What to know about the Kure Beach Fishing Pier, which marks a big anniversary this year
For a century now, residents of and visitors to Kure Beach in southern New Hanover County have been drawn to the Kure Beach Fishing Pier, whether to try their luck at fishing or just to enjoy the spectacular views.
The pier celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. Here are a few things to know about one of the most iconic structures in Southeastern North Carolina.
It's historic
The Kure Beach Fishing Pier is one of the oldest continually operated fishing piers in the United States. The town of Kure Beach's Historic Preservation Commission calls it "the oldest fishing pier on the Atlantic coast." (Technically, The Boston Fish Pier has been around since the early 1910s, but its focus is on commercial fishing as opposed to the recreational fishing that's always been the attraction at Kure.) The Federal Point Historic Preservation Society in Carolina Beach dedicated a historic plaque to the pier in 2021.
It's stayed in the family
According to research done by the Federal Point Historic Preservation Society, the first pier at Kure Beach was built in 1923 by Lawrence C. Kure, son of Hans Kure, a Danish ship captain who moved there in the late 19th century and who the beach is named for.
Lawrence Kure sold the pier to his son-in-law, Bill Robertson, in 1952.
"I didn't want to see the business sold outside the family," Bill Robertson told the StarNews in 1987. "Sometimes I wonder if it's smart or not."
Bill Robertson once wrote a book about the pier titled "Man, You Should Have Been Here Yesterday" and used to stock used paperbacks for those who wanted a beach read.
Bill's son, Mike Robertson, took over in 1985. Mike died in 2022, and the pier is currently operated by his son, Paul Robertson.
It's been destroyed, a lot
The first pier, which was only about 120 feet long, lasted just a year before its wooden pilings were destroyed by burrowing sea worms. Kure rebuilt the pier in 1924, using reinforced concrete to double the pier's length to 240 feet.
That second pier lasted about 30 years, until it, like much of Southeastern North Carolina, was destroyed by Hurricane Hazel in 1954. The rebuilt pier lasted another 30 years until Hurricane Diana took it down in 1984.
Rebuilt again, the pier would last just 12 years until Hurricane Bertha destroyed it in 1996.
The current version of the pier, which has undergone repairs and improvements over the years and appears to be in fine shape with plenty of new boards along its length, is a quarter-century old. At 711 feet it's just over one-eighth of a mile long and rises 26 feet above the ocean. A sign indicates that there are 1,008 "slits" between the pier's boards.
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It's been in pictures
Not surprisingly, the pier has been a popular location for film productions shooting in the Wilmington area.
Most recently, it got a ton of screen time in 2022 Netflix movie "Along for the Ride" as the place where a couple played by Belmont Cameli and Emma Pasarow meet and, later, have a big fight.
The pier is also heavily featured in the underrated 2005 indie "Loggerheads."
It's as popular as ever
Venture out to Kure Beach, and you'll quickly find that the pier is a lively place.
During a recent weekday afternoon visit, about two dozen people were fishing from the pier, along with just as many sightseers. Permits for a day are $8, $16 if you want to fish for king mackerel. Some have said the pier's longevity is due in part to its location, over deeper water than other piers, which makes for better fishing.
Inside the pier house you can buy bait and tackle, as well as ice cream, drinks, beach essentials and a souvenir or two, like a shark plushie in a Kure Beach T-shirt. There's even an arcade and game room with pool tables for those who don't find the pier itself quite entertaining enough.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Kure Beach Fishing Pier offers fishing and views
