Salter Path, North Carolina facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Salter Path, North Carolina
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 Salter Path, North Carolina
Location in North Carolina
Salter Path, North Carolina
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | North Carolina |
| County | Carteret |
| Elevation | 10 ft (3 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
28575
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| Area code(s) | 252 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1027455 |
Salter Path is a small community in Carteret County, North Carolina, United States. It is not a city with its own government. You can find it on Bogue Banks, which is part of the beautiful Crystal Coast. Salter Path is actually surrounded by another town called Indian Beach.
Contents
History of Salter Path
In the late 1800s, fewer people were hunting whales. At the same time, fishing became very good on Bogue Banks. This caused many families to move to the middle and western parts of Bogue Banks. Most of these families came from near Cape Lookout, especially from a place called Diamond City.
Many families moved to Salter Path in the late 1800s and early 1900s. They built their homes without official property deeds. Later, a man from Boston named John A. Royall bought the land where Salter Path was located. Because the families lived there without deeds, the area became known as a "squatter's community." This means people lived on land they did not legally own.
Land Disputes and Legal Rulings
John A. Royall later passed the land to Alice Green Hoffman. She was a distant relative of President Theodore Roosevelt. Alice Hoffman built a large estate in what is now Pine Knoll Shores. In 1923, she sued the people living in Salter Path. She was upset because their cows were wandering onto her property.
A court made a decision about the lawsuit. The court said that the people of Salter Path could stay on the land. However, their cows were not allowed to graze on the Hoffman Estate anymore. The village was limited to about 81 acres (330,000 m2) of land. This was the area the squatters already lived on. The court also said that the beachfront belonged to the village for everyone to use.
This ruling also stated that only the people living there at the time, and their children, could live on the property. But it did not give anyone individual ownership of the land. This court decision stayed in place for many years. Then, in 1979, a new legal agreement was reached. This agreement finally allowed Salter Path residents to own their property. It also meant that Carteret County could collect taxes from the village.
Pirate Connections
Recent studies have been done by the Duke Institute of Marine Sciences. This institute is located in Beaufort, NC. Their studies suggest that Salter Path was a place where the famous pirate, Blackbeard, often found safety.
Why is it Called Salter Path?
The community of Salter Path might be named after Owen Salter or Riley Salter. However, historians are not sure if Riley Salter was in the area in the 1880s.
One idea for the name comes from fishing. Many local people caught mullet fish that swam close to the ocean shore. Fishermen would quickly move from the sound side of the island to the ocean side. They would wear a path in front of a Salter family's house. This path became known as Salter Path.
Another idea for the name comes from an old word. In the 1800s, a "salter" was a special one-way gate for deer. These gates were used to control deer populations. They were placed in fences that stretched across narrow parts of an island. This would keep deer in one area, away from farms. The narrowest part of the island is where Salter Path village is located. So, the name might come from a path that led to one of these deer gates.
Historian Mary C. Higham has found evidence for this idea. She says that places like Salter Street in London and Saltley in the UK got their names from these "salters." They were not named after salt or the last name Salter.
See also
In Spanish: Salter Path (Carolina del Norte) para niños
