What is North Carolina’s Maritime History?

It’s dugout canoes, pirate ships, southern ironclads and British blockade runners. Ships of exploration, vessels for victory and countless craft of every description tie the Tar Heel State to the world’s waterways.

The North Carolina Maritime History Council brings together all the elements that comprise our nautical heritage. It is a rich heritage, one that tells tales of high drama and unfortunate tragedy. Often one finds the state’s economic and social development to be synonymous with its relation to the creeks, rivers and sea. The production of tar, pitch and turpentine, for instance, kept fleets afloat while providing a livelihood for innumerable North Carolinians for almost 200 years. It is, in fact, why we are called Tar Heels.

The passion for maritime history motivated a group of like-minded individuals to form the North Carolina Maritime History Council in 1988. The Council became a 501(c)3 not-for-profit corporation in 1990.

The Council’s bylaws state its mission to be “to identify and encourage historical and educational projects that have as their purpose the enhancement and preservation of the state’s maritime history and culture, and that create public awareness of that heritage.” The Council can already claim many accomplishments including:

The purchase of the Edwin Champney drawings – a collection of 59 sketches of coastal scenes from the Civil War period that were obtained using funds donated by the Frank Stick Trust and other nonprofit groups.

Serving as the principal grant recipient for the Queen Anne’s Revenge shipwreck project.

Publishing Tributaries, North Carolina’s only maritime history journal, since 1991.

Conducting annual conference on North Carolina maritime heritage.

Creating a register of North Carolina historic vessels.

Council membership is open to individuals and institutions interested in maritime history. We encourage this membership to seek ways to pool resources, share information and discuss issues to benefit the dissemination of our mutual maritime heritage. We cordially invite you to join us in this task.

Harry S. Warren

Chair

Office: 315 Front Street, Beaufort NC 28516

Inquiries: information@ncmaritimehistory.org

(252) 728-7317