The History Behind the Nags Head Beach Inn
The spirit of a classic era on the Outer Banks lives on at the Nags Head Beach Inn, that was once a popular dance hall. From its beginnings in 1934 as the Nags Head Beach Club, through the decades to the present, this building has been an iconic part of Outer Banks life and history. The inn has served as a centerpiece to the community ever since its first guest jitterbugged the night away. Read on to find out more and see unique pictures sourced from local Outer Banks photographers and historical centers.
1935 to 1970
Source: A Young Andy Griffith at the Nags Head Beach Club, Courtesy of the State Archives of North Carolina
At 303 East Admiral Street, the historic Nags Head Beach Inn stands strong with its cedar shake, white trim exterior, and walls full of millions of timeless memories. These memories span back to 1934 at what is now Bonnet Street public beach access, when the Nags Head Beach Club first opened its doors to countless visitors and locals, including notable figures like Andy Griffith.
Back in the 1930s, when the entire Outer Banks was commonly referred to as just "Nags Head" there sat an impressive hotel at Milepost 11 on the wide sandy beach with a fitting name, the Nags Header Hotel. Standing at three stories high with 31 guest rooms offering hot and cold running water – the first hotel on the Outer Banks to offer this. A dining room called The Tap Room welcomed hotel guests and the public for dinner, drinks, and entertainment.
Source: Courtesy of the Outer Banks History Center, State Archives of North Carolina
Following a sidewalk south, there was a separate annex visitors could walk to with an open floor layout, called the Nags Head Beach Club. This late-night hangout spot was known for its lively entertainment, dancing hall, and said to be the place where Manteo local Andy Griffith started his nightclub career. The cast and crew of The Lost Colony production were also known to hang out there after performances and provide occasional entertainment. For entry to the club, short-term and long-term residents of Dare County were able to get a membership, while visitors had to pay a cover fee.
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Source: Aycock Brown (top), Roger P. Meekins (bottom); Courtesy of the Outer Banks History Center, State Archives of North Carolina
In the 1950s rooms were added to the club to accommodate guests. In 1970, just up the beach, after more than 25 years of ownership, the Nags Header was sold shortly after the death of its primary owner, George C. Culpepper Sr. Two years later in 1972, the Nags Head Beach Club was moved from its oceanfront lot half a mile north to East Admiral Street and renamed the Nags Head Hotel.
In the years following the move, the Nags Head Hotel eventually became The Ocean Inn. Around the mid-70s, with summer workers flocking to the Outer Banks for the season, The Ocean Inn housed lifeguards and other seasonal workers that would add to the timeless memories created in the building. Many summer residents from that time reminisce about the late nights and the wild times that were had at The Ocean Inn and at the Nags Header. Many still speak of memories from the "Halloween in August" parties, all with homemade costumes.
Source: Courtesy of the Outer Banks History Center, State Archives of North Carolina
Source: Nags Header next to the Nags Head Beach Club (top) and Nags Header Hotel (bottom) both by Roger P. Meekins; Courtesy of the Outer Banks History Center, State Archives of North Carolina
The Tap Room was still popular then, especially among college students
and young adults aged 18 and up. Even during the day, bands could be
seen playing on the deck with partygoers hanging out on the sand below
or even listening from above on the roof – a scene straight out of a
movie.
Eventually, the Nags Header Hotel was condemned and in October 1978, a fire broke out on the third floor leaving only memories.
Recent History
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In 1999/2000, Ken and Lisa Muglia bought the then-pink building from a woman thought to be named Ms. Pettibone and renamed it the Nags Head Beach Inn. It was nicknamed the `Beach Inn` so it wouldn`t be confused with the Nags Head Beach Hotel. Ken and Lisa lived in the on-site cottage, room 10, with their 2 daughters. Inside the cottage, there used to be a gift shop and a library for the guests.
Ken removed the pink siding and replaced it with the cedar shakes that are still on the building today. In the process of removing the siding, the old Ocean Inn sign was revealed beneath. Lisa tells us that when they were remodeling the interior, they wanted to keep as much of the original woodwork and layout as possible. They did a lot of the renovation themselves, some of which included insulating the walls, retiling the bathrooms, and even restoring the original windows.
Lisa cleaned the rooms herself for about the first 5 years and described how the original showers had little metal painted pans at the bottom that had to be repainted after almost every guest stay. While fixing it up, they did research on the history of the building and learned that the pictures that hung inside were from decades ago when it was the legendary dance hall.
Lisa described the guests as mostly couples and single people. They served breakfast sandwiches to the guests and were known to interact with them on a personal level. Lisa also tells us if you go into the attic and look closely, you can see burn marks on the rafters where lanterns were hung way back in the day.
In 2016, the Nags Head Beach Inn was sold and KEES Vacations began managing it. While the building has gone through different eras, the inn still offers a classic Outer Banks vacation for those looking to create everlasting memories. The Nags Head Beach Inn today has 7 rooms and a 3-bedroom cottage located on the west end. It is within walking distance to the Admiral Street Public Beach Access, ice cream and coffee shops, and shopping.
We welcome visitors who may have a tale or two about the inn, whether they knew it as the Ocean Inn, the Nags Head Hotel, or perhaps as the Nags Head Beach Club. Visit us online to book and stay a few nights to explore everything you fell in love with about the Outer Banks. And if you listen closely, you may even be able to hear echoes of memories past.
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