Jacksonville, North Carolina
Welcome to Jacksonville! Jacksonville North Carolina located on the headwaters of the New River in Onslow County. Jacksonville and the New River were originally occupied by the Tuscarora Indians, but after the defeat of the Tuscarora around 1713, British and European settlers began moving to what is now called Onslow County, so named in honor of Arthur Onslow, British Speaker of the House of Commons during this time period. After a horrible hurricane in 1752, the courthouse was moved upstream from Town point to Wantland’s Ferry to protect the community from the storm surge that occurs during hurricane landings. Around 1842, this small settlement was incorporated as Jacksonville, North Carolina in honor of President Andrew Jackson. Like many small coastal towns in the region, the primary industries were fishing, turpentine manufacture, tar, hemp, and naval stores.
Jacksonville was the sight of a few small skirmishes during the Civil War, the most locally famous one being when Lt. William Cushing (the Union commander who would eventually sink the Confederate Ironclad Albermarle with a gunpowder torpedo) raided the New River inlet to destroy the local salt industry, and managed to get himself stuck on a sand bar while fleeing the engagement. Local Confederate fire forced Cushing to abandon his ship and the 2 other boats he captured.
Jacksonville North Carolina suffered through the Reconstruction Era like many small North Carolina towns, but after the turn of the century the United States Government purchased 29 tracts of land and began building Camp Lejeune in April 1941. Jacksonville and the surrounding townships growth exploded as the United States Government came to rely more and more upon the Marines as the backbone of United States foreign policy.
Today, Jacksonville North Carolina is a thriving metropolitan area with a population of over 70,000 people. It has one of the youngest average populations in the nation due to the number of enlisted personnel who live and work in Onslow County. Many Marines retire to Jacksonville and outlying areas because of the many attractive benefits of living in an area with such wonderful features as 30 miles of beaches, excellent local hunting and fishing areas, and Jacksonville’s continued growth as a retail and service center for Eastern North Carolina. There are several small towns around Jacksonville that have festivals, such as the Mullet Festival in Swansboro and the annual Shrimp Festival in Snead’s Ferry, North Carolina. Jacksonville is home to over 80 restaurants and 100 small businesses that cater to the local population, as well as several parks and beaches suitable for young and old alike. With its excellent system of 4 lane highways connecting Jacksonville to every point in Eastern North Carolina, Jacksonville is quickly becoming a transportation hub as well. Not bad for a little town that had to move its courthouse after a hurricane!
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