The Pirates of the Pamlico: A Maritime Cultural Landscape Investigation of the Pirates of Colonial North Carolina and their Place in the State's Cultural Memory

Abstract

During this period (1663-1730), North Carolina was a poor colony in the British Empire. The landscape provided ample opportunities for pirates to establish operational bases. Besides Edward 'Blackbeard' Teach, numerous others—such as Henry Every and Charles Vane—roamed the colony. This study shows that colonial North Carolina was used as a pirate haven, due to the geographical, socio-economic, and political influences that affected the colony. Through the lens of the maritime cultural landscape, various tangible and intangible remains were identified reconstructing the places of the pirates. Overlaid maps of pirate locations and colonial settlements suggest the pirates had varying degrees of interactions (i.e. trade, marriage, social gatherings) with the local populations. Investigations of the urban landscapes as contemporary community spaces, in addition to serving as a historic pirate haven, reflect the collective pirate memory manifested in place and street names.