Hammocks Beach State Park

In the early 20th century, Onslow County’s beaches, rivers, streams, and woods drew out-of-town sportsmen. Dr. William Sharpe, a New York-based neurosurgeon, began visiting in 1914 for its abundant fish and game and became close friends with John Hurst, a local African-American hunting guide. Wanting his own sporting retreat, Sharpe asked Hurst to find land that was beautiful, isolated, and rich in fish and game. Hurst found 4,600 acres on the mainland and Bear Island with its long beach, and under the management of John and Gertrude Hurst, the Sharpe family enjoyed The Hammocks for more than 30 years. Sharpe had first intended to leave the property to the Hursts, but after his suggestion Gertrude Hurst agreed that he should deed it in 1950 to the North Carolina Teachers Association, a black teachers organization, for use as a segregated beach resort. In 1961, the island was donated to the state for development as a park. John Hurst, entrusted by Sharpe with full responsibility as property manager despite local resentment, earned Sharpe’s lasting admiration, and today Hammocks Beach State Park is a haven for loggerhead turtles, migratory birds, and other wildlife.

North Carolina · United States