The curiosity that sparked when historian David Cecelski came across photos taken in 1944 of fishermen harvesting seaweed near Beaufort inspired a “bit of a deep dive” into topics he never imagined studying: the history of agar, ecology of seaweed, the wartime crisis that led to seaweed harvesting and the construction of the Beaufort agar factory.
Our Coast
Bittersweet event: Restored Reaves Chapel to be dedicated
The long, challenging restoration of one of the oldest African American buildings in southeastern North Carolina is finally complete, albeit after the death of one who spent the last 15 years of his life fighting to preserve it.
AME Zion leader Cartwright left mark on Albemarle area
Born in Elizabeth City in the early 1830s, Andrew Cartwright established African American churches in northeastern North Carolina, was an agent of the American Colonization Society and the first missionary to Liberia.
Lockwood Folly has a name as unique as its history
Wake Tech Community College history instructor Eric Medlin dives into the possibilities of how the river and inlet in Brunswick County earned its name.
Freedom Trail tells of Roanoke’s formerly enslaved people
Kip Tabb, an Outer Banks resident who reports for Coastal Review and other area publications, documents his walk along the Fort Raleigh National Historic Site’s Freedom Trail, which is lined with interpretive signs that illustrate the history of the Freedmen’s Colony of Roanoke Island.
African Americans in seafood industry heart of new exhibit
The exhibit debuting March 9 on Harkers Island features the ongoing NC Catch initiative that highlights African Americans in the state seafood industry.
Bertie native, NCCU dean: Coastal identity a cultural blend
Dr. Arwin Smallwood of North Carolina Central University says in the eastern part of the state particularly, Native, African and European cultures are blended into a shared identity “forged over hundreds of years.”
Working Lives: The Herring Fisheries at Plymouth 1939
Using photos taken in 1939, historian David Cecelski illustrates the final days of two of the oldest herring seine fisheries on the North Carolina coast.
El’s Drive-In rebuilds, reopens, rekindling fond memories
It’s back, and if you didn’t realize it was gone, well, you must be among the few ’round these parts unacquainted with the tiny Morehead City burger joint that’s been a favorite for locals and visitors alike for 69 years.
Sleepy Creek trail segment planners intend to ‘keep it wild’
The idea behind a planned new portion of Mountains-to-Sea Trail through the Holly Shelter Game Land’s lush pocosin in Pender County is to lure hikers safely away from Highway 17 and most other signs of civilization.
Darrell Collins remembered for giving life to Wrights’ story
“He found a way to blend science and history and art to paint a picture that resonated with everybody that entered this building,” Scott Babinowich with the National Park Service Outer Banks Group said Saturday.
Incoming environmental chief Reid Wilson revisits his roots
Former Department of Natural and Cultural Resources Secretary Reid Wilson sees important opportunities and challenges in terms of public health and environmental protection in his new role as Department of Environmental Quality secretary in the Stein administration.
Morehead City naturalist John Fussell leaves birding legacy
The conservationist who was steeped in bird and botany knowledge, credited for his focus on often-overlooked environmental issues affecting the North Carolina coast, and author of the region’s definitive bird guide, died last week at 75.
Coastal geologist Orrin Pilkey, 1934-2024: An appreciation
“With Orrin, the stories never stopped,” writes author and Coastal Review contributor Gilbert M. Gaul of the acclaimed Duke University scientist who died Sunday. “Some of them were even true.”
Dan Spinella replicates Hatteras lens parts piece by piece
The owner of Artworks Florida Classic Fresnel Lenses has been busy reproducing the 1,008 prisms and hundreds of other mechanisms and components as part of the project to restore the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse.
The Down East way: Harkers Island to celebrate waterfowl
This weekend, Carteret County’s historic traditions — and food — take the spotlight with the three-day Waterfowl Weekend, including the 36th annual Core Sound Decoy Festival.
