Historic
Corolla
Park
4 On the Beach
Whalehead
in Historic
Corolla
Whalehead in Historic
Corolla, the pale-yellow, fivefloored,
21,000-square-foot
building that dominates
one side of Historic Corolla
Park, often makes visitors
ask, “What is that?”
The quick answer:
The second home and luxe
hunting enclave of owners
Edward Collings Knight Jr.,
and wife, Marie Louise LeBel
Bonat Knight, who lived here
in the “Roaring Twenties.”
The more profound: the
link between then and now.
Jill Landen, site manager
of the property, has been
chasing Whalehead’s history
since 2004. She’s scoured
documents, even hired
private investigators, yet
it’s unknown how Edward
and Marie first met, how
their courtship progressed,
how their love for hunting
evolved into buying this
property, building the
retreat, and making it a
private playground locals
called the “mansion
by the sea.”
“The Knights,
their guests and
servants lived a
‘Great Gatsby’
lifestyle,” Landen
maintains. “How
their vacation home
came to be in what once was
a very remote area in the
1920s is fascinating.”
Dealing with historians,
researchers and the
occasional charlatan, Landen
has reclaimed original
furniture, hardware, lighting
and building components
and acquired period pieces
to make Whalehead more
like what it was during the
Knights’ tenure from 1925-
1936. Tiffany light fixtures,
the marble-topped sideboard
that holds Mr. Knight’s
cast-iron safe and a Steinway
piano adorn the mansion.
But the stories behind the
history help guests see
this as much more than a
“house museum.”
“As one of the most
opulent examples of Art
Nouveau in America,
Whalehead,” says Landen,
“is a must see. There’s
nothing else like it on the
Outer Banks. As visitors
tour the building, hear about
the restoration, and see
exhibits and the accounts
of days gone by, they come
away with a real connection
between then and now.”
They also come away with
an answer to the question:
“What is that?”
1100 Club Rd.
Corolla, NC 27927
252-453-9040
www.visitcurrituck.com
Idyllic, homespun, wholesome
— if there were a town square
for the Currituck Outer Banks,
Historic Corolla Park would
be it. Perfect for a family
picnic, a seasonal festival, or a
fireworks display, this 39-acre
soundfront property houses
three distinct, captivating
landmarks: the Currituck
Beach Lighthouse, Whalehead
in Historic Corolla, and
the Outer Banks Center for
Wildlife Education.
Outdoor activities such as
fishing, crabbing and kayaking
the Currituck Sound are regular
occurrences in and around
the park; bicycles and leashed
pets are welcomed.
1100 Club Rd.
Corolla, NC 27927
252-453-9040
www.visitcurrituck.com
/www.visitcurrituck.com
/www.visitcurrituck.com