Colington Island

There has been an extensive history written about Colington Island before it was developed in the modern era.

• Originally named Colleton Island after Sir John Colleton, whom the current name is derived from

• In the 1600’s there were attempts at creating a winery and plantation, but hurricanes continued to hamper this plan

• In the 1700’s the existing creek was extended to divide the island in half

• In the 1800’s small population present working in the fishing industry

• 1950’s- bridges were built and the sand road was paved

Up until the construction of roads and bridges in the 1950’s there were no more than a couple hundred residents on Colington Island. The island could only be accessed by boat and there were two stores, a one room school, and a church. Major development began on Colington Harbour in 1968 when the entirety of the neighborhood land was purchased for $1,995. Since then, the population has grown from a couple hundred residents to over 4,000 permanent residents.

The island is seen as very residential, although there are plenty of vacation homes and investment properties among the neighborhoods as well. It is a large boating community because of its abundance of canals, sound access, and marina. Like many parts of the Outer Banks, it has had the reputation of flooding in select parts and specifically on Colington Road. This, however, is in the process of being mitigated due to a 20-million-dollar road project. This road project will add a paved shoulder for bikes and pedestrians, straighten the road, and raise the road along flood-prone sections.

Colington Island has always had so much to offer in the way of natural beauty, community events, and aquatic fun, and with the continued improvements in accessibility, the ownership in these properties will be increasingly sought after.