Figure Eight Island facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Figure Eight Island

Figure Eight Island Location in North Carolina Show map of North Carolina Figure Eight Island Location in the United States Show map of the United States Location in North Carolina
Geography
Location	Harnett Township, New Hanover County, North Carolina
Coordinates	34°16′12″N 77°45′0″W / 34.27000°N 77.75000°W / 34.27000; -77.75000
Total islands	1
Area	1,300 acres (530 ha).
Administration
United States
Demographics
Population	441 households

Figure Eight Island is a special barrier island in North Carolina, USA. It's located just north of Wrightsville Beach. This island is known as a private and popular vacation spot.

Figure Eight Island is part of the Wilmington area. It sits between the Intracoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean. Since it's a private island, you can only get there by boat. Or you can use a special guarded swing bridge. This bridge is the only private one over the Intracoastal Waterway in the southeastern United States.

Some people call Figure Eight Island "The Hamptons of the South." It has been a vacation spot for famous people and leaders. These include former U.S. Vice President Al Gore and Senator John Edwards. Many well-known business people, like John J. Mack, also have summer homes there.

Island History: How Figure Eight Began

Early Days of Figure Eight Island

Figure Eight Island was first noted in 1762. This was during the time of King George III. The land was given to James Moore as a royal grant. Later, in 1775, the island became known as The Banks. It belonged to Cornelius Harnett.

In 1795, James Foy bought the island. It then became part of Poplar Grove Plantation. The island was renamed Foy Island. It was also sometimes called Woods Beach. Foy Island remained part of the Plantation for about 160 years.

During World War II, the United States Coast Guard had a small building and water tower on the island. Coast Guard boats also watched the nearby waters.

Developing Figure Eight Island

In 1954, Hurricane Hazel caused a lot of damage along the East Coast. Many homes were destroyed. After the hurricane, beach properties were not as popular. Many landowners wanted to sell their land.

At this time, Dan Cameron, the Mayor of Wilmington, and his brother Bruce Cameron decided to buy the island. They bought it from George Hutaff and the Foy family for $50,000. They also bought nearby marshland. For the next 10 years, the land was not developed.

The Cameron brothers, along with their cousin Raeford Trask and investor Richard Wetherill, formed the Island Development Company. They wanted to build homes on the island. They named it Figure Eight because of the curvy paths of Rich's Inlet Creek in the marsh.

At first, you could only reach the island by boat. So, the company decided to build a bridge. They bought land from the Edgewater Club to build a road and a bridge. The first bridge was made from a government surplus landing ship tank.

Figure Eight Island's guarded causeway swing bridge over the Intracoastal Waterway

The Camerons hired designers to plan Figure Eight Island. The first lots were sold for about $5,000. The very first house was built in 1966. On March 30, 1971, the Camerons sold Figure Eight Island to Young M. Smith, Jr. He was a lawyer and developer from Hickory, North Carolina. He paid $4 million for the island.

Smith's company continued developing the island. Many homes and lots were sold. The local marina club opened on August 11, 1973. Later, during a tough economic time, the company faced challenges. But the island's club reopened in 1976. It became the Figure Eight Yacht Club in 1977. In 1980, a new, modern bridge was bought to replace the old one. It cost $1.5 million.

Recent Times on Figure Eight Island

A house under construction in 2016

Today, the Figure Eight Homeowners Association owns the island. The first full-time manager for the Association was hired in 1982. David Kellam has been the manager since 2001. There are about 475 homes on Figure Eight Island.

The island's boathouse was one of the first buildings, built in the 1960s. Figure Eight Island has been a popular vacation spot for famous people and wealthy families. When a film studio opened in Wilmington, North Carolina in 1983, many Hollywood stars came to the island for its privacy.

Some well-known people who have owned homes or visited the island include: Jennifer Aniston, Alec Baldwin, Kim Basinger, Kathy Bates, Robert Downey, Jr., Richard Gere, Andy Griffith, Gene Hackman, Dustin Hoffman, John J. Mack, Nick Nolte, George C. Scott, Dean Smith, Sissy Spacek, Ben Stiller, and Robert Wagner. Vice President Al Gore and his wife, Tipper Gore, vacationed there with their children in 1997.

Hurricane Fran's Impact

In September 1996, Hurricane Fran caused damage to the island. All power and phone lines were cut. Roads were blocked by debris and water. All the docks were washed away. One house was completely destroyed. It took a week to pump water out of low areas. The yacht club building was closed for seven months for repairs.

Figure Eight Island Today

The island has tennis courts, a boat ramp, a Yacht Club, and a marina. The Eagle Point Golf Club, on the mainland, was built by some island residents. The Figure Eight Yacht Club is a private club for dining and events.

You cannot drive to Figure Eight Island if you are not a resident or guest. But you can get there by boat. Most homes on Figure Eight are vacation homes. About 90 percent of the homes are second homes. Fewer than 100 homes are available for rent. Homes on Figure Eight Island are usually worth over $2 million.

Island Geography

Figure Eight Island is located just north of Wrightsville Beach and Wilmington. The island covers about 1,300 acres. Most of this area is marshland.

Image of Figure Eight's marshland from the beach side of the island

To the north of Figure Eight, between it and Lea-Hutaff Island, is Rich Inlet. This is one of the few natural inlets in North Carolina. To the south, between Figure Eight and Wrightsville Beach, is Mason Inlet. Rich Inlet stays in one place, but Mason Inlet moves over time.

Ocean Temperatures

Figure Eight Island is close to the warm waters of the Gulf Stream. This means the ocean temperatures off Figure Eight are warmer than many places further north. They are even warmer than the ocean off the Outer Banks.

Figure Eight Island has never had warnings about its water quality. This is good news, as some nearby beaches have had them.

Island Wildlife

Seagulls fishing in Rich Inlet, along the Figure Eight shore

The local National Audubon Society has seen 104 different kinds of birds on Figure Eight Island. Most of these birds live in Rich Inlet. This area is thought to be the southernmost nesting spot for the piping plover. This bird is very rare.

In 2015, about 800 Least Terns nested on the north side of the island. This was the largest group of Least Terns in North Carolina. It was also one of the largest on the East Coast. Other birds that nested there include American Oystercatchers, Common Terns, Black Skimmers, Piping Plovers, Wilson’s Plovers, and Willets. You can find Savannah Sparrows, Atlantic Plovers, Greater Yellowlegs, and pelicans in Mason Inlet to the south.

Protecting Wildlife

Protected bird habitat on the northern side of Figure East, along Rich Inlet

Sea turtles have been watched and protected on the island since 1986. Their nests are marked off to keep them safe. In 2016, there were 8 sea turtle nests on the island.

In 2001 and 2002, the homeowners association paid for a study. This study looked for rare plants and animals on the island. These included piping plovers, sea turtles, sea beach amaranth, and marine mammals. The University of North Carolina Wilmington also studied the island's bird populations. This was part of a project to move Mason Inlet.

Figure Eight Island in Stories

In June 2001, author Wanda Canada wrote a mystery novel called Island Murders. The story takes place on Figure Eight Island.

Figure Eight Island is also mentioned in the 2020 Netflix TV show Outer Banks. In the show, it's shown as a rich neighborhood where the "Kooks" live.