Welcome to Dare County
Land of Beginnings
A Little History
Dare County is in the Coastal region of North Carolina. The surrounding counties are Currituck County to the North, Hyde County to the southwest, and Tyrrell County to the west. Dare County was founded in 1870, and was named after the first English child born who was named Virginia Dare. Manteo was founded in 1870 as the County Seat to Dare County.
How The County Is Governed
Want to learn about and influence Dare County? Come to a Board of Commissioners meeting. The board is responsible for the county budget, the special projects of the county, and setting the property tax. The Dare County Board of Commissioners consists of a seven member body elected to four year staggered terms. The County Manager is Robert L. Outten. (Pictured Left)
Taking a Family Vacation?
The Wright Brothers Memorial
The municipality of Kitty Hawk in Dare County was the "First In Flight". A great memorial and museum to show how far aviation has come.
Jockey's Ridge
This giant mountain of sand will overwhelm you as it covers over 426 acres of land. You can imagine how hard it would be to calculate just how much sand the ridge consists of; scientists have estimated 30 million tons. You won't be able to decide whether to climb the mountain or try and capture the beauty of it.
The Lost Colony
Located at the County Seat, the town of Manteo. This historic district has the replica of the Elizabeth II to reenactments of life in those pioneer days. There is even a large shark tooth digging pit to amuse your little ones for hours.
The Town of Manteo
The town of Manteo has a strong community within its borders. The Board of Commissioners meets the first Wednesday of every month at 6:30 pm in the Town Hall at 407 Budleigh Street. As well as a Workshop Session held the third Wednesday of each month at 4:00 pm. The boards members consist of Mayor Jamie Daniels, Mayor Pro Temp Darrell Collins, and the following commissioners Richie Burke, David Farrow, Hannon Fry, Nancy Peele, and Christine Walker.