Fond Memories of an Iconic Pier

It would be hard to be an Outer Banks native without fond memories of Jennette’s Pier. Raising my children here, we spent countless beach days at Jennette’s — babies sheltered from the sun by the pier’s generous shade, children running back-and-forth to play arcade games and use pocket money for Nutty Buddy ice-cream cones. For me, it’s an iconic Outer Banks structure, one that represents the sand, salt, and family days our beach is made of.

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HISTORY

Jennette’s Pier was built more than 75 years ago in 1939 by Warren H. Jennette Sr. As the first fishing pier on the Outer Banks, it served as a blueprint for similar piers all along the East coast. Initially taking only two months to construct, the original structure held strong for more than 60 years, weathering many storms with only maintenance and repairs. 

Hurricane Isabel delivered a severe blow to Jennette’s when it tore through the Outer Banks in September, 2003. 540 feet of the original 754 foot all-wooden structure crumbled into the stormy sea, leaving the pier as we knew it unrecognizable.

Due to its historical significance and its potential as a marine-life education center, the NC Aquarium took the reigns at rebuilding the storied facility in 2009, this time with hurricane-resistant concrete pilings and reaching 1,000 feet long. Jennette’s Pier reopened its doors to the public in 2011.

JENNETTE’S PIER TODAY

Today, anglers still visit the pier to catch local favorites like flounder, black drum and mahi mahi. But now, the pier provides much more than arcade games and ice cream. Jennette’s offerings now include sea life exhibits, surf and paddle board lessons, and private fishing lessons, among others. 

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