Corolla, North Carolina facts for kids
Corolla is a cool coastal community located in Currituck County, North Carolina, in the United States. It's part of the famous Outer Banks, a string of barrier islands along North Carolina's coast. About 500 people live here permanently, but in the summer, thousands of visitors come to enjoy the beaches and attractions!
Corolla is home to the historic Currituck Beach Lighthouse, one of seven lighthouses along North Carolina's coast. It used to be a quiet, hidden gem, but since the 1980s, it has grown into a super popular spot for vacations.
This area is nestled between the calm Currituck Sound and the mighty Atlantic Ocean. Most visitors come for the beautiful beaches, especially when the weather is warm. Corolla also has other fun places like the historic Whalehead Club, the Center for Wildlife Education, and lots of shops and restaurants. You can even try exciting water sports here!
One of the most special things about Corolla is its herd of wild Banker horses. These amazing horses live freely on a huge 12,000-acre (49 km2) animal sanctuary north of the main town. Over fifty thousand people visit every week in the summer just to catch a glimpse of these wild beauties!
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How to Say "Corolla"
The name "Corolla" comes from the word for a collection of flower petals. The correct way to say it is "kuh-RAH-luh," with the emphasis on the "rah" sound. Many people get it mixed up with the car name, "Toyota Corolla," which sounds like "kuh-ROW-luh." But now you know the right way!
People of Corolla
Corolla is a diverse place with people from many different backgrounds. Most residents are white, and there are also many African Americans. People here have roots from places like England, Germany, Italy, and Poland. English is the main language spoken, but you might also hear Spanish and Italian. Many adults in Corolla have a four-year college degree, which is higher than the average in other parts of the United States.
Parks and Nature in Corolla
Corolla is a great place for nature lovers! It has the Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education, which is located in Currituck Heritage Park. This park features a cool boardwalk that goes through wetlands, where you can see lots of different birds. Over 80 types of birds have been spotted here!
Just a short distance north of Corolla is the Currituck Banks North Carolina National Estuarine Research Reserve. This reserve helps protect the natural environment where the river meets the sea, making it a safe home for many plants and animals.
Corolla's History
The land where Corolla now stands was once the hunting grounds of American Indian tribes like the Chowanoke and Poteskeet. They hunted along these barrier islands long ago.
The town was first known by different names, like Jones Hill (after an early settler), Whalehead, or Currituck Beach. Early settlers made a living by fishing, hunting, and even salvaging items from shipwrecks. They also worked as guides for hunters.
The name "Currituck" comes from an American Indian word, Carotank, which means "land of the wild geese." Back then, this area was filled with wild geese because it was on their migration path. However, too much hunting in the late 1800s caused their numbers to drop a lot.
The community officially became "Corolla" in 1895 when a post office opened there. The name was chosen to reflect the "petals of a flower" idea. It wasn't until 1905 that the town even had a proper teacher and school curriculum!
Big changes came to Corolla in 1967 when investors started buying undeveloped land in the Northern Outer Banks. They planned to build many new homes. The first area they planned was called Carova, with nearly 2,000 lots. In the early 1970s, these lots cost about $8,000, but by 2006, some were worth up to $500,000!
The investors originally wanted a road from Virginia Beach, Virginia, to make it easy to get to these new homes. But these plans were stopped in 1973 when a wildlife refuge to the south closed its roads to most cars. So, development continued to push south through the 1970s, adding over 1,000 more lots. Finally, in 1984, the people of Corolla succeeded in getting a public road built from the south. The state began paving an extension of North Carolina State Highway 12 northwards.
Besides the Currituck Beach Light, two other important historical places in Corolla are the Currituck Shooting Club and the Whalehead Club. These are listed on the National Register of Historic Places because of their special history.
Beaches of Corolla
Corolla has 15 public beaches where you can enjoy the sun and sand! Six of these beaches have lifeguards to keep you safe, and they also offer public parking. Two of the beaches even have showers, so you can rinse off after a fun day in the ocean.
Here are some of the popular public access beaches:
- Corolla Village Road (with showers and a bathhouse)
- Shad Street
- Sturgeon Walkway
- Bonito Street
- Sailfish Walkway
- Yaupon Lane (with showers and a bathhouse)
Weather in Corolla
Corolla has a Humid subtropical climate. This means it generally has warm, humid summers and mild winters. It's a great place to visit for beach activities, especially during the warmer months!
