Historic
Corolla
Park
4 On the Beach
Whalehead
in Historic
Corolla
Stepping through the
doors of Whalehead, a
21,000-square-foot historic
mansion and museum on
the Currituck Sound, you
can’t help but be swept up
in the romantic history of
this Outer Banks icon.
The story of Whalehead
in Historic Corolla began
in 1922, when a wealthy
couple from the north
— Edward Collings
Knight Jr. and his wife
Marie Louise LeBel Bonat
Knight — came here on
their honeymoon. As they
celebrated their love for
each other in Corolla, they
also fell in love with this
gorgeous setting and soon
began to make plans for
a mansion like no other.
This unique structure
would serve as their winter
retreat and the ideal place
to indulge their passion for
waterfowl hunting.
Construction of the
house took three years
to complete, due to
the Knights’
exquisite design
tastes—from
the Tiffany light
fixtures to the
nature-inspired
Art Nouveau
scrollwork — and
what would rise
from the dunes was an
architectural masterpiece.
After the Knights time at
Whalehead, eventually
their winter retreat fell
into disrepair — and
legend spread that it may
even be haunted. Today,
however, it has been
meticulously restored in
great detail to replicate
the way it looked when the
Knights lived there almost
a century ago.
As you tour this
restored masterpiece,
from the basement to
the bedrooms, you’ll see
elements of interest at
every turn, including the
Knight’s original Steinway
piano and logbooks with
Mr. Knight’s notes and
drawings. The mansion
also hosts a gun room with
racks of shotguns and a
hand-cranked elevator for
luggage — the first of its
kind on the Outer Banks.
The Knights could
have chosen any location
for their dream home —
but they fell in love with
Corolla on the Currituck
Outer Banks. After touring
Whalehead, you’ll no doubt
understand why.
1100 Club Rd.
Corolla, NC 27927
252-453-9040
www.visitwhalehead.com
When you’re ready to take a
break from the beach, but still
want to enjoy the fresh air and
sunshine, we have the perfect
outing for you: take a walk in
Historic Corolla Park, a 39-acre
sound-front property, with
a vast open green space that
is ideal for flying kites, and a
large inlet pond where families
can bond while enjoying the
delight on their children’s
faces as the kids learn to crab
or fish. It’s also a great place
for a picnic.
In addition to the open
spaces and majestic 100-yearold
live oaks that grace the
property, the park hosts
numerous seasonal events
and is home to distinctive
landmarks like the Whalehead
historic mansion and the new
Currituck Maritime Museum,
both open for tours, and
the Outer Banks Center for
Wildlife Education, where you
can learn about the natural
wonders of our area. The
Currituck Beach Lighthouse is
also within walking distance.
All in all, a visit to Historic
Corolla Park makes for a
perfect morning or afternoon
that you will always remember.
1100 Club Rd.
Corolla, NC 27927
252-453-9040
www.visitcurrituck.com
/www.visitwhalehead.com
/www.visitcurrituck.com