Pine Knoll Shores is located in southwestern Carteret County on Bogue Banks, a barrier island along the Atlantic Ocean. It is bordered to the west by the town of Indian Beach and to the east by the town of Atlantic Beach. To the north is Bogue Sound, and to the south is the Atlantic Ocean. North Carolina Highway 58 passes through the town, traveling the length of Bogue Banks. To the east, NC 58 connects with a bridge to Morehead City on the mainland, and to the west, NC 58 crosses Bogue Sound from Emerald Isle to Cape Carteret on the mainland. According to the United States Census Bureau, Pine Knoll Shores has a total area of 2.5 square miles, of which 2.2 square miles is land and 0.31 square miles, or 12.54%, is water. As of the 2020 United States census, there were 1,388 people, 663 households, and 453 families residing in the town. A LITTLE ABOUT THE HISTORY The state General Assembly granted the charter for the Town of Pine Knoll Shores in 1973. However, before it became an official town, numerous actions and events laid the groundwork for the community we see today. Initially, the land was cared for by members of the Roosevelt family, preceded by Alice Hoffman, and prior to her, John Royall. Before Royall, several others claimed ownership. During colonial times, the Lords Proprietors governed, and before them, the land belonged to native peoples. Despite different stewards, they all shared the trait of leaving the land mostly untouched. This changed in the 1940s when two pivotal events occurred, driving the development of Bogue Banks. The tale of Pine Knoll Shores, as we know it today, unfolds with the remarkable Alice Hoffman, who in 1918 acquired an expansive stretch of land on Bogue Banks—then known as the "Isle of the Pines." Alice made this enchanting coastal haven her home, intermittently dwelling there until her passing in 1953. Upon her death, her treasured property was willed to her beloved niece, Mrs. Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., and her four spirited children. It was these visionary Roosevelts who imagined the blueprint for a thriving town, Pine Knoll Shores. With ambition and foresight, they enlisted a nationally acclaimed management consulting firm, and later, a distinguished local engineering team, to craft a meticulous plan. This strategy not only laid the robust physical foundation of the town but also sketched out a long-range development scheme—with each phase carefully allowed to mature and harmonize before the next could begin. Throughout this transformative process, the Roosevelts remained steadfast supporters, guiding and cheering on each new endeavor. In the early days, pioneering builders began their work in the easternmost reaches of the developing town, where they constructed charming vacation homes that captured the coastal spirit. By 1964, the market was bustling with opportunity, with lots exchanging hands for prices between $1,150 and $1,600. It was during this vibrant period that the first three motels—the Atlantis Lodge, the Sea Hawk, and the John Yancey—rose elegantly along the oceanfront, each promising endless vistas and the serene sound of crashing waves. As time went on, the Roosevelts noticed that this budding community was beginning to allure not only seasonal visitors but also those longing for permanent residence. Recognizing the need for foresight, they set about drafting comprehensive covenants to carefully regulate the town’s steady growth. The emerging central area of Pine Knoll Shores soon witnessed the creation of a dedicated homeowners association, known as Pine Knoll Association, Inc. This organization became the backbone of local care and coordination, diligently maintaining streets, parks, and waterways; managing essential utilities such as water; and upholding high building standards for the community. In time, the eastern section would establish its own counterpart, affectionately called PIKSCO. These two associations eventually joined forces, laying the groundwork for the town’s formal incorporation. From the heart of these property owners associations blossomed a tradition of spirited volunteerism—a quality now as intrinsic to Pine Knoll Shores as its gentle ocean breezes. The town attracted a host of distinguished citizens from the region along with retirees eager to lend their considerable talents honed in business, government, the military, and beyond. They generously contributed a wide range of services, not limiting themselves to matters of expertise. For example, The Shoreline, the town newsletter, was brought to life by its devoted co-editors—a dedicated housewife and a former librarian with a passion for storytelling. Former corporate vice presidents could be seen rolling up their sleeves to help clear public spaces, repair stubborn potholes, and even construct sturdy docks. A particularly influential force of the property owners associations lay in their steadfast commitment to fostering residential growth over commercial sprawl. The Roosevelt representatives had earlier demonstrated remarkable foresight by carefully designating distinct zones—areas preserved as lush parks, lands intentionally kept in a natural state, territories earmarked for future commercial activity, and stretches reserved for single-family dwellings. The overarching emphasis of these associations, and later the incorporated town, has always been to nurture Pine Knoll Shores as a close- knit, residential community—a vision that continues to define and delight the town to this very day.