If you’ve visited the OBX, chances are you were wondering about at least one of our crazy town names. If you are local, try ordering something over the phone and responding to the question “Town?” with “Kill Devil Hills” and you’re going to hear an awkward silence on the other end. This nice piece by Michelle Wagner for the Guide to Duck, Corolla & the Northern Beaches takes a look at the origins of the names of our local towns and landmarks.
“The Outer Banks is rich with colorful names that evoke images of everything from pirates and shipwrecks to local wildlife. Some names are found in the lore of storytellers while others are securely rooted in history. Whatever their source, the nomenclature of Outer Banks landmarks and townships intrigues locals and guests alike. Here is a historical rundown of interesting stories behind the names that are most likely to pique our interest.
Corolla and Currituck
Corolla was named after the petals of a flower but it did not start out that way. This European community began on Native American hunting grounds and was originally called Jones Hill after an early settler. Hunting, fishing, and salvaging shipwrecks were the keys to survival for those first to arrive from Europe. The area officially became known as Corolla in 1895 when a post office in town first opened and named it. The botanical definition of Corolla is “the inner envelope of floral leaves of a flower, usually of delicate texture and of some color other than green.”
[box type=”bio”] Read the rest of this fun list HERE![/box]