INTO THE PRESENT

As late as 1975, the tiny village of Corolla was the most remote of the Outer banks townships. It was accessible only by boat or by driving on the open beach at low tide. It consisted of a post office, a church, school, and several private residences. The Currituck Lighthouse, the northernmost of the NC coastal lighthouses, and a lifesaving station were the only man-made structures visible from the shoreline. Telephone service and electricity were unheard of here until the late 1960s, and the locals made their living as they had for hundreds of years, from fishing or hunting.

That all changed in 1984 when Highway 12, which once terminated at the Dare County line just above Duck, was extended north to Corolla. In the 15 years since the road was extended, a development boom has taken place in Corolla. Resorts and planned vacation neighborhoods now characterize the once deserted beaches. The population swells from 1,500 in the winter to over 100,000 in the summer months. Yet the original village remains in the shade of the soundside forest, with its quiet sandy lanes, clapboard church, and lighthouse, reminding visitors that a simpler time and a quieter life existed just a few years ago.