We took a trip to Portsmouth Island, an old Outer Banks settlement that’s been abandoned since the 1970s. It’s a prime spot for history and shelling on a secret beach.
Did you know NC has an abandoned ghost town on an island off the Outer Banks?
In the latest Billy Ball Explains NC, our senior editor took a trip to Portsmouth Island. Portsmouth was settled for generations, and at one point nearly 700 people lived there. Watch it below. And scroll below for the history of the island and photos from our trip.
@cardinalandpine Did you know NC has an abandoned ghost town on an island off the Outer Banks? 🐚 In the latest Billy Ball Explains NC, our senior editor took a trip to Portsmouth Island. Portsmouth was settled for generations, and at one point nearly 700 people lived there. The Civil War sent folks fleeing inland. Many of them never returned. Changing shipping routes, the economy, and isolation sent its last inhabitants elsewhere in the 1970s. Today, Portsmouth still has an abandoned Methodist church, an old post office and general store, a Coast Guard life-saving station, a school, storm shelter, and numerous homes. You have to hire a local captain to get you there on a boat, but it’s worth it. Portsmouth also has an isolated beach that’s perfect for shelling. It’s maintained by @nationalparkservice and a nonprofit called Friends of Portsmouth Island. If you like this post, make sure to ♥️ it and share it! For a longer walk-through of this historic, abandoned town, click the link. in our bio! 🎥 Billy Ball & Shaun Sindelman for @cardinalandpine #northcarolina #nc #portsmouthisland #outerbanks #secretbeach #ncliving
The Civil War sent folks fleeing inland. Many of them never returned. Changing shipping routes, the economy, and isolation sent its last inhabitants elsewhere in the 1970s.
Today, Portsmouth still has an abandoned Methodist church, an old post office and general store, a Coast Guard life-saving station, a school, storm shelter, and numerous homes. You have to hire a local captain to get you there on a boat, but it’s worth it. Portsmouth also has an isolated beach that’s perfect for shelling. It’s maintained by the National Park Service and a local nonprofit called Friends of Portsmouth Island.
For a longer walk-through of this historic, abandoned town, click here.
