47-557: Morehead City is a port city in Carteret County , North Carolina , United States. The population was 8,661 at the 2010 census . Morehead City celebrated the 150th anniversary of its founding on May 5, 2007. It forms part of the Crystal Coast . By the early 1850s, a group of investors had been formed and incorporated a land development project known as the "Shepard Point Land Company," which purchased 600 acres (2.4 km) of land on
94-519: A Sector Office at Fort Macon , as well as a USCG Station at Emerald Isle and Morehead City . Morehead City Historic District ' In 2003, the US Department of Interior - National Park Service listed the National Register of Historic Places Morehead City Historic District (NRHD). It is located near the downtown waterfront of Morehead City , Carteret County, North Carolina . Within
141-535: A dry-bulk facility with a 225,000-ton capacity warehouse and extended open storage facilities. SpaceX fairing recovery vessels Ms. Tree and Ms. Chief utilize the port during launch and fairing recovery operations as a safe harbor in the event of inclement weather at sea or if there is an extended launch delay. Carteret General Hospital in Morehead City is the second largest employer in Carteret County, behind
188-662: A facility in Beaufort, at the southern tip of Radio Island (between the NC State Port in Morehead City, and the marine science laboratories on Pivers Island in Beaufort). It is military property, but is only manned during military port operations. The US Navy has a Port Control Office and the US Army has a Reserve Center, both in the eastern part of Morehead City. The NC National Guard has an Armory in Morehead City. The US Coast Guard operates
235-480: A female householder with no husband present, and 31.10% were non-families. 26.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.76. In the county, the population was spread out, with 20.70% under the age of 18, 6.40% from 18 to 24, 27.20% from 25 to 44, 28.40% from 45 to 64, and 17.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age
282-663: A number of famous wrecks, including the German submarine U-352 , discovered in part by the late Morehead resident George Purifoy. Morehead City is home to the Morehead City Marlins of the Coastal Plain League , a collegiate summer baseball league . The Marlins play at O'Neal Field at Big Rock Stadium in Morehead City, and began playing in the 2010 season. Youth sports in Morehead City include Little League Baseball , soccer leagues, and basketball leagues. Morehead City
329-549: A system of alleys forming an "H" shape that enabled businesses and residential homes to be served from the alleys behind them. Morehead City was officially incorporated by the North Carolina Senate in 1860, at which time the total number of households consisted of only 300 individual families. The city continued to prosper until the Civil War , when in 1862 it was occupied by Federal troops. The war disrupted commerce, and
376-557: Is a community newspaper based in Morehead City that serves Carteret County and nearby areas. Its predecessors were The Beaufort News , a newspaper founded in 1912, and the Twin City Daily Times , a newspaper founded in 1936. The Phillips family purchased and merged the two newspapers together to form Carteret County News-Times . The Carteret County News-Times ' s earliest printing was on May 18, 1948. Beginning in 1981,
423-622: Is also included in the New Bern-Morehead City, NC Combined Statistical Area . Most of the county is part of the Crystal Coast . In 2024, real estate developers in Cedar Point disturbed the site of an ancient Native American settlement. The discovery led to controversy over the continuance of the housing development and calls for new regulations to protect historical sites. Several state lawmakers pushed for construction to resume, with one legislator receiving campaign contributions from
470-406: Is land and 1.7 square miles (4.3 km), or 19.55%, is water. Morehead City has a humid subtropical climate ( Cfa ) with long, hot summers and short, cool winters. Note As of the 2020 United States census , there were 9,556 people, 4,428 households, and 2,276 families residing in the town. As of the census of 2000, there were 7,691 people, 3,597 households, and 1,985 families residing in
517-834: Is located in the western section of Carteret County along Bogue Sound. It comprises an 875 acres (3.54 km ) landing field located on Bogue Sound that serves as the Marine Corps’ only East Coast site for Field Carrier Landing Practice (FCLP). Marine Corps Outlying Field Atlantic is a training field in Atlantic. The USMC manages the Navy's Dumpling Creek Transmission Station in Merrimon. BT-11 Piney Island in Davis and Cat Island in Bogue Sound are former Marine Corps bombing ranges. The Marine Corps also has
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#1732848571674564-517: Is located southwest of the center of Carteret County. It occupies a peninsula bordered to the south by Bogue Sound and to the north and east by the tidal Newport River . Across the river to the east is the town of Beaufort , while to the south across Bogue Sound is Atlantic Beach . According to the United States Census Bureau , Morehead City has a total area of 8.5 square miles (22.1 km), of which 6.8 square miles (17.7 km)
611-615: Is water. It is the third-largest county in North Carolina by total area. Outstanding water sources and protected areas: As of the 2020 census , there were 67,686 people, 28,962 households, and 18,292 families residing in the county. At the 2000 census , there were 59,383 people, 25,204 households, and 17,365 families residing in the county. The population density was 114 people per square mile (44 people/km ). There were 40,947 housing units at an average density of 79 units per square mile (31 units/km ). The racial makeup of
658-476: Is within easy access of New Bern , Havelock and Jacksonville, North Carolina . Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point is 17 miles (27 km) northwest of Morehead City in Havelock, and Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune is 30 miles (48 km) west of Morehead City near Jacksonville. Morehead City is one of two existing ports in North Carolina which primarily export phosphate . The Port of Morehead City features
705-566: The Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament draws large crowds of sporting enthusiasts of all types to Morehead City each year to witness some of the largest Atlantic blue marlin catches in North America. Morehead City and surrounding areas are a popular scuba diving destination, particularly for the many shipwrecks that have led the waters off North Carolina to be nicknamed the " Graveyard of the Atlantic ". Morehead City sits between
752-581: The Carteret County Public Schools . Carteret Community College serves the undergraduate community with two-year associate degree programs focused primarily on trades and service sector occupations. There are several world-class postgraduate programs and research organizations in the area, including the University of North Carolina 's Institute of Marine Sciences, North Carolina State University 's Center for Marine Sciences and Technology, and
799-578: The Continental Shelf and Gulf Stream . The Gulf Stream is a powerful, warm and swift Atlantic Ocean current that originates at the tip of Florida and follows the coastline of the eastern United States to Newfoundland before crossing the Atlantic Ocean, bringing large sport fish species such as the Atlantic blue marlin and other billfish close to the North Carolina coastline. Established in 1957,
846-541: The Duke University Marine Lab in nearby Beaufort. Morehead City also is home to the Research and Compliance Branch North Carolina Marine Fisheries Division, a governmental organization. Morehead City and the surrounding area is an excellent venue for fishermen of all varieties. There are many opportunities for recreational fishing when in Morehead City because of its pristine estuaries and close proximity to
893-508: The National Register of Historic Places . Morehead City's economy is based predominantly on a variety of ecotourism activities, a growing retirement community, and the Port of Morehead City. The local economy is based further on the Port of Morehead City, light industry and manufacturing, land development, light commercial fishing, sport fishing, and other service-oriented businesses. The town
940-568: The Newport River and the Intracoastal Waterway . The Shepard Point Land Company was established to construct a deepwater port to allow another access point for North Carolina timber products to relieve pressure at the port located in Wilmington . To make the port accessible to the interior of North Carolina, the Atlantic and North Carolina Railroad line between Goldsboro and New Bern
987-454: The fishing industry that has remained an important part of the town's economy. The Great Depression and World War II markedly altered the character of the town. The traditional downtown area had deteriorated and, as newer stores opened further west, the decay in the old center of town accelerated. Finally, in the 1980s, a renewal began when the town obtained a Community Development Block Grant to replace an aging infrastructure and improve
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#17328485716741034-453: The poverty line , including 15.40% of those under age 18 and 9.40% of those age 65 or over. Carteret County is a member of the regional Eastern Carolina Council of Governments . It includes 16 of North Carolina's townships . Carteret County operates under a council–manager form of government . The county manager is Tommy Burns. A voting machine malfunction in the county resulted in the loss of 4,438 ballots cast during early voting for
1081-810: The First Baptist Church (1920s), and the First Freewill Baptist Church (1904, 1957). In 2019, the Town of Morehead City demolished perhaps the most important CR historic property within the NRHD, the Charles S. Wallace Graded Public School, 1930). The National Register lists, "Gone." (The National Register Morehead City Historic District often is confused with the Town of Morehead City's own "historic district." At issue may be NCGS § 160D-303(a), Historic preservation commission.) This article about
1128-647: The NRHD boundary originally were 123 Contributing Resource (CR) buildings. (Eff. 01/01/2024, the current number remaining is unknown.) In the oldest section of the small seaport town of Morehead City, the CR buildings predominantly date from about 1899 to 1930. They include notable examples of Queen Anne and Colonial Revival style architecture. Notable are the Dudley House (1857), First Methodist Church (rebuilt 1952), Franklin Memorial Methodist Church (1923),
1175-590: The North Carolina section of the Carolina Special . The North Carolina Department of Transportation as of 2007 was studying the resumption of intercity passenger train service from Raleigh through Goldsboro to Morehead City. The Carteret County News-Times is the local newspaper, published three times a week, and is owned by Carteret Publishing Company. Morehead City is part of the Greenville – New Bern – Washington designated market area , which
1222-529: The November 2, 2004, general election. Since the number of lost ballots exceeded the lead held (by Steve Troxler over Britt Cobb ) in the statewide race for agriculture commissioner, the State Board of Elections decided to hold a special election on January 11, 2005, open only to the 18,500 voters in the county who either failed to vote or whose votes were lost. Both candidates filed legal challenges contesting
1269-445: The appearance of the waterfront area. Subsequent grants, private investment, and town monies have maintained the forward momentum, so that the town now has a new sea wall , underground utilities, brick paved walkways with planters along the waterfront, all in the downtown area, and tree-lined streets, renovated houses, new docks and new businesses. The Morehead City Historic District and Morehead City Municipal Building are listed on
1316-474: The area for many years. In a typical pattern of following the availability of new lands in the Deep South, some branches of this family later migrated to Mississippi and Texas in the 19th century. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 1,330.41 square miles (3,445.7 km ), of which 507.60 square miles (1,314.7 km ) is land and 822.81 square miles (2,131.1 km ) (61.85%)
1363-402: The average family size was 2.73. In the town the age distribution of the population shows 20.2% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 27.2% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 20.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.3 males. The median income for a household in
1410-464: The beaches of Bogue Banks , helped to establish Morehead City as a summer destination. It was also during the 1880s and 1890s that fishermen who had lived on the island of Shackleford Banks moved on to the mainland (often transporting their houses by boat from the outer banks), settling in the areas between 10th and 15th streets and calling it the Promised Land. These fishermen became the nucleus of
1457-418: The county was 90.28% White , 6.99% Black or African American , 0.54% Asian , 0.43% Native American , 0.06% Pacific Islander , 0.60% from other races , and 1.09% from two or more races. 1.74% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 25,204 households, out of which 26.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.00% were married couples living together, 9.60% had
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1504-707: The county. In 1747, he assisted with the successful defense of the county during the War of Jenkins' Ear (fighting against Spanish pirates). During the Revolutionary War he served as a 2nd Major in the Carteret County Regiment of the North Carolina militia. In 1782, he fought alongside Lieutenant Colonel John Easton to drive the British from Carteret County. Dennis once owned the Hammock House, which became well known as
1551-476: The daily Palmetto train to New York City and Savannah, Georgia , as well as the daily Carolinian train to New York City and Charlotte . Into the early 1950s, the Atlantic and East Carolina Railway ran a daily passenger train to Goldsboro ' s Union Station . The connections at Goldsboro were timed to accommodate a local Southern Railway overnight train (#111/#112, in final years, #11/#112) to parts in central and western North Carolina, comparable to
1598-468: The eastern tip of the peninsula bordering the Newport River , known then as "Shepards Point," which is the present location of Morehead City. The Shepard Point Land Company's objective was to take advantage of the natural deep channel of Topsail Inlet, known today as the Beaufort Inlet, which splits Bogue Banks from Shackleford Banks and provides access to Morehead City, Beaufort, North Carolina ,
1645-506: The economy of the port declined along with the town's population. It was not until the 1880s, with the construction of the Atlantic Hotel at the tip of the peninsula and its promotion by the railroad as the "Summer Capital by the Sea," that the area began to experience a resurgence. The popularity of this particular hotel, with its train depot entrance, grand ballroom, piers, sailing, and ferries to
1692-479: The format of the new election. On February 4, 2005, Cobb conceded the race. The county is served by the Carteret County Public Schools . Carteret County Public Schools has 16 schools ranging from pre-kindergarten to twelfth grade . Those 16 schools are separated into three high schools , four middle schools , and nine elementary schools . In addition the county is home to a public charter school and three private schools : The Carteret County News-Times
1739-580: The house owned by the pirate Blackbeard. His son, William Dennis Junior was a captain in the 8th North Carolina Regiment (1777-1778), was present at Valley Forge and also fought in the Carteret County Regiment (1781-1782). In the 1790 U.S. census , Dennis was one of the largest land owners in the county. Branches of the Dennis family include the Bells, Watsons and Pelletiers, many of whom continued to live in
1786-422: The newspaper has published three editions a week: Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday. According to the 2010 book North Carolina's Central Coast and New Bern , the newspaper is "a good source of information for vacationers who want to know the schedules of tours, festivals, kids' programs, seminars, exhibits and events of all types within the county and the surrounding area". Marine Corps Auxiliary Landing Field Bogue
1833-401: The population was 67,686. Its county seat is Beaufort . The county was created in 1722 as Carteret Precinct and gained county status in 1739. It was named for Sir George Carteret , one of the 17th century English Lords Proprietor , or for his descendant and heir John Carteret, 2nd Earl Granville . Carteret County comprises the Morehead City , NC Micropolitan Statistical Area , which
1880-407: The population. There were 3,597 households, out of which 23.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.9% were married couples living together, 13.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.8% were non-families. 39.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.06 and
1927-527: The project's developers in 2022. The first male of English parents born in the current area of North Carolina was John Fulford. He was born in 1629 in what is now Carteret County. He settled in this area and died in 1729. An article dated September 18, 1893, in The New Bern Daily Journal , identified Fulford's grave in a cemetery outside the county seat of Beaufort , in an area called the Straits. It
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1974-405: The town was $ 28,737, and the median income for a family was $ 39,290. Males had a median income of $ 26,852 versus $ 21,995 for females. The per capita income for the town was $ 19,138. About 12.1% of families and 14.6% of the population were below the poverty line , including 21.7% of those under age 18 and 12.3% of those age 65 or over. Amtrak provides a Thruway Bus to Wilson that connects with
2021-427: The town. The population density was 1,507.6 inhabitants per square mile (582.1/km). There were 4,296 housing units at an average density of 842.1 per square mile (325.1/km). The racial makeup of the town was 81.71% White , 13.98% Black (U.S. Census), 0.66% Native American , 0.77% Asian , 0.04% Pacific Islander , 1.13% from other races , and 1.72% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.34% of
2068-421: Was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 96 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94 males. The median income for a household in Carteret County in 2009 was $ 49,711, and the median income for a family was $ 45,499. Males had a median income of $ 31,365 versus $ 22,126 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 21,260. About 8.00% of families and 10.70% of the population were below
2115-655: Was completed on April 29, 1858. North Carolina Governor John Motley Morehead , for whom the city of Morehead City is named, was a principal member of the Shepard Point Land Company investment group. Fully operational rail service began in July 1858 connecting the town to points west, north, and south. The city of Morehead City was laid out using a grid plan , whereby city blocks were equally laid out with each block consisting of 16 equally divided lots. The city blocks stretched from 1st Street to 15th Street, incorporating
2162-643: Was described as "bricked up with English brick." In 1971 a survey by the Carteret County Historical Society found such a grave in the Fulford Cemetery off Piper Lane in Gloucester . The unmarked, bricked-up grave matching this description survives today. One of the more prominent families from Carteret County was the Dennis family. William Dennis Sr. (b.1720 - d.1800) was an extremely colorful landowner, Revolutionary War officer, and defender of
2209-408: Was the 109th largest in 2007 (according to Nielsen Media Research ). Broadcast Television Stations serving the market include: Carteret County, North Carolina Carteret County ( / ˌ k ɑːr . t ə ˈ r ɛ t / KAR -tuh- REHT or / ˌ k ɑːr . t ɜːr ˈ ɛ t / KAR -tur- ET ) is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina . As of the 2020 census ,
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