Portsmouth, former fishing and shipping village located on Portsmouth Island on the Outer Banks in North Carolina
Portsmouth is an abandoned settlement in Carteret County, North Carolina, situated on a barrier island off the coast. The site contains a few preserved structures and ruins that remain from an earlier community.
Portsmouth was established in 1753 and served as an important harbor settlement for ships and fishermen along North Carolina's coast. The community was eventually abandoned, partly due to storms and deteriorating conditions on the island.
Access to the site requires taking a boat, as Portsmouth sits on a remote island with no bridge connection. Visitors should be prepared for changing weather conditions and limited facilities on-site.
Portsmouth was fully evacuated in 1971 and stands as one of the few places where visitors can see a completely abandoned 18th-century American community. The island is now protected as a historic reserve, offering rare insight into early coastal settlement life.
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