History
How it all began
It is estimated that Spanish ships started cruising past the Currituck Banks as early as the late 1400s and landed in the 1500s. It is believed that this led to the presence of the Corolla Wild Horses that still reside on the island today. The first settlement attempt was believed to have been led by Spanish explorer Lucas Vasquez de Allyon, but the settlement did not succeed. The Carova region did not experience a boost until the mid-1800s when five Lifesaving Service Stations were established to assist mariners travelling offshore. In 1876 the Currituck Beach Lighthouse, pictured in the header of this page, was constructed and completed.
With these in place, hunters and fishermen began to discover the region and by the early 1900s a number of locals began to provide tours and guide hunters. However, as legislation began being put in place to regulate hunting, the population in Carova began to slow. By the 1960s and 1970s only 15 residents lived in the area in and surrounding Carova beach. In 1984 the NC Highway 12 was established. This road led through most of the outer banks, stopping all the way to Corolla. This allowed easier access to the area and soon tourists and developers began to invest back into the area.
Locals were against the idea of Carova being turned into just another touristy town and worked with the government to restrict new building. This allowed two new wildlife refuges to be established in the mid-1980s – the Currituck National Wildlife Refuge and the Currituck Banks Coastal Estuarine Reserve. These refuges blocked any potential extension of the paved road past the Corolla border.
New vacation rental homes slowly began to pop up along the shoreline in the 2000s. These properties were some of the biggest rentals on the Outer Banks. Even with these new buildings, with the building restrictions that forbid commercial businesses, Carova still remains isolated and mostly unpopulated. It’s heralded as one of the most pristine and unspoiled regions of the Outer Banks.
Timeline
Spanish Exploration
Spanish exploration began near Cape Fear, NC and vessels began to pass the Currituck Banks off the coast.
Landfall
Spanish explorers set foot on the NC/Virginia shoreline in what historians believe is close to present day Sandbridge, Virginia. The livestock they brought, including the Spanish mustangs, were either abandoned or pushed off the boat when the explorers made a hasty retreat due to natives.
Settlers
A small group of both North Carolina and Virginia settlers decide to settle in the Corolla and Carova region.
Border Established
A “line in the sand” was drawn in northern Carova Beach. This marked the Virginia and North Carolina border.
Population Expands
The New Currituck Inlet opens, allowing trade and commerce to enter the Currituck Banks. Lifesaving stations are established in Carova and Corolla at Wash Woods, Penny’s Hill, Pyner Hill, Seagull and Whale Head. These lifesaving stations attact new residents and servicemen to Carova.
Currituck Beach Lighthouse
The lighthouse is built in the town of Corolla adding safety for passing mariners and local fishermen.
Community
A 1-room school house, post office, two churches, and 25 residences are established in the Carova Beach community of Seagull.
The Whalehead is Built
The Knights, a wealthy northern copule, build their grand hunting lodge in Corolla. Later the structure will become known as the Whalehead in Historic Corolla.
Post Office Closes
The Carova Beach post office closes due to the local population decreasing in size. This is in part due to recent federal legislation that restricts hunting and fishing.
Military Training
The Whalehead serves as a military training base for soldiers during World War II. Dozens of German U-Boats lurked just a few miles offshore of the Outer Banks.
Lowest Population
Population dips to the lowest as World War II ends and all lifesaving stations are closed. It is around this time that the lighthouse is electrified. Electricity is provided to the rest of Currituck Banks in 1955.
Fire Department
The Carova Volunteer Fire Department is established.
Highway and Refuges
The paved NC Highway 12 is extended all the way through to Corolla’s northern town borders. The Currituck National Wildlife Regue (1984) and the Currituck Coastal Estuarine Reserve (1985) is established to protect a huge parcel of the coastal barrier island ecosystem.
Corolla Wild Horse Fund
Due to a series of accidents involving wild horses, concerned local residents create the Corolla Wild Horse Fund to implement measures to protect the wild horses.
Herd Moved
The Wild horse herd is moved to the 4WD beaches up north. A sound to ocean fence is implemented at the northern Corolla border, and at the Virginia/NC state border.
Development
Several hundred new vacation rentals are built along the oceanfront and in the soundside communities throughout Corolla and Carova.
References
“Carova History” https://www.carovabeach.info/history.html
“Carova History” https://www.outerbanksvacations.com/blog/explore-carova-beach-north-carolina
“History” https://corollaguide.com/history
