On the west side of North Carolina 12 in Hatteras, this marker points out a critical radio…read moremilestone. And here I am listening to FM radio! The marker reads, "From near here in 1902 R. A. Fessenden sent the first musical notes ever relayed by radio waves. Received 48 miles north." It is marker number B-53 and it was erected in 1988 by the Division of Archives and History. On December 24 1902, Fessenden transmitted the first intentional radio broadcast, which included him playing his violin and reading a passage from the Bible. These sounds traveled 48 miles north to Roanoke Island, marking the first time musical notes were sent by radio waves. Fessenden's work introduced the continuous wave principle. His success in transmitting voice and music wirelessly revolutionized communication and laid the groundwork for future broadcasting technology. Fessenden patented more than 500 ideas, mostly in the field of radio, and is recognized as the originator of the continuous wave principle in wireless transmission, the foundation for modern AM radio. [Review 797 of 2025 - 4229 in North Carolina - 24357 overall]

This marker overlooks the Ocracoke South Terminal. There is a large parking lot nearby and it is…read moreeasy to stop and read the marker. The same text on both sides, it reads, "Lt. Robert Maynard. Of the Royal Navy. Sent by Gov. Spotswood of Virginia, in the sloop "Ranger," killed the pirate Blackbeard off shore, 1718." In the fall of 1718, the notorious pirate Edward Teach--better known as Blackbeard--was killed in North Carolina waters by British Royal Navy Lieutenant Robert Maynard, marking one of the most legendary episodes of the Golden Age of Piracy. Blackbeard had used the shallow inlets of North Carolina's coast for refuge, prompting Virginia's Governor Alexander Spotswood to send two sloops, Ranger and Jane, manned by Royal Navy crews, to hunt him down. On November 22, Maynard's forces engaged Blackbeard's sloop, the Adventure, near Ocracoke Inlet, leading to a brutal hand-to-hand battle in which Maynard personally shot the pirate captain. It is marker number B-43 and it was erected in 1955 by the Archives and Highway Departments. [Review 849 of 2025 - 4279 in North Carolina - 24406 overall] [7/20]

This marker is located in the sand dune outside of Ocracoke proper on the way south. It is easy to…read moremiss but worth stopping for a read. The front reads, "In December 1943, the U.S. Navy Section Base became the Advanced Amphibious Training Base (AATB) for the Beach Jumpers. Experienced officers and men from earlier units were brought back to assist in the training of Units 6, 7, 8 and 9 personnel, who would later serve in the Pacific. These units were trained in bothe classroom and live exercises of seaborne deception. To simulate full forces invasions along the beach while on board the 63 ft. ARBs (air-sea rescue boats). The boats were capable of high speeds and carried time delayed explosives, amplifiers, recorders (sound effects), smoke pots, radar, radios, rocket launchers and two sets of twin 50 caliber machine guns. They also used radio and radar counter measures to deceive the enemy. In making them believe an invasion was taking place along the beach. The base was closed in early 1946, after World War II ended and the boats were returned to Little Creek Amphibious Base, VA." And the rear, "Beach Jumpers were United States Navy tactical cover and deception units which were organized under Vice Admiral H.K. Hewitt, then Commander, Amphibious Forces U. S. Atlantic Fleet, and all U.S. Naval Forces in Northwest African Waters and Western Mediterranean. The concept for Beach Jumpers came about as a result of then-Lieutenant Douglas E. Fairbanks, Jr., the Hollywood actor-turned navel officer during World War II, having been detached from "blue water" duty on the high seas and assigned to duty with British Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten, Combined Operations (Commandos) in England." The monument was installed in 2009 by the Hyde County Heritage Trail. There is room to pull off the roadway. [Review 781 of 2025 - 4213 in North Carolina - 24341 overall]

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]

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.

Cute little library with a great summer reading program for kids! Every Thursday has an engaging…read moreand fun storytime with Ms. Tammy that the kids all love. There's an awesome playground for kids of all ages to play on near the back side of the building. It's covered in turf, has big kid and baby swings, a covered picnic table area, and fun pirate ship playground area. All of it is surrounded by a nice wooden fence, so the kids can run free without getting out of the play area.

Book displays changed regularly, comfy reading / knitting area, librarians who seem to know…read moreeverything, lots of activities for everyone...

This monument stands in the parking lot opposite the ferry terminal, close to the water. It points…read moreout the history of the Confederate form that stood nearby and lists those who served in the Civil War from here. The etched stone marker reads, "The remnants of Fort Ocracoke are submerged in Ocracoke Inlet, 2 miles to the west - southwest, toward Portsmouth Inlet. The last of possibly four forts on Beacon Island, the mostly earthen Fort Ocracoke was constructed by mainland Confederate volunteers, beginning on May 20, 1861, the day North Carolina seceded from the Union and joined the Confederacy. "After Union victories on Hatteras Island in August, 1861, the Confederates partly destroyed the fort and abandoned it without a fight. Mainland Union forces completed the destruction in September, 1861. Beacon Island was consumed by the waters of Ocracoke Inlet in the first half of the 20th century. The fort's remains were discovered and identified by members of surface interval diving boats in August 1998, acting on a tip from Ocracoke Charter Boat Captain, Donald Austin." On the rear, "In Memory of Veterans of the Civil War from Ocracoke & Portsmouth Islands" and it lists their names. The marker was erected by the Hyde County Heritage Trail. [Review 779 of 2025 - 4211 in North Carolina - 24339 overall]

This marker is located with another on North Carolina Highway 12 just north of Hatteras. There is…read moreroom to stop and read the markers. It has the same text on both sides, reading "Bill Mitchell. 1879-1936. Brigadier general of the Army Air Service, demonstrated air power by bombing battleships off coast, Sept. 5, 1923. Landing field was here." In 1923, Brigadier General Billy Mitchell dramatically demonstrated the vulnerability of battleships to aerial bombing by sinking the USS Virginia and USS New Jersey off Cape Hatteras using Army Air Force bombers, despite skepticism from military leaders like General Pershing. Mitchell's outspoken advocacy for air power led to his court-martial and resignation, but his 1924 prediction of a Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor proved eerily accurate when it occurred in 1941. Though he died in 1936, Mitchell's vision was vindicated, and in 1946 Congress honored him posthumously with a unique Special Congressional Medal of Honor for his pioneering contributions to military aviation. There is more information online. This is marker number B-32 and it was erected in 2005 by the North Carolina Office of Archives and History. [Review 792 of 2025 - 4224 in North Carolina - 24352 overall]