Down East (North Carolina)
Encyclopedia
In North Carolina
, Down East historically refers to the group of communities east of Beaufort in Carteret County in the Coastal Plain
region of the state. The residents of Down East Carteret County have referred to their group of communities by this name for many decades, but recently, the media has broadened this term to encompass the central Coastal Plains region of the state. These communities are Stacy, Bettie, Otway, Gloucester, Straits, Harkers Island, Marshallberg, Tusk, Davis, Smyrna, Williston, Sea Level
, Atlantic
and Cedar Island
. Many residents of these communities feature a High Tider
( Hoi Toider) accent, a dialect remnant of Elizabethan English that was once spoken in colonial Carolina. This dialect is indigenous to the lowland areas of North Carolina, in combination with the general southern accent of the Southeastern region.
The area is a major fishing area, including shrimping and blue crabs.
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, Down East historically refers to the group of communities east of Beaufort in Carteret County in the Coastal Plain
Coastal plain
A coastal plain is an area of flat, low-lying land adjacent to a seacoast and separated from the interior by other features. One of the world's longest coastal plains is located in eastern South America. The southwestern coastal plain of North America is notable for its species diversity...
region of the state. The residents of Down East Carteret County have referred to their group of communities by this name for many decades, but recently, the media has broadened this term to encompass the central Coastal Plains region of the state. These communities are Stacy, Bettie, Otway, Gloucester, Straits, Harkers Island, Marshallberg, Tusk, Davis, Smyrna, Williston, Sea Level
Sea Level, North Carolina
Sea Level is an unincorporated community in northeastern Carteret County, North Carolina. It rests on the banks of the Core Sound and has a population of roughly 450. It is located in what was known to early settlers as Hunting Quarters. Sea Level has one of the lowest elevations in North Carolina;...
, Atlantic
Atlantic, North Carolina
Atlantic is an unincorporated community in eastern Carteret County situated along the Core Sound, located in what was known to early settlers of the area as Hunting Quarters. It is the location of US 70's eastern terminus and the ferry terminal for journeys to North Core Banks in the Cape Lookout...
and Cedar Island
Cedar Island, North Carolina
Cedar Island is an island and a small coastal unincorporated community in eastern North Carolina and some folks believe that the area has a connection to the Roanoke Lost Colony of the late 16th century. Cedar Island is located in Carteret County and was populated with local Native Americans prior...
. Many residents of these communities feature a High Tider
High tider
"High Tider" or sometimes "Hoi Toider" is a nickname for a native of the rural eastern coast region of the U.S. state of North Carolina, specifically from several small townships such as Atlantic, Smyrna, Sea Level, and Harkers Island in eastern Carteret County, and from Ocracoke...
( Hoi Toider) accent, a dialect remnant of Elizabethan English that was once spoken in colonial Carolina. This dialect is indigenous to the lowland areas of North Carolina, in combination with the general southern accent of the Southeastern region.
The area is a major fishing area, including shrimping and blue crabs.