ECHOES OF TOPSAIL – Stories of the Island’s Past
Second Edition – Published 2004
ISBN 0-9708239-2-4
ECHOES records a history of Topsail Island, North Carolina, its origins, facts, and folklore, voiced by its people. Topsail’s history spans from its beginning through Civil War days, a gold hole exploration, and missile testing after WWII. This second edition updates Topsail’s history to include the hurricanes of the 1990s and many changes that followed.
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OPERATION BUMBLEBEE
Published 1994
A history of Missile Development 1946 – 1948 conducted by the US Navy and Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory on Topsail Island.
These early experiments in missile flights were undertaken to extend the Navy’s firepower range. WWII U-boat threat on our east coast and Kamikaze on the west coast spurred our missile development. Early Ramjet rocket firings are described.
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A HISTORY OF CAMP DAVIS
Published 1990
A history of the military camp that used Topsail Island for artillery training during WWII. Women Airforce Service Pilots WASP served there towing aerial targets for antiaircraft gunnery training.
Camp Davis was built from scratch in 1941 expanding the tiny town of Holly Ridge from 28 people to a peak of 110,000 in 1943. After WWII, Camp Davis provided a base of operations for Operation Bumblebee.
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| HOLMESVILLE, OHIO - Our Home Town
Published 2001
ISBN 0-9708239-1-6
This is my way of preserving the history of my home town, its formation, evolution and traditions. I find that we are urged to keep returning because we hunger for the values and traditions we grew up with that are being lost in our fast-paced world. The town’s size has remained constant at about 350 people. The book captures what the town was and how it has evolved.
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