The Outer Banks Gazetteer

The rich history of North Carolina’s Outer Banks is reflected in the names of its towns, geographic features, and waterways. A book over twenty years in the making, The Outer Banks Gazetteer is a comprehensive reference guide to the region’s place names—over 3,000 entries in all.

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Go on a Journey

In the Gazetteer, Roger L. Payne catalogues a host of stories of North Carolina beaches, inlets, towns and communities, islands, rivers, and even sand dunes. There are also many entries for locations that no longer exist – inlets that have disappeared due to erosion or storms, abandoned towns, and Native American villages which highlight important and nearly forgotten places in North Carolina’s history. Going beyond simply recounting the facts behind the names, Payne offers information-packed and entertainingly written stories of North Carolina, its coastal geography, and its people.

Perfect for anyone interested in the North Carolina coast, this invaluable reference guide uncovers the history of one of the most-visited areas in the Southeast.

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A Critical Success

Alton Ballance, author of Ocracokers

“As a lifelong resident of the Outer Banks, and one who has studied and written about its history, I value those who have taken the time to dig deeper into the history, geography, and folklore of the region to present accurate evidence of where we lived, how we lived, and why we named places based on our knowledge and experiences at the time. The detailed information in The Outer Banks Gazetteer has never been more needed.”

Mark Monmonier, author of How to Lie with Maps

Roger Payne can rightfully claim to be the expert on toponyms of the Outer Banks, and perhaps for the United States as a whole. Payne has created a historical geography of sorts that is organized by place names with a wealth of information about a variety of topics, such as whaling, shipping, real-estate development (past and recent), and military defense. Readers will appreciate Payne’s scholarship, rich in its mix of archival evidence and appreciation of local history.”

Roger L. Payne

Roger Payne is a dedicated author, historian, and passionate storyteller.
As the executive secretary emeritus of the U.S. Board on Geographic Names, he is dedicated to the intersection of names and storytelling. As made evident in the Gazetteer, Payne is a proponent of historical accuracy – including many entries for locations that no longer exist—inlets that have disappeared due to erosion or storms, abandoned towns, and Native American villages—which highlight important and nearly forgotten places in North Carolina’s history. Going beyond simply recounting the facts behind the names, Payne offers information-packed and entertainingly written stories of North Carolina, its coastal geography, and its people.

 

Biography

 

A Story of North Carolina Traditions

Geography

Payne offers an incredible history of beaches, islands, rivers, and even sand dunes - even those that no longer exist.

Names

With over 3,000 entries, Payne offers a comprehensive collection of landmark names and the stories they tell.

Tradition

Payne offers information-packed and entertainingly written stories of North Carolina, its people, and their traditions.

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