Shallotte River facts for kids
The Shallotte River is a special kind of river in Brunswick County, North Carolina, USA. It's called a tidal river, which means its water level changes with the ocean's tides. The river gets its water from smaller streams that flow out of the Green Swamp. This water then travels south, passing by the town of Shallotte, until it reaches the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway.
About a mile southwest of where the Shallotte River meets the Intracoastal Waterway, you'll find the Shallotte Inlet. This inlet is like a natural doorway connecting the Intracoastal Waterway to a part of the Atlantic Ocean called Long Bay. The inlet also separates two popular beaches: Holden Beach Isle and Ocean Isle. Before the Intracoastal Waterway was built, and even with many years of sand moving around, the Shallotte Inlet used to be the actual mouth of the Shallotte River itself.
Why is it Called the Shallotte River?
The name "Shallotte River" has been around for a long time, at least since 1734. There are a couple of ideas about how it got its name.
From Charlotte to Shallotte
One story says that a traveler once crossed the river by ferry and decided to call it the "Charlotte River." Over time, people might have started saying "Charlotte" differently, and it slowly changed into "Shallotte."
Wild Shallots Along the River
Another idea is that the river was named because there were many wild shallot plants growing along its banks. Shallots are a type of plant similar to onions or garlic.
