Davis was first settled by four families in the early 1700s. Although farming and fishing were the main occupations, the community became known for its waterfowl legacy. Waterfowl meat was in demand in urban America and was supplied by market hunters until diminished wild stocks led to the occupation being outlawed in 1918. The lack of available wild game helped spark a sports hunting craze among the elite during the 1920s and 1930s. Davis provided easy access to the waterfowl migratory path on Core Sound, and the influx of hunters kept residents busy as guides, boatmen, innkeepers, cooks, and decoy carvers from early November to February. Davis hunting guides were beloved and respected by both the community and wealthy seasonal hunters, who returned year after year because of lifelong friendships as well as the sport. Babe Ruth also came to Davis, and when he returned to the mainland from hunting on the banks, young boys eagerly met him to carry his guns ashore. Davis Ridge, an area of Davis, was one of the few black settlements in eastern Carteret County. Its residents were successful fishermen and boat builders who maintained plentiful gardens supplemented with hogs and chickens, and they built one of the first menhaden plants in the county. The 1933 hurricane completely destroyed their houses and they lost everything, but no human lives were lost. Families later resettled in North River and Beaufort.