Currituck Couty, North Carolina

Currituck County slips southward from the Virginia line like a long, narrow finger surrounded by water. The heavily traveled Highway 168 runs down the spine of the peninsula and is the gateway to the Outer Banks for millions of visitors every year.

However, on either side of this Highway lies a beautiful land and pristine waters.

On the east side lies the Currituck Sound. There are no inlets to the sea, and the Sound is noted for its populations of fish and waterfowl. In fact, the Sound is on a migration path for ducks, Canada geese, and other birds. Dozens of old hunt clubs still dot the tiny islands in the sound. The land of Currituck is just as fertile and fresh produce is abundant in the summer and fall. Homegrown produce stands line the highway, luring visitors in with fresh melons, corn, tomatoes, and fruits.

The mainland, on the western bank, has several small communities. Coinjock is familiar to current-day water travelers along the Atlantic IntraCoastal Waterway. Moyock, Point Harbor and others lie along the highway route to the famous Outer Banks --one of the nation's most popular vacation areas.

The eastern shore of the Currituck Sound is separated from the Atlantic Ocean by a portion of NC's natural barrier islands. "Currituck Banks," once only the province of hunt clubs for the wealthy and lonely lighthouse keepers, is now more popularly known as Corolla.

Between the Currituck Banks on the east and the mainland, Currituck hosts several island communities. The two most popular, Knotts Island and Bells Island (or Bell Island), were once remote communities sustained by the usual coastal mix of farming, fishing, and hunting. These activities are still very much evident as both occupation and hobby. However there are a number of residents that choose to live here and commute to the more urban areas of Chesapeake, Norfolk, and Virginia Beach located across the Virginia line, which forms the county's northern boundary.

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