For generations, North Carolina’s oyster industry was underdeveloped. This changed in the late 19th century when North Carolina oyster beds attracted attention following overharvesting in the Chesapeake Bay and the nation’s insatiable appetite for oysters. By the late 1880s, North Carolina oystermen and fish dealers...
The menhaden industry of North Carolina, which began in 1865 and ended in 2005, is one of the State’s most thoroughly documented fisheries. Unfortunately, the industry’s origins have never been thoroughly explored. Due to a reliance on two primary sources, scholars have assumed that there...
North Carolina’s shrimp industry slowly emerged in the Lower Cape Fear region during the 19th century. However, it did not take-off until the years leading up to World War I when Scandinavian immigrants introduced the otter trawl to Brunswick County. Following the introduction of the...
Today we might imagine saltwater sport fishing in North Carolina as one where sport fishers pursue large sailfish and marlin offshore aboard fiberglass sport fishing boats. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, recreational fishermen could only dream of catching such fish. Instead, recreational fishermen...
For generations, river herring and shad were the most important fisheries in eastern North Carolina. Join Maritime History Curator David Bennett in the museum auditorium to explore the business of operating these fisheries and the role of black labor in the decades prior to the...
Summer Science School offers students the opportunity to learn about the natural and maritime history of coastal North Carolina during the school break. Programs are planned for students of varying ages, from those entering preschool up to rising sophomores. Click here for a full list...
In the late 19th century, North Carolina promoted the cultivation of oysters to provide a sustainable oyster industry. Large corporate interests quickly became involved and purchased thousands of acres of "submerged lands" in the state's sounds and rivers. These giant oyster gardens triggered rampant speculation...
In 1891, North Carolina created the Shell Fish Commission with the purpose of promoting and protecting North Carolina's most valuable fishery: oysters. To enforce the state's oyster laws, North Carolina leased several vessels to patrol the sounds until it purchased Lily, the state's first official...
During the 2011 NOAA Battle of the Atlantic Expedition, a film crew followed maritime archaeologists on their hunt for the U-576. ”Hitler's Secret Attack on America” combines World War II history and the search for archaeological resources that provide insight into the wartime action off...
Join Associate Education Curator Christine Brin for a selection of maritime stories she'd never tell before 5 p.m. This program is rated R due to language, alcohol, and explicit content. Participants must be 21 years of age or older to attend. Laugh, drink, and learn during...