Atlantic Beach,
North Carolina

Atlantic Beach is the oldest of the five towns on Bogue Banks. It was originally the site of a small pavillion built on the beach in 1887. The one-story building had a refreshment stand and stalls in the back for changing clothes. The popularity of surf-bathing was growing, and guests at the Atlantic Hotel in Morehead City were transported to the sound side of Atlantic Beach by sailboat. The guests then trekked across the island to the pavillion, which faced the ocean. Supplies were dragged over the sand dunes by ox cart.

In 1916 the original pavillion and 100 acres were bought by Von Bedsworth, and the 100-room Atlantic View Beach Hotel was built, a lone sentry on the now-populated strip of land. The hotel later burned, but by 1928 a group of county citizens had built a toll bridge from Morehead City to today's Atlantic Beach and had developed a beach resort with dining facilities, bathhouses and another pavilion. This complex would also perish to fire just a year later. A New York bank took possession of the property and built a new hotel, and Atlantic Beach slowly began to grow into the town it is today.

In 1936 the toll bridge was sold to the state and toll charges were dropped. In 1953 a drawbridge replaced the old bridge, and in the late 1980s, the drawbridge was replaced by the current Morehead City-Atlantic Beach four-lane, high-rise bridge. High-rise bridges play an important role along the Crystal Coast, allowing large vessels to easily maneuver the coastal waters. Past the North Carolina Port at Morehead City you will see tugs with barges, pleasure boats, long-line fishing boats and an occasional passenger cruise liner on the Intracoastal Waterway.

Today Atlantic Beach is home to about 3,500 year-round residents, although the population swells to a whopping 35,000 during the summer months. The center of town, known to locals as The Circle, is found at the southernmost end of the Atlantic Beach Causeway. The area continues to offer parking for a day at the beach and several souvenir shops, however major changes to this area are in the making. Plans are in the works for the construction of high rise condos, retail shops, restaurants, lodging and many other upscale improvements.