A brief history of the Nags Head Resort

Nags Head Hotel &
Sound Side Wharf

In the 1850s, the Nags Head Hotel was the center of social life on the northern Outer Banks. The grand structure was built around 1840, near the bottom of Jockey’s Ridge, one of the largest marching sand dunes in the country. The hotel could originally host up to 200 guests. The building was reported to have been two stories high, with a porch running completely around it. The second story contained balconies on the front and rear. For entertainment, there was a spacious ball room.

A view of the soundside wharf in 1920. Photo,
courtesy of the Outer Banks History Society.

This is a picture of visitors walking on Sound View Road about 1900. Jockey's Ridge can be seen in the background. Photo, courtesy of the Outer Banks History Society. Below right is a view looking north today.

The hotel was conceived and financed by planters that resided in the nearby inland counties to escape the hot and humid summer conditions. Believing the nearby salt air to be healthy, the resort grew and Nags Head soon became one of the favorite resorts on the east coast.
Entertainment for the guests included dancing, dining, and socializing every night during the summer months. The hotel was prosperous and eventually 50 more rooms were added. A wharf was built that reached out into the sound ½ mile to the anchored ships that visited. A horse drawn railroad was built to connect the hotel to the ocean, and was later expanded to include the wharf. Boardwalks were built that eventually ran between the ocean, hotel and wharf.
The popularity of Nags Head as a major resort on the east coast proved to be a boon to the local settlers. The original inhabitats lived in houses over the sound waters or in the woods. Life consisted of fishing, salvaging and herding livestock. The resort created a steady demand for vegetables, meat, horses and carts that the locals were more than happy to provide.
By 1859, blowing sand was piling up on the sides of the hotel, a harbinger of things to come. Today, we know the perils that arise from the drifting sand at Jockeys Ridge. The original owners were still waiting for that lesson to unfold.

This building was a victim of the shifting sands at Jockey's Ridge. Once completly covered with sand, Today the top of the building is becoming visible as the sands march on, releasing its previous victim as it looks for a new one to bury.

In 1862, the Confederate General Henry A. Wise used the hotel as his headquarters. After the battle of Roanoke Island and resultant victory by Union General Burnside, General Wise set fire to the hotel before retreating from the area. After the war, another hotel was built and the area remained the center for activity for the northern Outer Banks. The location of the original hotel finally met its fate in the 1870s by retreating under the shifting sands of Jockey’s Ridge...
The Nags Head sound wharf continued to serve the area for many more years. The Steam ship Trenton made regular stops there on its route between Manteo and Elizabeth City and the small village at Nags Head prospered. .
When the present State Highway was built on the Outer Banks in the 1930s, the remaining hotels and post office moved to the beach side, signaling the end of commercial development on Sound Side Road. The automobile proved to be more popular than the slow moving boats and the wharf withered away.
Today, a ride along Sound Side Road reveals little of its storied past. Several houses from the 30s are still present, but the grand hotel and wharf are gone. Talking to residents, the photo at right may represent the original location of the pier. The last visible piling reportedly vanished with hurricane Isabel. The remains of the hotel are rumored to still be under the drifting sand dune at Jockeys Ridge State Park, along with the many other buildings that we know are buried by its creeping sands.
Today, if you want to see Sound View Road, look for the first road running east to west, south of Jockey's Ridge State Park. Turn west, and you are there. You can drive or find a place to park and bicycle or walk to its end and back. May you find this journey as enjoyable as I have, should you choose to visit this historic area on the Outer Banks.

Confederate General Henry A. Wise. This General ordered the Nags Head Hotel burned to prevent its use by Union troops.

A view today of the approximate location of the Old soundside
wharf in Nags Head. The pier extended 1/2 mile into the sound

Below, Looking south on Sound View Road today.

Picture of dock on Sound Side Road. Photo,
courtesy of the Outer Banks History Society.

The steamer Trenton. Before there were automobiles, boats were the only way to travel to the Outer Banks. Photo, courtesty of the Outer Banks History Society.

A View of the Nags Head Hotel about 1900, the second Hotel with that name. Notice that this hotel extends over the water. This structure was later destroyed in a fire. Photo courtesy of the Outer Banks History Society.

One of many older homes near the site of the Old Sound Side pier in Nags Head.pier today.

This cottage is located at the end of Sound Side Road.
This is a fine example of early homes in the area.

The home is built on pilings above the sound. Before automobiles, This was the most popular place to build your home on the Outer Banks. Your primary mode of transportation, a boat could be docked at your porch, that also served as a convenient place to crab.

Looking north from Sound Side Road toward
Jockey's Ridge State Park.

This is an infrared photo draped on USGS LIDAR data showing Jockey's Ridge. The road at the left that runs to the sound (top left) is Sound View Road. by Dr. Helena Mitasova, MEAS

Wooden Bridge over the Sea, Nags Head, Dare County,
North Carolina, USA Photographic Print
Panoramic Images
Buy at AllPosters.com

Ready for Action, Nags Head,
North Carolina Giclee Print
Buy at AllPosters.com

The Nags Head Portrait Giclee Print
Vanderlyn, John
Buy at AllPosters.com

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Nags Head Hotel & Sound Side Wharf In the 1850s, the Nags Head Hotel was the center of social life on the northern Outer Banks. The grand structure was built around 1840, near the bottom of Jockey’s Ridge, one of the largest marching sand dunes in the country. The hotel could originally host up to 200 guests. The building was reported to have been two stories high, with a porch running completely around it. The second story contained balconies on the front and rear. For entertainment, there was a spacious ball room.	A view of the soundside wharf in 1920. Photo, courtesy of the Outer Banks History Society.

This is a picture of visitors walking on Sound View Road about 1900. Jockey's Ridge can be seen in the background. Photo, courtesy of the Outer Banks History Society. Below right is a view looking north today.
The hotel was conceived and financed by planters that resided in the nearby inland counties to escape the hot and humid summer conditions. Believing the nearby salt air to be healthy, the resort grew and Nags Head soon became one of the favorite resorts on the east coast. Entertainment for the guests included dancing, dining, and socializing every night during the summer months. The hotel was prosperous and eventually 50 more rooms were added. A wharf was built that reached out into the sound ½ mile to the anchored ships that visited. A horse drawn railroad was built to connect the hotel to the ocean, and was later expanded to include the wharf. Boardwalks were built that eventually ran between the ocean, hotel and wharf. The popularity of Nags Head as a major resort on the east coast proved to be a boon to the local settlers. The original inhabitats lived in houses over the sound waters or in the woods. Life consisted of fishing, salvaging and herding livestock. The resort created a steady demand for vegetables, meat, horses and carts that the locals were more than happy to provide. By 1859, blowing sand was piling up on the sides of the hotel, a harbinger of things to come. Today, we know the perils that arise from the drifting sand at Jockeys Ridge. The original owners were still waiting for that lesson to unfold.

	This building was a victim of the shifting sands at Jockey's Ridge. Once completly covered with sand, Today the top of the building is becoming visible as the sands march on, releasing its previous victim as it looks for a new one to bury.
In 1862, the Confederate General Henry A. Wise used the hotel as his headquarters. After the battle of Roanoke Island and resultant victory by Union General Burnside, General Wise set fire to the hotel before retreating from the area. After the war, another hotel was built and the area remained the center for activity for the northern Outer Banks. The location of the original hotel finally met its fate in the 1870s by retreating under the shifting sands of Jockey’s Ridge... The Nags Head sound wharf continued to serve the area for many more years. The Steam ship Trenton made regular stops there on its route between Manteo and Elizabeth City and the small village at Nags Head prospered. . When the present State Highway was built on the Outer Banks in the 1930s, the remaining hotels and post office moved to the beach side, signaling the end of commercial development on Sound Side Road. The automobile proved to be more popular than the slow moving boats and the wharf withered away. Today, a ride along Sound Side Road reveals little of its storied past. Several houses from the 30s are still present, but the grand hotel and wharf are gone. Talking to residents, the photo at right may represent the original location of the pier. The last visible piling reportedly vanished with hurricane Isabel. The remains of the hotel are rumored to still be under the drifting sand dune at Jockeys Ridge State Park, along with the many other buildings that we know are buried by its creeping sands. Today, if you want to see Sound View Road, look for the first road running east to west, south of Jockey's Ridge State Park. Turn west, and you are there. You can drive or find a place to park and bicycle or walk to its end and back. May you find this journey as enjoyable as I have, should you choose to visit this historic area on the Outer Banks.
	Confederate General Henry A. Wise. This General ordered the Nags Head Hotel burned to prevent its use by Union troops.

	A view today of the approximate location of the Old soundside wharf in Nags Head. The pier extended 1/2 mile into the sound
	Below, Looking south on Sound View Road today.


Picture of dock on Sound Side Road. Photo, courtesy of the Outer Banks History Society.

The steamer Trenton. Before there were automobiles, boats were the only way to travel to the Outer Banks. Photo, courtesty of the Outer Banks History Society.

A View of the Nags Head Hotel about 1900, the second Hotel with that name. Notice that this hotel extends over the water. This structure was later destroyed in a fire. Photo courtesy of the Outer Banks History Society.

One of many older homes near the site of the Old Sound Side pier in Nags Head.pier today.	This cottage is located at the end of Sound Side Road. This is a fine example of early homes in the area.
The home is built on pilings above the sound. Before automobiles, This was the most popular place to build your home on the Outer Banks. Your primary mode of transportation, a boat could be docked at your porch, that also served as a convenient place to crab.	Looking north from Sound Side Road toward Jockey's Ridge State Park.

This is an infrared photo draped on USGS LIDAR data showing Jockey's Ridge. The road at the left that runs to the sound (top left) is Sound View Road. by Dr. Helena Mitasova, MEAS
Wooden Bridge over the Sea, Nags Head, Dare County, North Carolina, USA Photographic Print Panoramic Images Buy at AllPosters.com
Ready for Action, Nags Head, North Carolina Giclee Print Buy at AllPosters.com	The Nags Head Portrait Giclee Print Vanderlyn, John Buy at AllPosters.com
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