Blackbeard Gold Hole — Topsail Beach

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Blackbeard Gold Hole — Topsail Beach

Lost Treasure NC • Pender County County
Description
Topsail Beach legend of a bottomless "Gold Hole" where treasure hunters searched 1937–1941 for Blackbeard's cache — crews vanished without confirming a find.
Historical Notes
Sea Vista Motel folklore claims Blackbeard visited Topsail often and may have gifted the island his treasure. Locals named a supposed bottomless pit the Gold Hole. From 1937 to 1941 a team excavated the hole without public success, then disappeared one morning — fueling rumors they struck gold and fled. Topsail's name itself may come from pirate topsails visible above the dunes while ships hid in sound-side channels.
Status / Verification legend — Legendary or approximate

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