Things seem to ‘shift around’ a bit in Hyde County

Since its formation in 1712, Hyde County, N.C., has experienced more boundary shifts than any of the other 99 counties in the state, according to researchers affiliated with the North Carolina History Project, sponsored by the John Locke Foundation in Raleigh.

Hyde County’s most recognizable community is Ocracoke, which was part of Carteret County from 1770 to 1845.

 

Hyde County is named in honor of Edward Hyde, who served as one of the eight Lords Proprietors appointed by England’s King Charles II to jointly own the Carolina colony.

 

In 1711, Edward Hyde became the first governor of the Colony of North Carolina, “separate and distinct from South Carolina.” (Gov. Hyde died in 1712, a victim of yellow fever. He was 45.)

Over the years, parts of Hyde County real estate have come under the jurisdiction of Currituck, Beaufort and Tyrrell counties – as well as Carteret. A chunk of Hyde County was also spun off to help form Dare County.

What’s goofy is that not all of Hyde County is “connected,” in the sense that the vast Pamlico Sound separates southern Hyde (Ocracoke) from northern Hyde on the mainland. It’s almost a three-hour ferry trip from Ocracoke to the Hyde County seat in Swan Quarter (about 27 miles).

 

Ocracoke and Hatteras are both part of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore, but in different counties. The two islands are now separated by Hatteras Inlet, which opened during a hurricane in 1846. Travel between Ocracoke and Hatteras now requires a ferry ride of about one hour.

Among the 100 North Carolina counties, Hyde ranks 99th in population with 4,509 residents. Only adjoining Tyrrell is smaller with 3,437 people.

As the “hub” of Hyde County, Swan Quarter is an unincorporated village with 285 inhabitants, clinging to a rich maritime heritage. The romantic version of the naming of the settlement in 1812 is a tribute to “the many swans that once frequented Swan Quarter Bay.”

 

The first post office was established in 1830, with John Linton Swindell as postmaster. The U.S. Postal Service renamed the community as “Swindell.” John Swindell also served one term (1834-35) in the North Carolina House of Commons (renamed as the House of Representatives in 1868). He died in 1847 at age 58.

The name of the community and post office had reverted to Swan Quarter in 1839.

In 1874, the local Methodists decided to build a church. After selecting a desirable location near the center of town on the highest plot of ground, the congregation was displeased to learn that the land’s owner, Sam Sadler, former clerk of Hyde County Superior Court, had no interest in selling his land.

The church accepted the gift of a lot offered by James W. Hayes about 1,000 feet away, and the new church was to be dedicated on September 17, 1876.

Plans were interrupted by a hurricane on the eve of the ceremony, said Jay Barnes, the author of several books about hurricanes along the North Carolina coast. 

“During the storm, rising tides lifted the small, wood-frame church off its foundation and floated it toward the center of town,” he wrote.

“After the waters receded, residents were astonished to see that the new church had settled down on Sam Sadler’s land, just as they had originally planned,” Barnes said.

“Sadler was also impressed…and promptly signed the deed over to the Methodist church,” Barnes noted.

“Today, a sign stands in front of the Providence United Methodist Church, reminding visitors that this was the church ‘Moved by the Hand of God.’”