British Soil in North Carolina - WWII History

[Maidpool w/ Cleaning Action]

This is for all my fellow Crappers from across the pond, or anyone interested in history.

Here in North Carolina we have some of the most beutiful beaches around on the Outer Banks. They are a rare system of outlying, barrier islands. They also carry lots of history with them such as being one of the main homes of Blackbeard the pirate, having the tallest lighthouse in America, being the home of the Wright Brothers first ever flight, the second oldest operating lighthouse in America, and a rich WWII history.

My family lives in a village called Frisco right at Cape Hatteras on Pea Island, which is the furthust out in the ocean part of all the islands. To the south of them is an island named Okracoke, which is only reachable by ferry boat. There are no bridges or roads to this island, though there are roads ON the island. The locals there prefer it that way as tourists can still come, but it keeps out all big bussiness. No Wal-Marts, no McDonalds, just a self sustaining community. To get to Okracoke from Firsco, you just head south to Hatteras village (not far at all, 10 minutes tops, and that's going like 35 most of the time) and catch the ferry over.

One little history aspect that many don't know about Okracoke is that it's home to the only non-embassy foreign soil in America. There is a graveyard there that is called "The Bristish Graveyard" and is home to soilders that died in WWII. When they died at sea and washed ashore, they were given a proper burial and the ground was designated as offical British land per an agreement in friendship America and England had.

To this day the gravesite is maintained and a British flag flies over head of the plot of land. The gravesite is not only a symbol of friendship, respect, and courage... but also a reminder that in the long run we are all the same. We are all just human.



Here is some more info for anyone interested:
www.offbeattravel.com/british-cemetery-outerbanks.html
www.ocracoke-nc.com/cemetery/

[Mister Pigwell]

Wow I never knew such a place existed here in America, that's mighty awesome.

Thank you for sharing that there man.

[CaptainFall]

There's a few cemetaries in France that I know of where the land is classified as belonging to the country of those that died there too. It's strange to think I'm on American land in the middle of France.

[Killah Ray]

Yeah my grandfather lives in Jacksonville right near the outer banks so I knew of this.

Speaking of rare unknown history I live 30 miles away from Florence,SC which is the only place in America that ever had an a-bomb dropped on it. Even though it was un-intentional and it didn't go off, it was in the 50s if I'm not mistaken.

I forgot how everything went, but I do remember the a-bomb somehow unlodged itself from a military plane flying over Florence and I still can't remember how in the world the thing didn't go off when it hit.

[Drillbit Taylor]

That is pretty cool. It shows how strong the bond between the UK and USA is. The Bonds of Western Europe and USA are very strong, and the graveyard thing in both USA, Belgium and France show that.

[Cranjis McBasketball]

Apr 6, 2008 13:15:44 GMT -5 Killah Ray said:

Yeah my grandfather lives in Jacksonville right near the outer banks so I knew of this.

Speaking of rare unknown history I live 30 miles away from Florence,SC which is the only place in America that ever had an a-bomb dropped on it. Even though it was un-intentional and it didn't go off, it was in the 50s if I'm not mistaken.

I forgot how everything went, but I do remember the a-bomb somehow unlodged itself from a military plane flying over Florence and I still can't remember how in the world the thing didn't go off when it hit.

Oh, there's a few more A-bombs laying around than that one. I can't give you a number, but there's a lot of lost A-bombs laying around out there. I believe a lot are in the ocean, but a few are on land as well.

['Foretold' Joker]

I didn't know that, might just add that as a place to see when I decide to do a big trip round the states.

Hey a town named Buxton, my dads from there (the english version)

[FrankGotch]

Yep I love the outer banks, if you've never had the privilege go sometime you will love it. I usually end up there on business at least once a year. The first time I was ever down there was in February it was great nobody around but me and the locals I even took a dip in the ocean.

Hatters also has one of the better sea food restaurants I have been to its called Awful Arthur's almost everything on the menu is served fresh from what they caught that day. If your ever around the area look it up.

[Psy]

I live about 40-60minutes from the Outer Banks but rarely go there anymore, I got 'touristed'-out when I worked at a Beach Club. It's still pretty cool to visit from time to time, there are some mighty fine restaraunts and if you like seafood... well, lots of that.

I wouldn't want to live there, though, Hurricane Evacuations are a bitch.

[biafra]

The outer banks and the entire coast of NC (especially Topsail beach) is my most favorite place in the world.

[erisi236]

Geeze, how many NC folk have we got here?

[Jay Peas 42]

As much as I consider the idea of cemetaries for foreign war dead needing to be foreign soreign territory to be legal fiction, still an interesting read.

[Maidpool w/ Cleaning Action]

Apr 8, 2008 4:27:02 GMT -5 'Foretold' Joker said:

I didn't know that, might just add that as a place to see when I decide to do a big trip round the states.

Hey a town named Buxton, my dads from there (the english version)

Yep, Buxton/Frisco are techinically two villages but they are pretty much one village.

Buxton is where the famous lighthouse of North Carolina is.

This one:

Apr 8, 2008 10:42:52 GMT -5 Psy said:

I live about 40-60minutes from the Outer Banks but rarely go there anymore, I got 'touristed'-out when I worked at a Beach Club. It's still pretty cool to visit from time to time, there are some mighty fine restaraunts and if you like seafood... well, lots of that.

I wouldn't want to live there, though, Hurricane Evacuations are a bitch.

Psy, my grandmother is stubborn and NEVER evacuates.

She always knows she can come here, but she doesn't.

Thankfully my grandfather and step-grandmother always do and my uncle, aunt and cousins always did as well. I think my X cousin X removed and his family does too.

I like to go and relax, infact I like to try to go down there when there are no tourists. It's nice always having a place to stay and east with all the family I have down there.

Apr 8, 2008 11:34:09 GMT -5 erisi236 said:

Geeze, how many NC folk have we got here?

I know that there is a least 4 us from Greenville. Then you and Biafra. I'm sure there are plenty more too.

[damna]

Apr 6, 2008 13:15:44 GMT -5 Killah Ray said:

Yeah my grandfather lives in Jacksonville right near the outer banks so I knew of this.

Speaking of rare unknown history I live 30 miles away from Florence,SC which is the only place in America that ever had an a-bomb dropped on it. Even though it was un-intentional and it didn't go off, it was in the 50s if I'm not mistaken.

I forgot how everything went, but I do remember the a-bomb somehow unlodged itself from a military plane flying over Florence and I still can't remember how in the world the thing didn't go off when it hit.

I lived in Columbia for 8 years, and let me just say had an a-bomb gone off in Florence, it probably would have improved the area ;D

[Killah Ray]

Apr 8, 2008 13:37:21 GMT -5 damna said:

Apr 6, 2008 13:15:44 GMT -5 Killah Ray said:

Yeah my grandfather lives in Jacksonville right near the outer banks so I knew of this.

Speaking of rare unknown history I live 30 miles away from Florence,SC which is the only place in America that ever had an a-bomb dropped on it. Even though it was un-intentional and it didn't go off, it was in the 50s if I'm not mistaken.

I forgot how everything went, but I do remember the a-bomb somehow unlodged itself from a military plane flying over Florence and I still can't remember how in the world the thing didn't go off when it hit.

I lived in Columbia for 8 years, and let me just say had an a-bomb gone off in Florence, it probably would have improved the area ;D

Ahhhh why you gotta say that? *Remembers I'm from Dillon* Well, yeah it does suck around here. If I weren't so close to Myrtle Beach I have no clue what I'd do.