Ranked amongst the fiercest pirates from the “Golden age of Piracy” are Anne Bonny and Mary Read. Join Associate Education Curator Christine Brin to learn about these women pirates. She will trace what is known about their life stories, how they came to be pirates,...
Enjoy light refreshments and entertainment during the free Annual Wooden Boat Show Kickoff Reception, held in the Harvey W. Smith Watercraft Center....
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...
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...
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...
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...
Plantations that bordered coastal North Carolina’s creeks, rivers, and sounds often possessed fisheries that were operated by both free and enslaved peoples. While a few studies have provided some insights into the functioning of these fisheries, no one has analyzed labor management at them. Drawing...
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...
During the Civil War, federal soldiers in coastal North Carolina confiscated civilian watercraft on behalf of the war effort. After the war, affected civilians could file for compensation through the Southern Claims Commission. The applications for compensation provide insights into the maritime lives of ordinary...
Lake Phelps was an important maritime resource for Native Americans for thousands of years. In the 1980s, 23 dugout canoes were discovered in and around the lake; and four were recovered for further study. Elise Carroll, conservator for the North Carolina Office of State Conservation...