Area Info

Here along our southern coast, directly about the mouth of our own Cape Fear River, Europeans first laid eyes upon what we now know as our modern United States. Their first recorded visit was made in 1524 by Italian Giovanni da Verrazano, followed two years later by Spaniard Lucas Vasquez de Ayllon. By 1585 our southern Carolina coast was already being praised as "The goodliest soile under the cope of heaven". Abortive attempts at settlement were made as early as 1629, but not until the dawn of the 1700s did early settlers filter in from both Charleston and the Virginia colonies to plant permanent roots along this enticing coast.

Today, more than three centuries later, Brunswick county is being re-discovered by a new generation who come not for gold or conquest, but for warm summer days along an uncrowded coast, cool blue surf, and a tranquil serenity unchanged by time. Vacationers come in season, and retirees searching for safe havens, blue-collar workers with new-sprung families, Blue-bloods, Professionals and returning native sons, settling some for only a week or two in vacation rentals or more permanently along the beaches of Oak Island, some among the sheltering pines of Boiling Spring Lakes, others beneath the ancient oaks of Southport.

Mecca for summer vacationers, "North Carolina's Best Kept Secret" for the millions who love her, "Home" for we lucky few who live here, Brunswick County's coastal communities yet retain that most rare of community traits: a truly cordial welcome to all who would be neighbors.

SOUTHPORT:

First settled by Cape Fear River-boat pilots long before she was officially founded, this charming, still sleepy-eyed port was originally christened Smithville under a charter dated December 31, 1792. Fort Johnston, originally intended as a bulwark against piracy, had been erected here a half-century before and together with chandler's shops, eatery's and small homesteads, formed the heart of the enterprising little town. Even today, Southport's storied past remains but a page away as one strolls along tree-shaded walks to the old Fort Garrison, visits one of the many quaint antique shops, or stops to pass an hour beneath the shade of century-old live oaks.

The natural home of North Carolina's Official Fourth of July Festival, Southport carries forth the tradition it first began with fireworks and a 13 gun salute in 1776. Today the immensely popular four-day event attracts a host of visitors. The town still serves as home to the coastal fishing trades, as well as for workers at nearby Carolina Power & Light Company power plant, the Sunny Point Military Ocean Terminal, and the ADM manufacturing plant.

No trip to historic Southport would be complete without a visit to to the Maritime Museum on Howe Street, or to venerable "Whitler's Bench" on the waterfront, and not to sample the fare at one or more of the local restaurants would be an equal oversight. Nearby are several old churches, cemeteries and oak-shaded Franklin Square, home in their seasons to arts festivals, egg hunts, chili cook-offs and other festive occasions.

Ranked by both Rand McNally and Kiplinger as one of the most desirable places in the United States to retire to, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this town of 2,500 enjoys a reputation for coastal scenery, turn-of-the-century lifestyle and a laid-back attitude.

OAK ISLAND:

Once a favorite picnic destination of Southport's weekend boaters, the narrow spit of barrier island long known as Oak Island first began to bustle in 1825 when work began on the coastal battery to named Fort Caswell. Now owned by the North Carolina Baptist Assembly, the community of Caswell Beach occupies the northernmost tip of Oak Island and each year welcomes visitors of all denominations.

The newly inaugurated town of Oak Island (created July 1, 1999 by municipal consolidation of Yaupon Beach and Long Beach) constitutes the remainder of the island.

Of prime interest here are the eight miles of sandy beaches and tumbling surf which attract numerous summer visitors to what many have called "the last true family beach in the area."

You won't find video arcades here or lot-to-lot rooftops nor neon-lighted strip malls. Its a quiet beach, populated by an average mix of young couples, retirees, and small shop owners. The city has reached out now to include properties on the landward side of the Intracoastal Waterway for a population of something over 6,000, which assures its rank as the largest town in Brunswick County.

It's also green and verdant, with a somewhat south-facing beach that avoids large swells and that allows for occasional, romantic views of the sun setting on the ocean. There are more than 50 public access points to the curling surf, with plenty of restaurants and motels. Vacation rentals abound along the beachfront, which is quickly recovering from the effects of 1999's Hurricane Floyd. Recreational areas include an 18-hole championship golf course, the Oak Island Golf and Country Club, which is open to play by the public. More than 30 other golf courses are within a half hour's drive.

Surf, pier and off-shore fishing is of course a mainstay of the recreational scene, with the annual King Mackerel Tournament taking center stage. Boat ramps, equipped with ample parking facilities, are found on the Intracoastal Waterway at NE 55th Street and on Montgomery Slough at 75th Place West, next to the full-service commercial Blue Water Point Marina. Also at hand are numerous parks and picnic areas, scenic walkways, and marked canoe and kayak trails.

Oak Island shares with neighboring Southport the casual, languid air of an earlier time, combined with the seasonal bustle of beach vacationers, Santa Day parades, and surfboards propped on the porch.

BOILING SPRING LAKES:

First developed in 1960-61, this quiet, unassuming inland community has grown steadily about a central golf course and some fifty lakes and ponds to become one of the area's most favored choices for a retirement or vacation home. Only six miles from Southport and a 20 minute drive from Wilmington, Boiling Spring Lakes offers commuting convenience and "Carolina country" living; quiet, serene and friendly, with well-wooded lots and plenty of elbow room.

Legend has it that long ago, local natives enroute to their coastal fishing grounds habitually camped by a mysteriously bubbling spring in the piney-woods. Later folklore endowed this "Boiling" Spring with mystical properties; for it was said that any who drank from its refreshing waters would one day return. Today this original Boiling Spring can still be found on the west side of town, just off Tuscarora Drive, not as accessible perhaps as in that earlier day, but bubbling still.

Prime community attractions are the Fox Squirrel County Club with its challenging 18-hole golf course, and the naturally occurring spring-fed lakes which offer both boating and fishing pleasures. Small craft of all sorts are a familiar sight along 150-acre Big Lake, which boasts a public boat ramp and covered picnic area.

Nearby Spring Lake may be the town's most inviting swimming hole, featuring a covered picnic pavilion and during the summer season, multitudes of lakeside enthusiasts, inner tubes, and picnic lunches. Sandy-bottomed, ever clear Frink Lake is another popular swimming spot.

While still sparsely populated (approx. 2,500) and seductively modest, Boiling Spring Lakes is geographically the largest municipality in Brunswick County. Residential development continues at a steady pace and all municipal services are available, including a post office, fire station, police department, medical clinic, rescue service, several churches and even a garden club.

Still, and despite its growing popularity, something of the traditional, small-town, Carolina-country lifestyle persists in tranquil Boiling Spring Lakes, nestled in the pines or lakeside, drifting lazily in the air. Perhaps its the frequent sight of waterfowl or early morning deer browsing by the roadside, or the prevailing silence accented by wind in the treetops, or maybe just the easygoing nature of its residents. Whatever its cause, the air of peace and quiet is unmistakable, adding an old-fashioned feel to a forward-looking town.