Duck is a town in

Dare County, North Carolina Dare County is the easternmost county in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 36,915. Its county seat is Manteo. Dare County is included in the Kill Devil Hills, NC Micropolitan Statistical Area, which ...

, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 746. Duck is the northernmost incorporated town in Dare County and the

Outer Banks The Outer Banks (frequently abbreviated OBX) are a string of barrier islands and spits off the coast of North Carolina and southeastern Virginia, on the east coast of the United States. They line most of the North Carolina coastline, separatin ...

' newest town, incorporated on May 1, 2002. Duck offers visitors outdoor recreational activities, summer events and concerts, watersports, fine dining, shopping, art galleries, and a nationally known jazz festival, as well as the Town Park and soundside boardwalk.

History

On March 28, 2001, state representative William T. Culpepper III introduced the Duck Incorporation Bill in the

North Carolina House of Representatives The North Carolina House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the North Carolina General Assembly. The House is a 120-member body led by a Speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives, Speaker of the House, who holds powers si ...

. The bill was passed on August 29, 2001. On November 6, 2001, voters voted in favor of incorporation, and Duck was incorporated as the sixth town in Dare County on May 1, 2002. The

Caffeys Inlet Lifesaving Station Caffeys Inlet Lifesaving Station is a historic lifesaving station located near Duck, North Carolina, Duck, Dare County, North Carolina. It was built in 1897–1898 by the United States Life-Saving Service near the location of Caffey's Inlet, a hi ...

was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

in January 1978.

Geography

Duck is located along the northern

, between the

Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the ...

to the east and

Currituck Sound Currituck Sound ()
, from the North Carolina Collection's website at the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the town has a total area of , of which is land and , or 35.02% is water. Originally part of

Currituck County Currituck County ()
, from the North Carolina Collection's website at the University of North Ca ...

to the north, the stretch of the Outer Banks which includes Duck was transferred to Dare County in the early 20th century. The region was named for the many ducks and waterfowl in the area. According to the

A. W. Kuchler August William Kuchler (born ''August Wilhelm Küchler''; 26 July 1907 – 17 June 1999) was a German-born American geographer and naturalist who is noted for developing a plant association system that has become widely used in the United Sta ...

U.S.

potential natural vegetation In ecology, potential natural vegetation (PNV), also known as Kuchler potential vegetation, is the vegetation that would be expected given environmental constraints (climate, geomorphology, geology) without human intervention or a hazard event ...

types, Duck, North Carolina would have a dominant vegetation type of

Live oak Live oak or evergreen oak is any of a number of oaks in several different sections of the genus ''Quercus'' that share the characteristic of evergreen foliage. These oaks are generally not more closely related to each other than they are to o ...

/Sea Oats

Uniola paniculata ''Uniola paniculata'', also known as sea oats, seaside oats, araña, and arroz de costa, is a tall subtropical grass that is an important component of coastal sand dune and beach plant communities in the southeastern United States, eastern Mexi ...

(''90'') with a dominant vegetation form of

Coastal A coast (coastline, shoreline, seashore) is the land next to the sea or the line that forms the boundary between the land and the ocean or a lake. Coasts are influenced by the topography of the surrounding landscape and by aquatic erosion, su ...

Prairie Prairies are ecosystems considered part of the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome by ecologists, based on similar temperate climates, moderate rainfall, and a composition of grasses, herbs, and shrubs, rather than trees, as the ...

(''20'').

Climate

The town of Duck marks the northernmost extent of

hardiness zone A hardiness zone is a geographic area defined as having a certain average annual minimum temperature, a factor relevant to the survival of many plants. In some systems other statistics are included in the calculations. The original and most widely ...

8b along the east coast of the United States.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 742 people, 288 households, and 202 families residing in the town.

Tourist attractions

The town park is a recreational facility with trails through the maritime forest and willow swamp. It also has an amphitheater, playground, picnic shelter, and public kayak/canoeing launch. The town has built a boardwalk which can be accessed from the park and through the commercial village. The boardwalk extends along Currituck Sound. Duck's beach was named one of the "Top 15 Family-Friendly Beaches in America". In October, Duck hosts its annual Jazz Festival. During the summer months, the town offers over 60 events and programs including Yoga on the Green, Movies on the Sound, a family magic show, live concerts and interactive theater. Programs are free and open to the public.

Government

In addition to traditional town council meetings, there are regularly scheduled meetings where the public can address issues before the council.

Education

Residents are zoned to Dare County Schools. Zoned schools are Kitty Hawk Elementary School, First Flight Middle School, and

First Flight High School First Flight High School is a Public school (government funded), public high school serving grades 9–12. The school was established in 2004, and is located in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. The school ...

.
North Beaches Elementary Schools map
/ref> Prior to 2004, First Flight High zoned students were zoned to Manteo High School.
Entry at
NewsBank

Notable residents

Harold R. Story Harold R. Story (12 March 1919 – 7 September 1987) was a career officer in the New York Army National Guard. A veteran of World War II and the Korean War, he was a recipient of the Bronze Star Medal. Story attained the rank of major general as ...

, US Army major general

References

External links

* *
General Assembly of North Carolina Session 2001 House Bill 882
{{authority control Beaches of North Carolina Towns in North Carolina Towns in Dare County, North Carolina Outer Banks Populated places established in 2002 2002 establishments in North Carolina Beaches of Dare County, North Carolina