Blackbeard Island, now a national wildlife refuge for a number
of endangered and threatened species including American alligators,
Bald Eagles, Peregrine Falcons, loggerhead sea turtles, Wood Storks and
Piping Plovers, was once a hideout for the notorious pirate Edward
Teach, better known as "Blackbeard the Pirate," for whom the island was
named. As lore would have it, Blackbeard's treasure was supposedly
buried somewhere on the island, although no trace of it has ever been
found.
Around 1800, the island was purchased by the U.S. Navy to be used as a
federal timber reserve. The live oak trees, which grow abundantly and
are indigenous to all the barrier islands, were highly sought after by
shipbuilders for constructing wooden naval vessels. Then in 1880, the
U.S Marine Hospital Service opened up a quarantine station on the
island in response to the yellow fever epidemic of 1876. Vessels bound for ports in the U.S. southern Atlantic were required to
report to Blackbeard Island to be inspected and disinfected, if
necessary, before being allowed to continue to their intended
destination.
In 1914, U.S. president Woodrow Wilson signed an executive order making
Blackbeard Island a wildlife preserve. Then, in 1924, the island was
permanently established as a national wildlife refuge.
Today, the island's lush green forests, labyrinth creeks, and secluded
marshes, where pirates once sought refuge for their illegal
activities, offer visitors a new kind of treasure-seeking
adventure, including the myriad resident endangered and threatened
species of flora and fauna. Modern day
adventurers are welcome to visit the island for hiking and bird
watching excursions, but no overnight camping is permitted.
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