A Quick History of the Scenic Corolla

Community in the Outer Banks NC

Prized for the combination of upscale shops and dining options while offering nature-filled privacy and seclusion, Corolla is a unique destination that offers spectacular 4WD beaches off the Corolla coastline. If you and your family are heading for a week-long vacation and staying on or purchasing any of the Outer Banks NC homes for sale in the area, here’s a quick take on the history of the picturesque Corolla community.

While Corolla wasn’t the modern vacation hotspot it is today, the village was discovered along with the Currituck Mainland, Duck, and Carova in the late 1600s by early European settlers who stayed in the island and built a small community. For several centuries, Corolla remained home to this small community of settlers and their families. In the late 1800s, the population grew slightly as some lifesaving stations were built to help sailors navigate the treacherous waters of the North Carolina coast.

By 1873, the red brick Currituck Lighthouse, a top tourist spot today was built. By 1922, two of Philadelphia’s wealthiest residents, Edward and Marie Louise Knight built their famous grand seaside home now known as the Whalehead Club. The Knights hosted local hunting and fishing exhibitions in Corolla. But despite this, Corolla remained relatively unknown for the next 5 decades and was only traveled to by residents of OBX NC or guests who are brave enough to drive for miles past the unpredictable clay and sand trails.

Before the NC Highway 12 was built in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, the only way for visitors to access most of the beaches on the Outer Banks was through the sandy beaches, making a trip to the OBX a truly adventure-filled experience. There wasn’t any legitimate road to Corolla until the NC Highway 12 was finally extended to the village. Once the highway was built in 1984, development finally started, with a handful of communities popping up along the Corolla beaches.

From hotels to resorts to restaurants, shopping centers, groceries, and more, Corolla experienced a surge in construction over the past 3 decades. Together with these developments, various warning signs have been put up to help guide both residents and guests of homes for sale on the Outer Banks NC. Apart from No Parking signs, they have also put up signs such as The Water’s Edge and Dune Line are Considered a Roadway and Speed Limit 15 within 300 Feet of Pedestrians for people traveling beyond where the paved road ends into the beach communities of Carova.

With all the developments that have added to the vibrant life of the town of Corolla, thanks to its vocal local community, Corolla has been able to maintain its small town beach community charm, now coupled with necessary amenities but without any of the grand developments experienced by other beach communities in North Carolina.

As such, the local community has advised all visitors and new homeowners to help preserve the beauty of Corolla by following all the simple road and beach signs scattered throughout town. If you’re looking for vacation rentals or beach properties for sale on the gorgeous Corolla community in the Outer Banks NC, visit http://OBXLifestyles.com today!

Affordable unspoiled land with picturesque ocean views - there are not many areas in the country where you can bask in the quiet privacy a beach property in Carova brings. Schedule a viewing of an awesome beach house today by calling me, Jean-Paul Peron,

at 252-564-9390.