool, who was summering in Nags Head, was called to the home of an elderly woman. He cared for the woman and accepted a portrait as payment. The woman said that the portrait was of herself when she was younger and that her name was Theodosia. Another version of the story says that the empty Patriot was found beached in Nags Head and the portrait was stolen from a lady's cabin by wreckers, later given to Dr. Pool by an elderly woman who was cagey about how she got it but that it was of Theodosia. Regardless of how he received the portrait, Dr. Pool firmly believed that it was of Theodosia. A descendant of Dr. Pool sold the portrait to the Burr family, who donated it to Yale University, where it now hangs in the Lewis Walpole Library.
    Previous to the Hatteras Lighthouse's move in 1999, a woman in white was seen walking the beaches by the lighthouse. This woman is said to be Theodosia Burr Alston, searching for her lost portrait. She is also often spotted on the beaches in Nags Head, most often between Christmas and the New Year.
You can find more on this story by checking out a book at a Dare County Library location near you:
Thay, Edrick. Ghosts of North Carolina. [Edmonton] : Lone Pine Pub., 2005.
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Albertson, Catherine Seyton. Wings Over Kill Devil and Legends of the Dunes of Dare. Capital Printing Co., Raleigh, 1936.
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Schmidt, Peggy. Ghosts of the Outer Banks. Schiffer Publishing Ltd, 2012. Pages 46-51. 133.109 SCH.

Carroll A. Deering

The Carroll A. Deering was a 5-masted schooner built in Bath, Maine in 1919. It was named after the owner's youngest son, who was also the bookkeeper for the G. C. Deering Company. It was considered a state-of-the-art cargo ship with steam heat, electricity and a functional bathroom. At 255 feet long and 45 feet wide with 3 decks, the schooner was an impressive sight. The bulk of the ship was made from Virginia oak, Carolina pine and cypress with the Captain's quarters trimmed out in mahogany, cypress and ash wood.
    The Carroll A. Deering carried a high dollar trade for that day; coal. In 1919, she carried 3, 505 tons of coal from Newport News, Virginia to Rio de Janeiro, then returned from Buenos Aires to New York with 2,912 tons of corn. She made 2 more trips in 1920 and had already recovered half her building costs with Captain Merritt at the helm, who was also a personal friend of Mr. Deering, the owner. Unfortunately, Captain Merritt fell ill and the crew had to dock the vessel for him to receive medical attention before they could complete the delivery. He recommended a replacement, his friend and neighbor, retired captain Willis B. Wormell.
    The final voyage of the Carroll A. Deering was documented with the coal delivery in Rio and departed December 2, 1920. She made a final stop for supplies in Barbados around early January. Through witnesses who had separate conversations with Captain Wormell and first mate Charles B. McLellan, in Rio and Barbados, confirmed there was mutual disdain for each other as well as complaints by each about the unruly crew. A loud and drunken McClellan was overheard, at a café in Barbados, making threatening statements regarding the captain, which resulted in his quick arrest. In a strange turn of events, Captain Wormell bailed McClelland out of jail on January 9, 1921. They set sail the very same day, heading for Norfolk, VA.
    Two weeks after setting sail from Barbados, the Carroll A. Deering was spotted passing Frying Pan Shoals near Cape Fear, N.C. Along with the stormy relationship aboard ship, there was also a storm brewing out in the Atlantic. Starting around January 26, gale force winds out of the northeast were reported by the Cape Lookout Shoals Lightship for days. On January 29, the seas had calmed. The same day, the Deering is spotted by the captain of the Cape Lookout Lightship. He reported a red-headed crewman with a Scandinavian accent waved him down and reported they had lost both anchors in the storm and to send word to the owner. As the Deering sailed past, the captain noted this sailor did not appear to be the captain or first mate. The movements onboard by the crew seemed disorganized and some were gathered on the foredeck of the schooner, which should only have been accessed by the captain. The ship continued sailing north. The schooner looked to be making good time and neat in passing, but it was only the beginning of the mystery.
    On a routine beach patrol at the U.S. Coast Guard Station in Cape Hatteras, NC, surfman, C. P. Brady, spotted the Carroll A. Deering, in full sail, grounded on Diamond Shoals, January 31, 1921. The surf was too rough for them to attempt boarding the schooner, so it took 4 more days before the crew was able to reach the stranded schooner. Upon boarding the ship, the coastguard noted an eerie silence as they carefully searched the ship, except for the muffled banging of the ship's disengaged rudder. Everyone seemed to be on high alert in apprehension of what they might find. Below deck everything appeared to be neat and in order. In the ship's dining room, they met with the most unusual sight. The table was set and food prepared that appeared to have been untouched, as though the crew had to leave abruptly. It was confirmed the schooner was missing both anchors, both lifeboats, log book, charts, navigational devices and the ship's wheel was broken. The only living thing found was a gray cat.
    An intense search began at sea and for miles along the shoreline by boat, on foot, and on horseback, but no signs or evidence of the captain, first mate or crew were ever found. The mysterious disappearance of the 11-man crew of the Carroll A. Deering is one of the great unsolved maritime mysteries and truly earned the names, "Phantom Schooner" and "Ghost Ship of Diamond Shoals."
You can find more on this story by checking out a book at a Dare County Library location near you:
Whedbee, Charles. Legends of the Outer Banks and Tar Hill Tidewater. John F. Blair Publisher, 1966.
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Simpson, Bland. Ghost Ship of Diamond Shoals. The University of North Carolina Press. 2002
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Charlet, James D. Shipwrecks of the Outer Banks. GLOBE PEQUOT, 2020..
Photo Credit: The five-masted schooner Carroll A. Deering was built in 1919 in Bath, Maine and wrecked on January 31, 1921. The Mariners Museum

Hatteras Lighthouse Cat

For about one hundred years, locals have been telling stories of a keeper's cat haunting the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. Visitors to the lighthouse have reported an apparition of a big, black cat running past them. The cat has also brushed up against visitors' legs, but when they try to pick him up, the cat disappears. The apparition has been seen inside and outside the lighthouse. Apparently, the ghost cat is determined to stay with the lighthouse as sightings continued to be reported after the lighthouse was moved in 1999.
You can find more on this story by checking out a book at a Dare County Library location near you:
Carmichael, Sherman. Mysterious Tales of Coastal North Carolina. Charleston, SC: The History Press, 2018

Cora Tree

As the story goes, in the early 1700s, a slight woman and her baby, whom she was never seen without, arrived in Frisco. She managed to build a crude hut for herself and the child, away from the village. She was quiet and did not socialize. People wondered why she needed so much privacy. Rumors began to circulate quickly and often, as you can imagine, about her. Being only a short time after the Salem Witch Trials, it didn't take long for rumors of sorcery and witchcraft to become the consensus of the villagers.
    After all, she had touched a cow, and just days later, it dried up and quit producing milk. Then there was that boy that teased her baby, sticking out his tongue and contorting his face. He suddenly became very ill shortly after and almost died. Not to mention, Cora always had an abundance of fish, and the fishermen were suddenly not catching fish. She had to be a witch.
    All this gossiping and finger-pointing would probably have remained just that, being we are in the South and Southern hospitality and all that, but a tattered, busted ship named the Susan G. arrived. The Susan G was boarded by Captain Eli Blood and his crew of ruffians, sea-worn sailors, and ex-slaves from Barbados.
    Captain Eli Blood was a long-time native of Salem, Massachusetts. He pronounced himself an exemplary student of all the finest New England traditions, self-proclaimed himself a witch hunter, and decreed himself a defender of the people. You know the type.
    After hearing all the stories of child and animal illnesses, storms, and wrecks that were ALL, apparently, Cora's fault, it didn't take long for the good Captain to also become suspicious that Cora was a witch. Then, as if on cue, the body of a local man washed up on the shore. Supposedly, he had a twisted look of terror on his face as if pleading for his life. Even worse was the presence of small footprints surrounding the body and leading off into the woods towards Cora's hut. This strengthened Captain Blood's resolve that Cora was indeed a witch, and it was his duty to save these good people of Frisco from the misfortune this witch intended.
    Cora's fate was sealed. With the entire mob of villagers stunned in awe, Captain Blood tied Cora and the baby to the old oak tree in the middle of town. The captain and his men hurriedly gathered kindling and branches at the base of the tree and Cora's feet. She was to suffer the usual fate of witches for the day; to be burned alive.
    Captain Blood's arm was just about to touch fire to pyre. Suddenly, the sunny sky filled with storm clouds, thunder rumbling low. The sky opened with a clap of loud thunder and a bolt of lightning directly hit the tree. Everyone was thrown to the ground, loud ringing in their ears, and thick dark smoke filled the air. When the smoke cleared, senses returned, and as the villagers composed themselves, they noticed Cora and the baby were gone. The ropes still hung on the branches of the splintered burnt tree, and the kindling was untouched. The trunk of the tree was ripped open with a big burnt heart-shaped hole. Emblazoned on the exact spot where Cora had been tied with her baby, only the large, capital letters C O R A remained.
    This would be just a nice story to shrug off, if the tree wasn't still standing proud in all her majestic glory in Frisco. In the middle of Snug Harbor Drive in the Brigand Bay Community, the road splits around an old Southern Live Oak tree as a testament to this legend with the large capital letters CORA carved into the trunk.
You can find more on this story by checking out the book at a Dare County Library location near you:
Whedbee, Charles. Blackbeard's Cup and Stories of the Outer Banks. John F. Blair, Publisher, 1989.
Photo Courtesy of Sarah Gannon

Legend of White Cloud

Off the coast of Hatteras on a clear day, you can see the spirit of a Native American princess named White Cloud high in the sky. She takes the form of a single white cloud looking across the sea waiting for love to return to her.
     As her story goes, a schooner named St Francis wrecked on the shoals of the Graveyard of the Atlantic. Everyone on the ship was lost except one handsome young Spaniard who washed ashore. The native princess nursed him back to health, and they fell madly in love.
    The Spanish lad was to marry White Cloud, but first he wanted to return home and claim his inheritance. He set sail and White Cloud waited for the return of her love. She waited her whole life on the shores of Hatteras, but her love never returned to her. Upon her deathbed, she asked the great spirit to allow her to continue looking for him, and she was granted the favor.
    If you were to ask a scientist, that cloud that is always high in the sky is actually at the point where the warm Jet Stream waters meet those of the cold Labrador Current, causing excess condensation. But you didn't ask a scientist, you came here.
You can find more on this story by checking out the book at a Dare County Library location near you:
Whedbee, Charles. Outer Banks Mysteries & Seaside Stories. John F. Blair, Publisher, 1978.

The Gray Man

As news of a hurricane approaching the shores of Cape Hatteras comes, so will the tales of the Gray Man of Hatteras. Since the early 1900s there have been tales of a mysterious man that looks like a shadow, but vanishes when you get close. The man is usually seen signaling for you to leave the beach.
Local legend has it that the ghost was a local man named Gray that was drowned in a storm that came suddenly, and he is trying to warn his fellow islanders to take shelter. To this day there are still sightings of the Gray Man, but not with just any storm. If you see the Gray Man on the beach, then the storm that is coming is going to be a bad one and you should get yourself somewhere safe. He is usually sighted in Hatteras or Pawleys Island, SC, but may have been captured on the Avalon Pier Cam prior to Hurricane Florence.
You can find more on this story by checking out the book at a Dare County Library location near you:
Whedbee, Charles. Outer Banks Mysteries & Seaside Stories. John F. Blair, Publisher, 1978.

Hatteras Jack

Legends aren't all full of doom and gloom - some are tales of joy and wonder. Around 1790, sea captains navigating the treacherous waters of Hatteras Inlet - between Hatteras Island and Ocracoke - found themselves in need of guidance that their instruments couldn't provide. Instead, ahead of their ships, up popped an albino dolphin said to be white as snow, eager and happy to lead the way to safe harbor. The dolphin became such a regular for boats needing assistance in rough waters or through thick fog that he garnered the nickname 'Hatteras Jack'. After successfully leading a boat to port, it was said Hatteras Jack could be seen jumping, flipping, and riding on his tail in the waves.
Over time, ship navigational systems outsmarted nature and captains no longer needed to rely on Hatteras Jack for assistance, so he was seen less and less over time until he disappeared altogether. Some like to believe he moved on to another area where he is still needed. The name Hatteras Jack can be seen all over Hatteras Island today as a tribute to our helpful and loyal albino dolphin guide.
You can find more on this story by checking out the book at a Dare County Library location near you:
Whedbee, Charles. Legends of the Outer Banks and Tar Hill Tidewater. John F. Blair Publisher, 1966.

The Flaming Ship

If you happen to find yourself on the shores near Ocracoke Inlet on the first day of the new moon in the month of September, then look to the northeast. It is said that year after year you can see a flaming ship sailing across the horizon repeating its course three times.
    In the late 1600s, refugees escaping religious wars from Germany and Switzerland flooded into England. To help solve the problem, an ex-pirate, but now pardoned Baron, Christopher de Graffenried, offered to sail the refugees to settle in America. The Palatines were bound for New Bern with everything they owned, which was usually next to nothing. Once they arrive at Ocracoke Inlet, they are transferred to small boats and transferred to Portsmouth Island for a brief break from the sea before continuing on to New Bern.
    One such trip carried a group of passengers that had more than the usual amount of treasure and when Graffenried saw them standing on the deck he devised a plan to rid them of their gold. He consulted with his crew and once they had all agreed to a plan, he told the passengers there was a delay to their trip to shore, and they would embark the next day.
    That night, the first night of the new moon in September, the crew snuck into the sleeping quarters and slit the throats of every passenger on board. They gathered all possessions of the refugees and divided them up before putting them on lifeboats to head to shore. Before they left, they untied some sails and set a small fire to cover their tracks and fake a disaster.
    As they sailed to shore, something unusual happened. The fire burned the rigging holding the other sails and the ship, while alight, sailed full speed at the lifeboats, wrecking them. Then, just as abruptly, the ship turned and set course to the northeast. Few of the men made it to shore but most met their death on the bottom of the inlet.
You can find more on this story by checking out the book at a Dare County Library location near you:
Whedbee, Charles. The Flaming Ship of Ocracoke & Other Tales of the Outer Banks. John F. Blair, Publisher, 1971.

Old Quawk

In the late 1700s or early 1800s, a man of indeterminate origin made his home on Ocracoke Island. Several miles north of the village, on a small hill, or hammock, he built his simple home of bull rushes and driftwood.
    He had arrived on the island, some said, on a schooner from a distant land. Others claimed he had been shipwrecked on the beach and had decided to remain here. It was even rumored that he had once been a pirate. At any rate, he was different from the other residents. Not only was he dark skinned (some think he was African, West Indian, or perhaps Puerto Rican descent), he was often surly and disagreeable, preferring his solitude to interaction with the rest of the island community. When he got excited or argumentative, people thought he squawked like a night heron. Hence, the nickname, Old Quawk. No one seems to have known his given name.
    Like the other men of the island, Old Quawk fished nets in Pamlico Sound. One year, on March 16, the wind picked up, the sea ran rough and storm clouds gathered on the horizon. Concerned about their safety, island fishermen agreed not to venture out in their small sailing skiffs.
    Only Old Quawk disagreed and set out in his small boat to salvage his catch and his equipment. Legend has it that Old Quawk returned as the storm continued to gain strength. His boat weighed down with trout, flounder, blue fish, mullet, spot, croaker, redfish and drum. Not a single trash fish on the boat. His neighbors helped him unload his catch, but were then surprised to see Old Quawk refolding nets, refilling water jugs and preparing to return to the worsening sea. His neighbors begged and pleaded with him that the sea was too rough and worsening and it would be flying in the face of the Almighty himself to put out needlessly in this weather. According to legend, Old Quawk laughed scornfully, shook his fist to the heavens and claimed to be greater and more powerful than any God in heaven. And with that he set out into the storm, followed by a shrieking night heron. Old Quawk and his boat were never seen again.
    For more than two hundred years, seafarers from Ocracoke have paid respect to the memory of Old Quawk by staying in port on March 16. Old Quawk lives on in the names of landmarks near where he made his home: North Carolina Highway 12 crosses "Old Quork's Creek" several miles north of Ocracoke Village. Nearby is Quawk Hammock, a modest hill where Old Quawk spent his last years.
You can find more on this story by checking out a book at a Dare County Library location near you:
Walser, Richard. North Carolina Legends. North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources, Second Printing 1981.
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Whedbee, Charles. Legends of the Outer Banks and Tar Hill Tidewater. John F. Blair Publisher, 1966.

Blackbeard

Edward Teach, aka Black Beard, was a pirate that terrorized seafarers throughout the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean from 1716 to 1718. He started his career at sea perfectly legal about a British Privateer, a ship that legally seized enemy ships for the Queen. But once the war with France ended, all their privateering became piracy. A pardon was offered to Captain Hornigold and Teach, who was then a lieutenant. The captain accepted the pardon and retired, but Teach declined.
    Teach took over the ship and re-named it the Queen Anne's Revenge and started going by the name, Blackbeard. Black Beard would weave fuses into his beard and light them as a way to strike fear into his opponents as he raided their ships. At nearly 7-feet tall, he was fearsome even without a beard aflame.
    Blackbeard took a particular liking to Portsmouth Island, Ocracoke, and the town of Bath. Even making it his home. He tried to give up piracy and settle here, but a life of drinking on land could not compare to his life at sea, raiding ships.
    In the fall of 1718, Black Beard was forcibly collecting tolls from ships in the inlet by Ocracoke Island. The Royal Navy sent two ships to Ocracoke to stop Black Beard. After heavy fighting, one of the ships was destroyed, but the navy was able to trick Black Beard onto their ship where he was beheaded and his body thrown overboard into the water. Black Beard's head was hung from the bowsprit of the navy ship as a warning to other pirates.
    Legend has it Black Beard's body circled the ship three or four times before diving deep into the ocean, the site known as "Teach's Hole." Many people have claimed to have seen a strange light moving beneath the water in Teach's Hole. Some say his body roams the beaches to guard his buried gold. Others claim when the wind is blowing and the rain is heavy they have heard an unearthly voice in pain calling out: "Where's my head?"
You can find more on this story by checking out a book at a Dare County Library location near you:
Carmichael, Sherman. Mysterious Tales of Coastal North Carolina. The History Press, 2018. Pgs 99-100. 975.6 CAR
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Garrison, Webb. A Treasury of Carolina Tales. Rutledge Hill Press, 1988..

Messages from the Sea

A natural waterman and beloved son of Ocracoke, James "Jim" B. Gaskill left in 1942 to do his duty in World War II. He joined up to fight for his country aboard the SS Caribsea, a 250-foot-long steam freighter stationed along the eastern seaboard. Not intended for warcraft, the slow and fat ship was armed with a machine gun and small cannon intended to protect shipping routes from German U-boats.
    On March 11, 1942, Jim's father, Bill, owner of Ocracoke's Pamlico Inn, was cleaning up debris on his wharf after a spring gale had blown through. Among the flotsam and jetsam, Bill pulled a large wooden board up on his dock, only to discover that it was an oar from a ship - with the name Caribsea.
    Later that same day, Jim's relative, Chris, was walking along the beach when he came across another piece of wreckage - a framed certificate for a third mate license of the Caribsea. The name on the license was none other than Jim Baugham Gaskill.
    It would be weeks before the War Department sent word to Jim's parents, Bill and Annie, that the Caribsea had been sunk by a German U-Boat on March 11, 1942, off Cape Lookout, NC, on its way to Norfolk, VA. The oar Jim's father found was turned into a cross which now sits on the altar of the Ocracoke Methodist Church, with the inscription, ""IN MEMORY OF CAPT. JAMES B. GASKILL. JULY 2, 1916. MARCH 11, 1942. THIS CROSS CONSTRUCTED FROM SALVAGE OF THE SHIP UPON WHICH CAPTAIN GASKILL LOST HIS LIFE."
You can find more on this story by checking out a book at a Dare County Library location near you:
Duffus, Kevin. War Zone: World War II off the North Carolina coast. Looking Glass Productions, Inc., 2012.
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Whedbee, Charles. Legends of the Outer Banks and Tar Hill Tidewater. John F. Blair Publisher, 1966.

Seneca Guns

Anyone who's spent some time on the Outer Banks has experienced the mysterious booming noises referred to as 'Seneca Guns.' The name has been attributed to Lake Seneca, New York, where loud booms are often heard.
    In 2001, residents in Wilmington, N.C. reported a series of booms that shook houses and rattled windows. While the National Earthquake Center in Boulder, Colorado was consulted, no definitive answer could be found. And throughout the years they have been felt all around the Outer Banks.
    When the Guns are heard on the Outer Banks, social media lights up with theories on what or where the noises are - sonic booms from Air Force jets out of Virginia Beach, Naval vessels practicing battle simulations off of our coast, meteors entering the atmosphere, the Continental Shelf collapsing, sand dunes shifting, and ghosts - you name it. But science may have a better answer.
    According to the U.S. Geologic Survey, the most likely cause of these booming noises heard up and down the East and West Coasts of the U.S. are underwater earthquakes. They say they may be caused by small shallow earthquakes that are big enough to be felt by people but not large enough or shallow enough to be picked up by a seismic instrument.
If you want more local legends and stories check out a book at a Dare County Library location near you:
East Albemarle Regional Library.

This map is brought to you by the Dare County GIS Department and the Dare County Library.

You can read more about each story by visiting your local library.
Locations can be found in Manteo, Kill Devil Hills, and Hatteras.
A link is provided for each story to the book it was obtained from. Additional sources can also be found here.

DARE COUNTY ASSUMES NO LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS MAP.
This information is NOT to be construed or used as a "legal description." Map information is believed to be accurate, but accuracy is not guaranteed.