Calabash, NC

Nestled on the tidal plains in the southeast corner of North Carolina is Calabash, a fishing village with a timeless legacy and rich tradition, undaunted by the encroaching modern world.

“A fishing village with a timeless legacy and rich tradition, undaunted by the encroaching modern world."

Known as the “Seafood Capital of the World,” Calabash has become a prime destination for retirees looking to slow things down.

The town took its name from the Calabash River, which was named by the local slave population in the early 1800s. Calabash is an African word for the gourds that grew wildly in the region. By the late 1800s the area was known as Pea Landing because of the large amount of peanut farming done in the area. Peanut, indigo, rice and other crops arrived by wagon from nearby plantations to the sandy banks of the river and were sent by boat to market in Wilmington. Though seafood was always a dietary staple, prepared in the local custom known as Calabash, it did not become a driving force of the local economy until the 1930s.

The Great Depression forced a majority of the local labor force out of the fields, and many of them turned to the sea to feed their families. Small shacks on the banks of the river began sprouting up, serving fresh seafood prepared in the local custom at easily affordable prices. It was not until then that the local seafood market began to flourish and fisherman began selling their catch on the dock, from the back of their boats. It was then Calabash became known the world over for their seafood. In fact, when Jimmy Durante, the old radio personality, closed his show with “Goodnight, Miss Calabash, wherever you are,” he was referring to Lucy Coleman, who ran a Calabash style restaurant Mr. Durante liked so much he promised her he would make it famous – and he did.

Today, the sleepy fishing village of about 800 people is developing in to a highly desirable retirement community. The area offers a wide range of recreational activities, from horseback riding to golf on one of the area’s dozen golf courses; its location on the Calabash River and proximity to the Intracoastal Waterway makes it ideal for boaters and recreational fisherman. With a thriving artists community nearby, the area is rich with culture – and in the afternoons, when the boats come in, the Seafood Capital of the World lives up to its name.