Carteret was formed in 1722 from Craven. It was named in honor of Sir John Carteret afterwards (1744) Earl of Granville, one of the Lords Proprietors. It is in the eastern section of the State and is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean and Onslow, Jones and Craven counties and on the banks by Hyde County. The present land area is 524.09 square miles and the 1990 population was 52,553. Beaufort, established in 1723 and named in honor of Henry Duke of Beaufort, is the county seat.

Cherry Point is the leading employer of Carteret County residents. 1,940 civilian employees at Cherry Point (32%) reside in Carteret County. 621 active military employees residing in Carteret County account for 7.5% of the total active military population on the base. There are 2,555 retired military residents in Carteret County. Source: Public Information Office, MCAS, Cherry Point Carteret County Attractions

Beaufort Historic Site -- (800) 575-7483 (252) 728-5225 Beaufort, NC was settled in 1709 and is North Carolina's third oldest town. It began as a fishing village and an important Atlantic seaport and was named after Henry Somerset, Duke of Beaufort. The town was surveyed in 1713 and was incorporated in 1723 as has been the seat of Carteret County since that time.

Street names reflect the early development of the Town: Ann Street for Queen Anne, Craven Street for the Earl of Craven, Moore Street for Colonel Maurice Moore of South Carolina who gave help in the Indian Wars, Queen Street again for Queen Anne, Pollock Street for the then governor of North Carolina, Turner Street for the landowner that owned much of the surveyed town property and Orange Street for William, Prince of Orange who became William III. Foundation For Shackleford Horses -- (252) 225-1181 The wild horses of the Shackleford Banks are presented by the Foundation for Shackleford Horses, Inc. These beautiful horses have lived on the Outer Banks of North Carolina since the 1500s.

Cape Lookout National Seashore -- (252) 728-2250 The seashore is a 55 mile long section of the Outer Banks of North Carolina running from Ocracoke Inlet on the northeast to Beaufort Inlet on the southeast. The three undeveloped barrier islands which make up the seashore - North Core Banks, South Core Banks and Shackleford Banks - may seem barren and isolated but they offer many natural and historical features that can make a visit very rewarding.

Carteret County Museum of History and Art -- (252) 247-7533 The Carteret County Museum of History and Art houses an interesting collection of Carteret County artifacts and an excellent historical research library. Located at 100 Wallace Drive in Morehead City, next to the Crystal Coast Civic Center, the yellow church building with the big anchor out front has been on this site since 1985.

Core Sound Waterfowl Museum -- (252) 728-1500 The Core Sound Waterfowl Museum's temporary location has established itself as an educational resource, a visitor's center, a successful gift shop and gallery, a business office for the museum operations, the headquarters for the Core Sound Decoy Carvers Guild and Festival, and many other important roles supporting the work of the Guild and Museum.

Fort Macon State Park -- (252) 726-3775 Fort Macon stands stately and weathered on an island at the southerly end of the outer banks of North Carolina. It is one of the finest examples of the many coastal forts constructed along the Eastern Seaboard of the United States after the War of 1812.

North Carolina Aquarium (252) 247-4003 Located on Roanoke Island, at Pine Knoll Shores and Fort Fisher, the Aquariums were established in 1976 to promote an awareness, understanding, appreciation, and conservation of the diverse natural and cultural resources associated with North Carolina's ocean, estuaries, rivers, streams, and other aquatic environments.

North Carolina Maritime Museum (252) 728-7317 The North Carolina Maritime Museum documents, collects, preserves, and researches the maritime history--and its corollary natural history--of coastal North Carolina for the purpose of interpreting this history through educational services and exhibits for our contemporary society, and passing intact its material culture to future generations.