The June 2018 Issue | Our State Magazine

Opening

Back in the Day: First in Surf

by Caroline Kelly

More than a century ago, Wrightsville Beach became the first successful community to bring surfing, a popular West Coast sport, to the East Coast.

June 2018 Welcome Letter: And Many More

by Elizabeth Hudson

Our State celebrates its 85th birthday this year, but for its employees, it feels like Year One.

Our State Quiz: Below the Surface

by Alan Hodge

With more than 5,000 shipwrecks lying off our shores, it’s no wonder that the North Carolina coast is known as the Graveyard of the Atlantic.

Letters

We Live Here

Downtown: Swansboro

by Katie Schanze

In this quaint, laid-back town in Onslow County, every turn leads you back to the water.

Wehrloom Honey in Robbinsville

by Bryan Mims

At Wehrloom Honey, Aron and Jessica Wehr turned a sweet gift into a passion they share with the community.

Promise’ Land Market in Morehead City

by Susan Stafford Kelly

In Carteret County, a market between the sidewalk and the sound pays tribute to coastal history.

Annex Surf Supply in Wrightsville Beach

by Katie Schanze

Whether you’re a wave chaser in search of a surfboard or a coffee lover looking for a pick-me-up, Annex Surf Supply has you covered.

Toad & Wee: Off to the Races

by Drew Perry

At Millbridge Speedway in Salisbury — where go-karts roar around a red-clay track — a family on the hunt for excitement hits pay dirt.

A Cherokee Elder’s Words of Wisdom

by Bailey Sherrill

Lloyd Arneach shares the tribal lore that helped shape him — and his people.

Eats

Recipes: Shrimp

Miller’s Restaurant: A Burger’s Best Friend

by Jimmy Tomlin

More than 60 years ago in Davie County, hamburger met pimento cheese. The rest is history.

Features

Our State: The Photo Essays

Ramblin’ Man: His Time, Her Time

by T. Edward Nickens

When an avid outdoorsman marries a devotee of Crystal Coast no-wake zones, compromise is a necessity.

Field of Dreams

by Philip Gerard

At a rural crossroads in Halifax County, black farmers chart a new destiny for their families through the Tillery resettlement program.

Beyond the Beach: Brunswick Islands

Chances are, one of our southern barrier islands — Bald Head, Oak, Holden, Ocean Isle, or Sunset — has been your beach for years. Look beyond the sand and surf, and you’ll find charming villages, acres of nature, and signature fried seafood, generations in the making.

The Surf Issue

If This Wave Could Talk

by Lane DeGregory

It might boast: Outer Banks breakers are the envy of the East Coast. Or it could share a tale: The world’s best surfer first got his feet wet in the shadow of Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. Ask nicely, and it might divulge a secret or two: About legends and landmarks — even where to find a clam cookout or a fine fish supper. After all, our waves have plenty of those, too.

The Towns: Where Sea Meets Soul

by Krista Bremer

A Feast of Love

by Andrea Weigl

Craig Love has turned surf culture into his own culinary style. Now, he’s got a kitchen full of surfers — from managers to cooks — who share his deep appreciation of the sea and all that it provides.

Cool Sold Here

by Linda Dunn

In the 1980s, three Atlantic Beach surf shops — Bert’s, AB, and Marsh’s — gave teenagers a social network as connected as Facebook and as immediate as Twitter. Before long, surfer fads turned into fashion, gossip became news, and young people found their community.

Gidget Grown Up: Jo Pickett

by Robyn Yiğit Smith

Legendary East Coast surfer Jo Pickett travels the world, chasing waves. But she makes her home in Wilmington, where Carolina’s blue swells remind her of family and the importance of living fearlessly.