McKnight's Shipyard
Currituck County, Currituck County, North Carolina
Marker Inscription
Mc Knight's Shipyard. Thomas McKnight, colonial merchant and legislator; Loyalist during Revolution. Operated large shipyard which stood near here.
Erected by North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources
The Story
Thomas McKnight, a colonial merchant and legislator, operated a large shipyard that stood near this Currituck County marker in the years before the Revolution. When war came he remained loyal to the Crown, one of many Loyalists whose fortunes and communities were torn apart by the conflict. His shipyard reflects the maritime commerce that made the Albemarle region a colonial trading crossroads.
Why it matters
McKnight's story captures both the shipbuilding economy of coastal Carolina and the wrenching choices of the Loyalists, reminding us the Revolution was also a civil war among neighbors.
Plan your visit
NearbyMake a day of it β museums, food, and places to stay near this marker.
Museums & culture
- Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education14.1 mi away Β· 1160 Village Lane, Corolla, NC
- Whalehead in Historic Corolla14.1 mi away Β· 1100 Club Road, Corolla, NC
- Currituck Maritime Museum14.2 mi away Β· 1140 Village Lane
Food & drink
- Masala Bay Grill5.2 mi away Β· 1972 Caratoke Highway, Moyock, NC
- Frog Island Seafood Inc6.2 mi away Β· 3997 Caratoke Highway, Barco, NC
- McDonald's6.3 mi away Β· 2859 Caratoke Highway, Currituck, NC
- Pass The Salt Cafe6.3 mi away Β· 136 Courthouse Road, Currituck, NC
- Pearl's Bay Villa Restaurant and Marina13.3 mi away Β· 112 Bay Villa Lane, Knotts Island, NC
- Corolla Village Barbecue14.1 mi away Β· 1129 Corolla Village Road, Corolla, NC
Places to stay
- In law suite13.6 mi away Β· 3528 Baum Road, Virginia Beach
Places data Β© OpenStreetMap contributors. Hours and details change β call ahead.
Own a business near here? Add it to the map.
Related people
- Β· Thomas McKnight
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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Isaac Gregory, Revolutionary General
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Isaac Gregory served in the provincial congress of 1775 and rose to brigadier general of the militia during the Revolution, later helping shape North Carolina's future at the state conventions of 1788-1789 that weighed the new federal Constitution. His home stood about four miles to the southeast. His was a life given to both the fight for independence and the founding of a government.
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Dempsey Burgess answered the Revolution on two fronts β in the provincial congresses of 1775-1776 that guided North Carolina toward independence, and in the field as a lieutenant colonel of militia. After the war he served in the U.S. Congress from 1795 to 1799. His grave lies about seven miles to the southeast.
Culpeper's Rebellion
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In 1677 the colonists of the Albemarle region rose up against unpopular British trade laws and the officials enforcing them, with John Culpeper and George Durant among the leaders of the revolt. The rebels seized control of the government and ran the colony's affairs for a time before order was restored. The uprising unfolded about two miles to the southeast.