This blog was updated for relevancy and content - January, 2022
Topsail Island is a unique and beautiful place to vacation. While it certainly deserves its reputation for pristine beaches, a family-friendly atmosphere, and world-class fishing, there is so much more than meets the eye. If you look closely, you will catch glimpses of Topsail Island's fascinating history.
And ... we have a secret. Ward Realty manages several Topsail Island vacation rentals that are a part of this unique history! Did you know that you can stay in an actual missile tower? Read more to learn all about Topsail Island's unique history!
Did you know that there is a "correct" way to say Topsail Island?
Surprisingly, there is not a lot of research about how the pronunciation of Topsail came to be. But, if you want to sound like a local, here is the proper way to pronounce "Topsail":
Simply drop the "sail" sound in the name. When you do this, you end up with "Tops'l" ... almost making the sail sound like" sul". We love this - there is just something comfortable and informal about the local dialect.
How Topsail Island got its name is not exactly known.
The most popular legend involves pirates!
From around 1630 to 1720, the North Carolina coast was famous (or maybe we should say infamous) ... not for our beautiful beaches, but for pirates. The barrier islands of North Carolina were the perfect place for pirates to hide from the authorities.
Legend has it that famous pirates (like Blackbeard) hid right here in the local waters. Some say that the name Topsail derives from the pirates hiding their ships behind the local islands, leaving only their "Top Sails" showing from the sea.
Fact or fiction, we'll let you decide. But you should know that Blackbeard's ship, the Queen Anne's Revenge, was found in nearby Beaufort, NC!
For much of Topsail's history, it was an uninhabited island covered with thick forests and coastal plains. It was the perfect place to hunt, fish, or allow livestock to graze.
Today, we seek out oceanfront property and relaxation near the beauty of the Atlantic Ocean, but Native Americans viewed the sea (and the barrier islands such as Topsail Island) in a much different light. The most frequent Native Americans to visit Topsail Island were the Tuscarora people. Known as "the hemp people", the Tuscarora did not make permanent settlements on Topsail Island due to the volatility of the weather of the exposed island. However, the Tuscarora used the island as a place to hunt and fish.
Unlike most of the barrier islands off the North Carolina coast, there was almost no permanent human presence on Topsail Island until the outbreak of WWII. Prior to this time, the only access to the island was by boat. Locals would fish, picnic, and swim the Island. It is even said that locals would ferry livestock daily to the island to graze on the nutrient-rich seagrass which was in abundance on the undisturbed island.
Anti-Aircraft Batteries
WASP
Read more about this program with this great article by NPR.
Did you know that Topsail Island was home to a secret missile program?
Named Operation Bumblebee by the United States Navy, this program started shortly after World War II, right here on Topsail Island. Operation Bumblebee was named due to the seemingly impossible aerodynamic problems related to rocket flight. The program designed and tested the first "ram-jet" technology. These tests and technological discoveries were instrumental in the design of today's modern missiles.
In 1947, A. H. Ward (and a few other visionaries) began developing the island for all to enjoy. They were the very first families to begin development of Topsail Island, and after 71 years, the Ward family’s dream of sharing the beauty of Topsail Island with the world is still going strong. In 1948 Operation Bumblebee officially came to an end and Topsail Island began its life as a beautiful vacation destination.
As the beauty and small-town charm of the towns on Topsail Island became known throughout the region and nationally, more and more people relocated to Topsail Island. Small mom and pop shops sprung up over the years to service the bustling tourist industry. However, unlike places like Myrtle Beach or other larger beaches along the Atlantic Coast, Topsail Island has managed to retain its charm and family-friendly atmosphere.
To this day, you'll find few national chains, but all the conveniences of big town life are just minutes away. Today visiting Topsail Island is in many ways a nostalgic experience where kids can ride their bikes, and parents can relax to the rhythms of a slower pace – all in an idyllic ocean setting.
