Topsail Beach, North Carolina facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Topsail Beach, North Carolina
Town
Flag Seal
Location of Topsail Beach, North Carolina
Country	United States
State	North Carolina
County	Pender
Area
• Total	5.88 sq mi (15.23 km2)
• Land	4.39 sq mi (11.37 km2)
• Water	1.49 sq mi (3.86 km2)
Elevation	0 ft (0 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	461
• Density	105.01/sq mi (40.54/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
FIPS code	37-68040
GNIS feature ID	2406743
Website	www.topsailbeach.org

Topsail Beach is a town in Pender County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 383 at the 2012 census. It is part of the Wilmington, NC Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Local folklore claims the name, Topsail (pronounced Tops’l), originated during the 1700s when pirate ships, including Blackbeard, roamed the coastal waters. Historians explain that marauding pirates hid their ships in the channel behind the island and waited for passing merchant ships loaded with goods. The pirates would pursue and attack the merchants, claiming the cargoes as their own. Eventually, the merchants became aware of this infamous hiding place and began to watch for the tops of the pirates' sails showing over the rolling dunes - hence the name Topsail Island.

Prior to World War II, the only access to Topsail Island was by boat. Area residents frequently made this short trip to picnic and search for the pirate Blackbeard's rumored buried treasure.

During World War II, the U.S. Navy took over the island and began a joint venture with Johns Hopkins University known as Operation Bumblebee. The waterway was dredged, roads were built, and fresh water was piped onto the island. Operation Bumblebee was the beginning of the space program for the United States Government. An arsenal center for the assembly and storage of rockets was built on the sound side of the island, and launching pads were constructed on the oceanfront. Concrete observation towers were built throughout the island to monitor the experimental launchings. Over 200 rocket launchings took place on the island between 1946 and 1948. When the testing program was dismantled, the government sold the island to the public. The Town of Topsail Beach was incorporated in 1963. Many of the original military structures still exist today, and several of the concrete observation towers have since been converted into private residences and places of business.

The Cape Fear Civil War Shipwreck Discontiguous District, US Naval Ordnance Testing Facility Assembly Building, US Naval Ordnance Testing Facility Control Tower, and US Naval Ordnance Testing Facility Observation Tower No. 2 are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Recreation

Missiles and More Museum: The Missiles and More Museum is housed in the Historical Assembly Building located at 720 Channel Blvd in Topsail Beach. The Museum is home to exhibits such as Pirates of the Carolinas, Operation Bumblebee, Camp Davis, The Towns of Topsail Island, Topsail's Natural Beauty and Fragility, Traces of Native Americans on the Island and an International Shell Exhibit. On April 4, 2011, the WASP (Women's Air-force Service Pilots) exhibit was opened. This exhibit tells the story of the first women trained to fly American military aircraft.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 5.8 square miles (15 km²), of which 4.4 square miles (11.3 km²) is land and 1.5 square miles (3.9 km²) (25.30%) is water.

It is the southernmost town on Topsail Island.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 461 people, 202 households, and 131 families residing in the town.

See also

In Spanish: Topsail Beach para niños