Cape Hatteras National Seashore Welcome Sign,
NC 12, June 2007
| Cape Hatteras National Seashore |
IUCN Category V (Protected Landscape/Seascape) |
| |
| Location | Outer Banks, Dare County & Hyde County, North Carolina, USA |
| Nearest city | Nags Head, North CarolinaNearest city: Nags Head, North Carolina |
| Coordinates | 35°18′13″N 75°30′41″W / 35.30361°N 75.51139°W / 35.30361; -75.51139Coordinates: 35°18′13″N 75°30′41″W / 35.30361°N 75.51139°W / 35.30361; -75.51139 |
| Area | 30,319.43 acres (122.6984 km2) |
| Established | January 12, 1953 Established: January 12, 1953 |
| Visitors | 2,260,628 (in 2005) |
| Governing body | National Park Service |
Cape Hatteras National Seashore preserves the portion of the Outer Banks of North Carolina from Bodie Island to Ocracoke Island, stretching over 70 miles (110 km). Included within this section of barrier islands along N.C. 12, but outside the National Seashore boundaries, are Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge and several communities, such as Rodanthe, Buxton, and Ocracoke.
Once dubbed the "Graveyard of the Atlantic" for its treacherous currents, shoals, and storms, Cape Hatteras has a wealth of history relating to shipwrecks, lighthouses, and the US Lifesaving Service. The islands also provide a variety of habitats and are a valuable wintering area for migrating waterfowl. The park's fishing and surfing are considered the best on the East Coast.
[edit] See also
[edit] Administrative history
The National Seashore was authorized on August 11, 1937, and established on January 12, 1953. Cape Hatteras National Seashore is co-managed with two other Outer Banks parks, Wright Brothers National Memorial and Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, and is headquartered at Fort Raleigh.
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