CAMA Sound Boardwalk

• Currituck Heritage Park, Corolla

This boardwalk cuts through a small portion of swamp forest and brackish marsh. The variety of flora and fauna you’ll see here is astounding. Sweet gum, red maples, black willows, live oaks and loblolly pines are intertwined with wild muscadine grapes, Virginia creeper and winged sumac. Shrubs like American holly, wax myrtles, yaupon and bayberry fill in the lowlands, while plants like swamp mallows, morning glory, ferns, honeysuckle, pennywort add texture and color to the landscape.

Toward the sound, tall reeds and cattails swish in the breeze. The boardwalk ends at a nice resting spot on Currituck Sound, an absolutely perfect place to watch the sunset. Animals you might see along the way include nutria, deer, raccoons, muskrats, red or gray fox, river otters, possums, turtles, snakes and a great variety of birds, including songbirds, wading birds, osprey, terns, killdeer, gulls and others, depending on the time of year.

Corolla Wild Horse Museum

• Corolla Schoolhouse, Corolla Town Center, Corolla
• (252) 453-8002

Housed within the restored schoolhouse of Corolla Village, the museum shares the wonderful history and legacy of the Banker horses. Descendents of Spanish Mustangs brought to our island more than 500 years ago, they are a hardy and majestic breed. At the museum the whole family can learn more with interactive, hands-on activities, photography and historical information. 

Here are some special events happening for the summer:

Paint your own wild Colonial Spanish Mustang! The Corolla Wild Horse Fund sponsors horse painting for kids every Tuesday and Thursday, from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Hours are 11 to 2. Paint, brushes and smocks are provided, and kids of all ages can join in the fun. Artists can choose from large horses attached to trees that stay up all week for passersby to admire or horse cut outs to go. A $5 donation is accepted for large horses and a $3 donation for the cutouts. Artists who can’t stay to paint or who arrived too late can purchase kits complete with paint to take home. All proceeds benefit the wild horses.

On Wednesdays, weather permitting, a gentled Colonial Spanish Mustang will be at the Schoolhouse from 11 to 2. Corolla Wild Horse Fund staff or trained volunteers will provide interesting information about the history of wild horses and how visitors to the Outer Banks can help to save this dying breed. Petting is encouraged!

And on rainy days at their new second location in Corolla Town Center horse stories will be read from 1 to 2 p.m. Look for the rearing Mustang as a landmark. 

Currituck Banks National Estuarine Research Reserve Access Trail

• Corolla, Corolla

This beautiful boardwalk leads two-thirds of a mile from the road to the sound, traversing through maritime evergreen forest, swamp forest and brackish marsh. Along the way, you’ll see live oaks and loblolly pines, yaupon, holly, bayberry and wax myrtle, plus, closer to the water, sedges, cattails, black needle rush and giant cord grass. You may see signs of animals, like scat or tracks, or possibly the animals themselves. Birders love this boardwalk because it gives them the ability to go deep into several habitats without getting so mucky.

Along the boardwalk are a couple of places to rest and an information kiosk. In addition, there are six new interpretive signs along the route that explain barrier island ecology. At the end, the boardwalk has bench seats that look out over a creek and the sound with the final informational panel. It’s serene, quiet and absolutely beautiful on the soundside.

Part of the North Carolina Estuarine Research Reserve, this 960-acre area is protected in its natural state for use as a natural laboratory. Much of the land in this area is protected. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service manages the 4,000-acre Currituck Banks National Wildlife Refuge north of here for waterfowl, wading birds and shorebirds.

Currituck Beach Lighthouse

• Currituck Heritage Park, N.C. Highway 12, Corolla, Corolla
• (252) 453-4939

The red-brick Currituck Beach Lighthouse towers above the northern Outer Banks landscape in the historic Corolla Village. Visitors can climb the winding staircase, 214 steps in all, to the top of the lighthouse for a panoramic view of Currituck Sound, the Atlantic Ocean and the Currituck Outer Banks. Inside the lighthouse, at the base and on the first two landings, there are museum-quality lighthouse exhibits. On the way up or down, stop to learn about the history of coastal lighthouses, the Fresnel lens and the lighthouse keepers.

The 162-foot lighthouse was first lit on December 1, 1875. Onsite keepers, who lived in the surrounding buildings, operated the lighthouse until it was automated in 1939. With automation, the lighthouse no longer required a regular keeper. The lighthouse and ts outbuildings fell into disrepair for 40 years until a nonprofit group called Outer Banks Conservationists (OBC) stepped in to save the lighthouse in the 1980s. OBC renovated the keepers’ buildings to re-create their past glories and restored the lighthouse to make it safe to climb. In July 2003, The U.S. Department of the Interior awarded OBC ownership of the lighthouse.

It costs only $7 to climb the lighthouse, and children ages 7 and younger climb for free. The lighthouse is open daily from Easter through Thanksgiving. Climbing hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and until 8 p.m. on Thursdays in the summer. During extreme weather, the lighthouse is closed to climbing.

The nearby Double Keepers’ House is not open to the public, but it makes for great photographs. You can go inside the small Keeper’s House, which was transformed into the Museum Shop and stocks everything lighthouse-related you could ever imagine. T-shirts, hats, books, postcards, blankets, taffy, ornaments, jewelry, magnets, figurines and more fill this former keeper’s residence.

Eclectic Treasures

• TimBuck II Shopping Village, Corolla
• (252) 453-0008

As the name suggests, this eclectic little store is a treasure! Great for gifts or for yourself, this shop specializes in finding interesting pieces for those who truly appreciate unique artisan-crafted items. They have a personal relationship with all of their artists and crafters and can tell you about each and every item in the store. There’s a colorful display of pottery, blown glass and table items as well as sculptures, sea glass jewelry, kaleidoscopes, garden items and more.

Ocean Treasures/Wyland & Thomas Kinkade Art Gallery & Gift Shop

• TimBuck II Shopping Village, Corolla
• (252) 453-2383, (252) 453-8967

Have you ever seen a 7-foot-tall triple dolphin sculpture? That’s why this shop is called Ocean Treasures - they offer work from some of the most exacting sea life sculptors. This shop features Thomas Kinkade and Wyland artworks and gift items. You’ll find paintings, sculptures, clothing, children’s items, jewelry, music boxes and magnets and works from Dan Mackin and Guy Harvey.

Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education

• Currituck Heritage Park, N.C. Highway 12, Corolla, Corolla
• (252) 453-0221

Wildlife Education programs are held in Currituck Heritage Park Monday through Friday. Enjoy rotating programs such as sound habitat exploration, decoy carving and fishing in the sound. Most programs are free. Call to register in advance. The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission’s exciting new Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education opened in 2006. The 22,000-square-foot building houses an auditorium with a video program, an exhibit hall, classrooms and a gift shop. Exhibits focus on conservation, waterfowl and hunting heritage, natural history, local heritage, ecology and fishing. Highlights of the exhibits are an aquarium and real-life marsh exhibit. The location of the center is on the sound between the Whalehead Club and Currituck Beach Lighthouse. See Recreation.

Sara DeSpain Designer Goldsmith

• Monteray Plaza, Corolla
• (252) 453-8590, (252) 255-0633

Legendary local artist Sara DeSpain has a wonderful jewelry store tucked away in the courtyard in Monterey Plaza. A goldsmith, gemologist and designer, her pieces are a lyrical blend of substance and poetry. An Outer Banks designer since 1974, she creates delightfully unique pieces. You will find exclusive seashore charms in gold and silver along with diamond rings and rare gemstones. You may even find Sara creating a new piece. For fun try her ladies’ night out make your own earrings events. Call for more information. If you make it down that way, enjoy a visit to her sister store in Osprey Landing in Duck.

Tar Heel Trading Co.

• TimBuck II Shopping Village, Corolla
• (252) 453-3132

Tar Heel Trading Co. has been bringing American handcrafts to the Outer Banks since 1979. Specialties include designer jewelry, wall sculpture and home and office décor. We especially like the puzzle boxes, kaleidoscopes and hand-painted wine glasses. 

The Whalehead Club

• Currituck Heritage Park, N.C. 12, Corolla
• (252) 453-9040

The Whalehead Club is a historic house museum on the northern Outer Banks. The grand residence, dressed in bold yellow and striking copper, stands on a vast green lawn bordering the Currituck Sound. At first sight of the over 21,000-square-foot Art Nouveau home, so out of place in the Outer Banks landscape, it’s immediately apparent that it has an intriguing past and a fascinating story to tell.

The Whalehead Club, on the National Register of Historic Places, sat empty and abandoned for nearly 25 years until Currituck County bought the building with the intent of restoring it. Since 1999, the county has painstakingly restored the house to the way it looked when it was completed in 1925 (then known as Corolla Island).

The near $35 million restoration began with the replacement of the copper roof. The exterior of the house and boathouse are exactly the same paint colors as the originals, as are the interior walls. The interior has been completely restored, from the coffered ceilings down to the $120,000 cork floors. Many of the original fixtures and details remain: The water lily motif carvings again stand out near the dining room ceiling, the duck head door handles are back in place, the Tiffany glass light fixtures shine again, the mahogany trim and woodwork has been refinished.

A team of researchers has tracked down as much information as possible to make the restoration as accurate as possible. Recently, the research team has been focusing its efforts on finding as much of the original furnishings as possible. Mrs. Knight’s piano, an iron safe and dining room tables were some of the only original furnishings left in the house when the restoration began. China, flatware and a few pieces of furniture, including a Louis Majorelle tea table and bedroom furniture have been returned. The dining room is furnished as it was originally, including Tiffany sconces and water lily shades. An exhibition on display in the basement showcases some of the Knights’ and other owners’ treasured artifacts.

The copious research has also turned up much information about the original owners Edward and Marie Louise Knight themselves. Local lore had always portrayed Mrs. Knight as a sharp shooting ruffian who was indignant about being ostracized from Outer Banks hunt club society. But as the researchers uncover information about Mrs. Knight, this seems unlikely. We now know that Mrs. Knight was educated, wealthy and socially accepted in Newport society. In her city clothes and ways, she was very different from the women of the Currituck Outer Banks and likely shocked the locals. This led to misperceptions about her, which have been passed down through the years. Researchers now tend to believe she was a dignified, well-respected woman.

The Whalehead Club offers a self-guided, electronic tour that takes you throughout the living areas, the private rooms, the servants’ quarters and the 6,000-square-foot basement. The tours offer a wealth of information about the architectural style of the house, the first owners, the history of Corolla and the northern Outer Banks and the transforming restoration of the home. In the basement are finely crafted exhibits that further detail the information learned on the tour. The exhibits focus on the Knights and their lifestyle. Guided specialty tours may be reserved by calling or emailing the Whalehead Club.

The Museum Shop stocks tasteful Whalehead Club souvenirs such as picture frames, jewelry and ornaments made from the original copper roof plus books, postcards and memorabilia.

The Whalehead Club is open year round from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The cost is $7 for adults and free for children ages 8 and younger. Specialty tours are also offered Monday through Friday with 24 hours advance reservations and include a Docent-led tour, a Children’s Tour and Treasure Hunt, Ghost Tours and more.

The grounds of Currituck Heritage Park are perfect for a relaxing afternoon outdoors away from the beach. The grounds are also available to rent for weddings and receptions.

Other special events scheduled at the Whalehead Club during the year of 2008 are listed below; if you need more information about events please call (252) 453-9040 ext. 3:

The 7th Annual “Under the Oaks” Arts Festival: June 18 & 19, Wednesday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Thursday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Enjoy an annual outdoor art show on the grounds of Currituck Heritage Park with more than 100 quality artists, local musicians, food concessions and children’s activities. Admission is free and a parking donation is requested.

The Whalehead Club Wine Festivals: June through September, every Wednesday afternoon from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the months of June through September, starting on June 25, 2008. Come and celebrate the interesting world of wines. A $20 admission allows adults to sample wines, take a complimentary tour of the Whalehead Club, listen to popular local musical artists and sample food from local vendors. Children and leashed pets are also welcome. Parking is free.

July 4th 16th Annual Independence Day Festival of Fireworks: Friday 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. There’s food, fun and entertainment for the entire family. Fireworks will begin at dusk. Bring blankets or beach chairs and enjoy the best fireworks display on the Outer Banks! Admission is free.

Summer Concert Series on the Lawn: July and August, every Thursday 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Relax on the south lawn at Currituck Heritage Park and enjoy the musical talents of students from the NC School of the Arts and other local jazz, blues, folk and classic rock musicians. Bring a beach chair or blanket and watch the sun set over the Currituck. Admission and parking are free.

The 5th Annual Haunted Corolla Village: October 24 and 25, Friday and Saturday 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Currituck Heritage Park will be haunted for two days. Come and join us for a ghoulishly good time! Meet at the Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education to buy your tickets. The $6 per person ticket covers both a hayride and the treasure hunt.

Black Friday Porch Sale: November 28, Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Select unique gifts for everyone with the message of preserving the heritage of the Outer Banks. The Whalehead Club’s Copper Collection is discounted only once a year—and this is it! Enjoy music, apple cider and home-baked treats while you shop.

Currituck Heritage Park 2nd Annual Tree Lighting Celebration: December 13, Saturday 5 p.m. See the giant cedar tree in Currituck Heritage Park and the Currituck Beach Lighthouse simultaneously illuminated. Enjoy free hot chocolate and docent-led holiday tours to show off the decorations. Alternatively, take a romantic horse-drawn carriage ride snuggled under a fluffy blanket through Historic Corolla Village.

Holiday Piano Concert: December 13, Saturday 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Holiday festivities continue in the library of the Whalehead Club with a Holiday Piano Concert featuring the fabulous voices of the Currituck County High School Choral Ensemble singing holiday favorites. Tickets for the concert are $35 per person and include a dessert reception during the intermission.

Winter Piano Concert: December 29, Monday 6 to 8 p.m. The Whalehead Club welcomes back the talent of Jason K. Evans, a local to the Outer Banks since 1988 and currently organist/hand bell director for the Outer Banks Presbyterian Church. Accompanying Jason is vocalist Sondra Meinhardt. Tickets are $35 per person or four for $100 and include a dessert reception during the intermission.

The Whalehead Club Museum Store

• Currituck Heritage Park, N.C. 12, Corolla
• (252) 453-9040

The near $35 million restoration began with the replacement of the copper roof. The exterior of the house and boathouse are exactly the same paint colors as the originals, as are the interior walls. The interior has been completely restored, from the coffered ceilings down to the $120,000 cork floors. Many of the original fixtures and details remain: The water lily motif carvings again stand out near the dining room ceiling, the duck head door handles are back in place, the Tiffany glass light fixtures shine again, the mahogany trim and woodwork has been refinished.

A team of researchers has tracked down as much information as possible to make the restoration as accurate as possible. Recently, the research team has been focusing its efforts on finding as much of the original furnishings as possible. Mrs. Knight’s piano, an iron safe and dining room tables were some of the only original furnishings left in the house when the restoration began. China, flatware and a few pieces of furniture, including a Louis Majorelle tea table and bedroom furniture have been returned. The dining room is furnished as it was originally, including Tiffany sconces and water lily shades. An exhibition on display in the basement showcases some of the Knights’ and other owners’ treasured artifacts.

The copious research has also turned up much information about the original owners Edward and Marie Louise Knight themselves. Local lore had always portrayed Mrs. Knight as a sharp shooting ruffian who was indignant about being ostracized from Outer Banks hunt club society. But as the researchers uncover information about Mrs. Knight, this seems unlikely. We now know that Mrs. Knight was educated, wealthy and socially accepted in Newport society. In her city clothes and ways, she was very different from the women of the Currituck Outer Banks and likely shocked the locals. This led to misperceptions about her, which have been passed down through the years. Researchers now tend to believe she was a dignified, well-respected woman.

The Whalehead Club offers a self-guided, electronic tour that takes you throughout the living areas, the private rooms, the servants’ quarters and the 6,000-square-foot basement. The tours offer a wealth of information about the architectural style of the house, the first owners, the history of Corolla and the northern Outer Banks and the transforming restoration of the home. In the basement are finely crafted exhibits that further detail the information learned on the tour. The exhibits focus on the Knights and their lifestyle. Guided specialty tours may be reserved by calling or emailing the Whalehead Club.

The Museum Shop stocks tasteful Whalehead Club souvenirs such as picture frames, jewelry and ornaments made from the original copper roof plus books, postcards and memorabilia.

Village Garden

• Corolla Village behind the Lighthouse Garden Shop, Corolla

This 4,000-square-foot garden is supported by Twiddy & Company Realtors and features a variety of blooming and edible plants. Within its five raised beds you’ll find a collection of herbs, perennials, roses and cutting flowers as well as a butterfly and vegetable garden.  The garden was designed and is maintained by Amy Crowe, who puts a great deal of her efforts into growing heirloom vegetables and old garden favorites. Many of the plants found here are ones that were available to gardeners at the turn of the last century.

When you drop by, you’ll likely find Amy or one of her assistants at work. Feel free to ask any questions you may have or simply take a few minutes to enjoy the quiet pleasure a garden offers.