On the eastern edge of the state, our barrier islands are shaped and reshaped by the whims of wind and water, and people who put down roots on these changing lands continue to adapt.
barrier islands
NC Highway 12 is North Carolina’s Line in the Sand
Shifting sands, tides, and tempests have shaped the Outer Banks for centuries. Now, those forces pose a constant threat to the islands’ lifeline — and a complicated challenge for the keepers of one of the state’s most famous roads.