The Outer Banks of North Carolina, 1584-1958 [Paperback]

David Stick (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 30, 1990

The Outer Banks have long been of interest to geologists, historians, linguists, sportsmen, and beachcombers. This long series of low, narrow, sandy islands stretches along the North Carolina coast for more than 175 miles.

Here on Roanoke Island in the 1580s, the first English colony in the New World was established. It vanished soon after, becoming the famous "lost colony." At Ocracoke, in 1718, the pirate Blackbeard was killed; at Hatteras Inlet and Roanoke Island important Civil War battles were fought; at Kitty Hawk and Kill Devil Hills the Wright brothers experimented with gliders and in 1903 made their epic flight. The Graveyard of the Atlantic, scene of countless shipwrecks, lies all along the ever-shifting shores of the Banks.

This is the fascinating story of the Banks and the Bankers; of whalers, stockmen, lifesavers, wreckers, boatmen, and fishermen; of the constantly changing inlets famous for channel bass fishing; and of the once thriving Diamond City that disappeared completely in a three-year period.

Editorial Reviews

Review

[Stick's] easy narrative style makes the book pleasant and at times exciting reading.

New York Herald Tribune Book Review

Both the well-known and the not so well-known are brought vividly to life in David Stick's flowing narrative.

Library Journal

Product Details

• Paperback: 367 pages
• Publisher: The University of North Carolina Press (April 30, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 080784277X
• ISBN-13: 978-0807842775
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #290,828 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars David Stick is THE author of the Outer Banks, January 8, 2006

By 

Mary (Toledo, OH) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Outer Banks of North Carolina, 1584-1958 (Paperback)

To discover the unique beauty and history of the Outer Banks, David Stick is THE author to read. His lovely blend of history and legend, written in great style, is the perfect book to learn about the lighthouses, people (and horses!) of the Banks.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Should have read this one first, July 20, 2008

By 

Olson family (all over) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Outer Banks of North Carolina, 1584-1958 (Paperback)

We recently took a vacation to the 'Banks, and bought this book because we were simply fascinated by the history of the area. It offers a very nice comprehensive history by someone who has lived in the area for many years. Excellent for the vacationer or casual visitor, it covers all the "hot spots" I wanted more information on, like the Roanoke settlement, Revolutionary War, Civil War, lighthouses, horses, shifting inlets and in general how tourism got started. Offers enough detail to whet your appetite without bogging you down with unnecessary details. My only beef is that the book was published in 1958 and a lot has happened in the last 50 years. This oversight on my part was overshadowed by the fact that it's actually entertaining to catch references to the area before "commercialization" really set in or before the Bonner bridge was built (oddly, the author refers to a bridge over the inlet as "inevitable"). Highly recommended for anyone with the Banks on their "to do" list. Just be smarter than I was and read this before you go, because we'd have gotten much more out of our trip if I had known all the history first!