Descended from colonial Spanish mustangs, the Banker ponies on Ocracoke Island have a special bond with the people who have looked after them over the years.
ocracoke island
North Carolina’s Hidden Cemeteries
Although North Carolina is home to 175 public cemeteries, thousands of other burial grounds shelter fragments of history. Sometimes celebrated but often forgotten, their beauty and their stories wait to be discovered.
North Carolina’s 7 Lighthouses
Take a trip down the North Carolina coast to see our seven towering landmarks: Once guiding lights for sailing ships, they now serve as beacons of coastal beauty and history.
Quiz: Sound State of Mind
For generations, the calm waters of North Carolina’s sounds have shaped the landscape, history, and culture of the communities they border.
Back in the Day: Coastal Cowboys
Ocracoke Island’s Boy Scout Troop 290 was the first — and only — mounted Boy Scout troop in the country.
Edging Closer to Answers: The Lost Colony
The Lost Colony is one of our nation’s oldest and most fascinating mysteries. Long after its disappearance, groups of dedicated researchers are still pursuing the facts.
Two Cultures Come Together on Ocracoke Island
On Ocracoke Island, where old-timers claim kin from Blackbeard’s day, a new community is taking shape. The two cultures may not speak the same native language, but they understand that the best way to weather change is together.
Meet the Ferryman of the Outer Banks
Getting to Portsmouth Island from Ocracoke has never been easy, but one family has made it possible for the past 40 years. Will the next generation continue the tradition? Time will tell.
A Circle, A Line, An Island: Ocracoke Ghosts
A North Carolina author reflects on four decades of visits, changes, ghostly occurrences, and the enduring appeal of Ocracoke.