Question: How did North Carolina’s Oregon Inlet get its name?
Answer: The Oregon Inlet was created in 1846 when a violent hurricane hit the Outer Banks. The storm forged a watery gash between Pea Island and Bodie Island. A ship called the Oregon was caught between the Pamlico Sound during the storm and its sailors witnessed the formation of the inlet. After the storm passed, the crew relayed the story of how the new inlet was created, and from that point on, it was referred to as the Oregon Inlet.