History with ‘Hud’: How Masonboro Inlet evolved from pirate hangout to party spot
NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — Masonboro Inlet, and the nearby island of the same name, is a popular 4th of July destination today, attracting hundreds of partiers and boaters each summer. But long before it was such a go-to-spot, it served as a hideout location for pirates and confederate soldiers.
The earliest records of the inlet and surrounding land date back to the 1700s, when the spot was known as Cabbage Inlet Sound during the colonial period.
Towards the end of the century, the inlet became frequented by pirates as a hideout before or after looting passing ships. Big names such as Blackbeard and Captain Kidd are said to have visited the region, with stories telling of Kidd burying some treasure along the beaches, though that claim has never been substantiated.
Decades later the same spot became a hideout for a different group of people – Confederate blockade runners during the Civil War. They would use the inlet to escape detection, then sail into Wilmington under the cover of darkness.
After the Civil War, the island became a popular coastal spot with cottages and Colonial Revival Homes. Popularity only grew when the Wilmington Sea Coast Railroad opened and connected to the region in 1888. It was renamed Masonboro Island in the years to follow, after a group of Masons who held meetings in a prominent house.
Masonboro Island itself is relatively new compared to the other barrier islands along the Cape Fear coast. It was formed when Carolina Beach inlet was artificially opened by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1952. The created inlet was relatively small, measuring just .2 miles wide at most, due east of Wilmington.
The island is now a dedicated nature preserve and the largest undisturbed barrier island along the southeast coast of North Carolina. While many are the regions islands are lined with buildings, there hasn’t been a house on Masonboro Island since the late 1970s, when the northern inlet migrated and swallowed up the remaining structures.
As summer continues, the sands surrounding Masonboro Island will remain crowded with visitors – connecting them to a time when only a few mariners knew of the barrier island.
Meteorologist Matthew Huddleston (‘Hud’) has always had two major loves – weather and history. While you can watch him talk about weather each morning on WWAY, he looks forward to bringing you a little piece of history each Thursday on WWAY’s website.
To read other History with ‘Hud’ segments, click HERE.
