Picturesque Harkers Island is where you want to go to experience a slice of authentic “Down East” culture and still remain tethered to the Crystal Coast and its many beaches and the many fine restaurants in Morehead City and Beaufort. Located just east of the town of Beaufort and the Crystal Coast beaches, this small coastal community has retained its small-town charm throughout the centuries, and is a popular destination for fishermen, mariners, and anyone who appreciates a slower pace of life.
For centuries before the first European explorers arrived in the late 1500s, the sole occupants of Harkers Island were Native Americans associated with the Coree tribe. In the late 1600’s, King Charles II granted ownership of what would become the Carolina colony to eight men. In 1707 these Lords Proprietors deeded the island to Farnifold Green, a native of the new Carolina colony. The island was in turn sold to Ebenezer Harker in 1730, who settled on the island with his family, and built a boat yard as well as a plantation on the site. After his death, the island, which has been known as Davers Ile and Craney Island, was re-named “Harkers Island,” and remained relatively deserted for more than a century.
Indeed, It wasn’t until a wave of coastal locals who were fleeing a rash of hurricanes along the Outer Banks during the late 1800s that the population increased. From this point on, the area, again, resumed its quiet pace, with a primary population of mariners, fishermen, decoy artists, hunters, and other folks who made their living on the waters and marshes and rivers on the outskirts of the barrier island shoreline. A post office for Harkers Island was officially established in 1904, and paved roads first made an appearance in the area in 1936. Despite these advancements, (and a new wave of interest from second homeowners and retirees in the late 20th century), the island retained its small town feel throughout the generations – an atmosphere that continues today.
Harkers Island retains its original small town appeal – with a year-round population that hovers around 1,200 – but it has certainly become more popular with vacationers who appreciate the quieter side of the Crystal Coast. The island is home to a famed local museum, the Core Sound Waterfowl Museum, as well as a ferry service to the Cape Lookout National Seashore. The island town boasts a few restaurants, a post office, a number of churches, and at least one catch-all grocery store that has everything from fishing supplies to fresh veggies.
The island is located just north of Beaufort, and can be accessed via US Highway 70 and Harkers Island Road. The island borders the Back Sound to the south and the Core Sound to the east, and is roughly a 20-30 minute cruise across the sound from the famed Cape Lookout National Seashore. (The Cape Lookout Lighthouse, which is lit up at night, can be spotted from the majority of soundfront homes along the region.)
The demographic of Harkers Island varies greatly, and includes second homeowners and retirees, as well as natives and generations-old locals who still carve out a life by the water. The area is especially well known among professional linguists, who have noted that the regional “Down East” dialect is one of the most unusual in the world. Because as many as 500 residents are direct descendants of Outer Banks settlers from centuries ago, it’s theorized that this dialect is one of the closest living examples of the Old English accents from the 16th and 17th centuries.
Accommodations are understandably limited on Harkers Island. The local Harker’s Island Fishing Center and Marina has a handful of traditional motel rooms in a basic but clean environment, and there is also a local RV park or two where travelers can anchor for a while to explore the scene. A vacation rental is arguably the best way to enjoy the island, as many of the properties are soundfront with private kitchens, private docks, and incredible views of the Cape Lookout National Seashore and lighthouse. Several property management companies manage vacation homes in the island which are typically rented by the week, and several homeowners owners directly rent their homes to vacationers via one or another internet booking sites on a weekly or nightly basis. Want to retire or move to the Crystal Coast? Harkers Island is an enticing option. Filled with primarily residential neighborhoods and an overall quieter atmosphere, this community is tight-knit but friendly, with plenty of water views to go around. Harkers Island is a beautiful representation of the Outer Banks culture at its most pure. With a small town feel that’s sprinkled with enticing gift shops, restaurants, and charter fishing services, this destination will appeal to anyone who wants to experience the Crystal Coast at its most authentic best.
Want to retire or move to the Crystal Coast? Harkers Island is an enticing option. Filled with primarily residential neighborhoods and an overall quieter atmosphere, this community is tight-knit but friendly, with plenty of water views to go around. Harkers Island is a beautiful representation of the Outer Banks culture at its most pure. With a small town feel that’s sprinkled with enticing gift shops, restaurants, and charter fishing services, this destination will appeal to anyone who wants to experience the Crystal Coast at its most authentic best.
To learn more about residential real estate opportunities on Harkers Island, or to subscribe to my newsletter, call or text your email address to: 919-308-2292. To learn more about real estate elsewhere along the Crystal Coast of North Carolina sign up for my blog on my website, www.EIHomesforSale.com, and subscribe to Emerald Isle Vacation Home Specialist on You Tube at the end of this video. Stay well and stay safe.
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