| Colington Island at a Glance The first land grant to an individual in the Province of Carolina was issued by the Lords Proprietors of Carolina following the receipt of their royal charter in 1663. The grant was made to Sir John Colleton, one of the Proprietors, for "the island heretofore called Carlyle now called Colleton Island," the present day Colington. By the winter of 1664-65, Colleton´s agent, Captain John Whittie, had established a plantation. So far as can be determined, this was the beginning of the permanent settlement on the Outer Banks. In order to make a success of the landholding, a number of projects were undertaken, among them the cultivation of tobacco and grapes; the raising of hogs, cattle, horses and sheep; the start of a winery; and the extraction of oil from dead whales that washed up on the beach. The area also became a hideaway for pirates and runaway slaves. Most projects failed by the 1670´s and little is known of the development of the island for a number of years. Around 1750 a meandering creek, which ran about half way through the island, was extended (apparently by slave labor) from Kitty Hawk Bay on the north to Roanoke Sound on the south, dividing the island in half. This combination creek and canal was known as "The Dividing Creek," and by 1769 the two islands thus formed were known as "Great Colenton" and "Little Colenton." An extensive community grew up on the southwest side of Big Colington, as it is now known, although by the end of the 19th century, many of the residents had moved to the northern side where deeper channels were available for their boats. The topography of Colington is unusual, especially on the big island, in that it consists of high, steep, irregular hills, covered with thick growths of longleaf and loblolly pine, holly, dogwood and live oak. Today little Colington is connected to the Outer Banks by a bridge and to big Colington by another, and a 2½ mile hard-surfaced state road runs the length of both islands. Because of this, and perhaps because of its quiet isolation from the Outer Banks that the tourist sees, Colington has become a favorite of year-round residents. Most homes enjoy water access or water views. Within greater Colington, the planned, waterfront community of Colington Harbour is by far the largest community, and provides a gated entrance, park, pool, beach, tennis court, playground, and a marina and clubhouse popular with local sailors. The series of canals in the Harbour that empty into the Sound provide boaters and fishermen with easy access to all the bounty of our sound waters. |