Topsail Beach is a town in Pender County, North Carolina, United States. Landmarks include US Naval Ordnance Testing Facility Assembly Building, US Naval Ordnance Testing Facility Control Tower and US Naval Ordnance Testing Facility Observation Tower No. 2.
Topsail Beach, North Carolina gifts and souvenirs: 28 designs made from Topsail Beach's own map, landmarks and history, from $10 to $95. Printed to order and shipped free in the USA.
| Popular | Price |
|---|---|
| Topsail Beach Hometown Ornament | $23 |
| Topsail Beach Vintage Travel Poster | from $40 |
| Topsail Beach Varsity Crewneck | from $57 |
| Topsail Beach Est. Tee | from $33 |
| Topsail Beach Town Line Mug | from $26 |
| Topsail Beach Market Tote | $37 |
Ceramic keepsake, gold ribbon, in 3 styles
Its landmark photo in a classic travel-poster layout
A local landmark photo as a gallery print
Classic large-letter postcard art, filled with local photos
Map of local landmarks, washable fabric
Heavy-blend fleece, street map printed on the back
Red heavy-blend crewneck, knit-stitch town print
Soft Bella+Canvas jersey
Kids' Bella+Canvas jersey, youth sizes
Bella+Canvas toddler jersey
Bella+Canvas baby bodysuit
Large-letter postcard art filled with local photos
Glossy ceramic, dishwasher safe
Large-letter postcard art filled with local photos, 11 oz ceramic
Weatherproof, for the front walk
24″×16″, printed coir-look fibers, rubber back
12″×12″ printed wood, ready to hang
Soft-touch, zip cover
A local landmark photo with the town name, 18″×18″
Sturdy all-over-print tote
Large-letter postcard art on a sturdy tote
Foam-front trucker, printed (not embroidered) with local photos
Glossy top, cork back
Soft fleece, 50″×60″
20 oz, double-wall stainless
6″×4″ postcard, glossy front
6″×4″ postcard, glossy front
6″×4″ postcard, glossy front
Population 2010: 368 → 2020: 461
From Wikidata (CC0).
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.
Adapted (trimmed) from the Wikipedia article Topsail Beach, North Carolina, revision 1374946797 by its contributors, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
We share a part of every Topsail Beach sale with local partners, and we'd love to print from your collection. Old photographs, maps and postcards make the best keepsakes.
Partner with usA favorite landmark, your street, a school or team, an anniversary gift, a different product. Tell us and we'll get back to you by email.
3 free coloring pages of Topsail Beach, each traced from a photo of a local landmark. Print them at home, at school or for story hour.
Topsail Beach's population was 461 in the 2020 U.S. Census, up from 368 in 2010.
US Naval Ordnance Testing Facility Assembly Building
US Naval Ordnance Testing Facility Control Tower
US Naval Ordnance Testing Facility Observation Tower No. 2