The above photos of dubious quality were taken at the legendary Deck Bar at the Carolinian Hotel in Nags Head, North Carolina, during the early 1990s where we spent a lot of time enjoying live music and ice-cold beers. Sadly, the Carolinian Hotel was demolished about 20 years ago.
An Outer Banks landmark, the Carolinian Hotel first opened in the summer of 1947 between Mile Post 10 and 11 in Nags Head, North Carolina. Carl Goerch praised the hotel’s onsite eatery in his 1949 book, Pitchin’ Tar: A Compilation of Facts Concerning Various Things You Will Find in North Carolina: “We recommend the Carolinian Hotel. It is open year ’round. Crab royal is their specialty. Ask for it.” In an October 6, 1958, Sports Illustrated article, “Down the Banks to Ocracoke,” Virginia Kraft wrote, “At Nags Head the CAROLINIAN HOTEL ($10 and up per day, American plan) remains open all year, and this is the local headquarters for sportsmen. Inside, a fire is usually burning in the wood paneled ANCHOR CLUB where, at the end of the day, guests shelter against the evening’s chill. At this time of year the talk is always of sport – deer hunting, surf fishing, fox chasing – but mainly of geese and ducks.” The Carolinian Hotel became the headquarters of our family summer vacation for many years during the 1970s. Not only would we enjoy the beach and surf, but also visit local attractions such as Jockey’s Ridge State Park, the Wright Brothers National Memorial and Lost Colony outdoor drama, as well as take daytrips to Cape Hatteras Lighthouse or the ferry to Ocracoke Island. For a great bite to eat, nothing could beat the Jockey’s Ridge Restaurant or Owens’ Restaurant, among others. Last but not least, for souvenirs we traipsed across the street to Gray’s Department Store or down to Newman’s Shell Shop. In an August 26, 1988, Washington Post article, “Newer, But Still Outer,” Larry Fox wrote, “The only place we found that served up serious music was the Carolinian Hotel, a funky oceanfront establishment with a panelled second-floor lobby complete with parrot. The Carolinian nightclub serves up comedy or music by name bands. What’s the room like? Dunno: The only people jam we encountered was here, and we couldn’t get in. In short, enjoy the sun and surf and go to bed early. Or get to the Carolinian early.” Sadly, the Carolinian Hotel was demolished in 2001 to make way for several luxury beachfront residences. We made one last trip to the venerable institution during the summer of 2000. Floors were getting torn up and windows were getting punched out. We managed to buy a few signs from the owner, including one that announced “Calico Jack’s” deck bar, which currently hangs on my back porch. All that’s left of the Carolinian Hotel now are these few relics and plenty of special memories of a brief moment in time.
Wandering Florida 