The development of McGinnis Point is somewhat
intertwined with the story of Beacon’s Reach, but veers off in a different
direction. Before getting to the development of the area and its homeowner
association, let’s begin with the location and early history of McGinnis Point.
When traveling by boat along the inside
channel of Bogue Sound from Atlantic Beach to Pine Knoll Shores today, we follow
buoys that more or less keep our bow on a piece of forested land elbowing out
into the sound. That elbow is McGinnis Point.
James “Cap’n Jim” N. Willis III, a
long-time Atlantic Beach resident and a good source of historical information
about this area, discovered that the 1800 Census listed “Jones Meginnis” as
living on Bogue Banks. In 1820, a “Dorcas Maginnis” is listed. By 1830, the
name disappears from census books. Cap’n
Jim thinks Jones and Dorcas were squatters at the point and no remaining
members of the family were on Bogue Banks by 1830. Both Cap’n Jim and Wade Willis of Salter Path
refer to the point as “McGinnises P’int,” and have always known it by that
name. Cap’n Jim says the “es” spelling would be their way of indicating a
possessive, which we would write as “McGinnis’.”
The name does not appear on a 1978 Pine
Knoll Shores’ planning map, but does later appear as “McGinnis Point,” without
the apostrophe on a 1983 deed when building was in full swing at McGinnis
Point. So, someone decided to take the point’s name and use it for the
residential area developed there.
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| 1854 map identifies McGinnis |
Earlier, A.C. Hall, current owner of
the Atlantis Lodge and the person largely responsible for laying out eastern
Pine Knoll Shores, had proposed a third bridge to the island at that point. He
based his proposal on the possibility a major storm could create an inlet at
narrow points of Bogue Banks east and west of Pine Knoll Shores, leaving a
portion of the island including our town with no access by bridge to the
mainland. Many at the state level agreed with him, and a third bridge became
part of a long-term highway plan, but it never materialized.
Until the mid-80s, Roosevelt
family members owned the property. A.C. Hall tried to buy some of it from them
for a lodge; however, terms were not agreeable. Don Brock, a representative of
the Roosevelts duringdevelopment of Pine Knoll Shores, says
they began developing McGinnis Point around the same time as they were
developing Beacon’s Reach.
Working with Don at the time were developers
from High Point—Jake Froelich, George Lyles, and Sandy Rankin—as well as
Wallace Conner, a local builder. Froelich,
Lyles and Rankin, doing business as Ocean Grove Associates, had bought options
for both McGinnis Point and Beacon’s Reach. Don says progress at Beacon’s Reach
was moving too slowly to satisfy the Roosevelts, so, after Ocean Grove
Associates put up some buildings at Beacon’s Reach and some homes at McGinnis
Point, the Roosevelts bought back the Beacon’s Reach options. In the tradeoff, Ocean
Grove Associates got McGinnis Point property.
The Homeowner Association named for the
Ocean Grove condos remained at Beacon’s Reach (see Homeowner Associations Part
II), but the Roosevelt family did not continue a relationship with Ocean Grove
Associates or the subsequent development of McGinnis Point. John Jordan, an
attorney from Raleigh, became a member of that group as did Bobby Mace of South
Carolina. Kenneth Kirkman, who was a lawyer for the Roosevelt family at the
time, also remained as lawyer for Ocean Grove Associates.
A. C. Hall’s
layout plan for central Pine Knoll Shores did not include McGinnis Point.
Landscape Architect Barrett L. Kays, who had worked with the Roosevelts on
Beacon’s Reach in 1986, did the following work for McGinnis Point in 1988. Kays
describes the work he did as follows: “The
project consisted of multi-disciplinary planning, design, and engineering of
ecologically sustainable 75-acre sound fronting retirement community for
Theodore Roosevelt Estate. The work involved ecological studies of
maritime forest island system, vegetation management plans, landscape plans,
soil and groundwater studies, wetland delineation and permitting, innovative
non-discharge stormwater system design, roadway design, water and sewer
design, wastewater treatment plant design, innovative disposal system within
maritime forest.”
David Waller of Gull Isle Realty, who
had also worked for Don Brock and maintained a connection with McGinnis Point
for many years, describes McGinnis Point as a “planned unit development” with
three distinct building styles: Currituck, patio homes; Pamlico, townhouses;
and Albemarle, single-family homes.
Originally, the plan was for 90 home sites.
In 2009, the McGinnis Point area consisted of 63 residential units and 12
undeveloped lots on about 26 acres of sound-side property as well as seven
oceanfront homes and a private beach access with a parking lot. A street sign
east of Maritime Place along Salter Path Road identifies the entrance to
McGinnis oceanfront property. However, most of McGinnis Point is further east
and about half a mile north of Salter Path Road. You can get there by turning
onto Pine Knoll Boulevard at the light and going past the entrance to town
hall. Where Pine Knoll Boulevard ends, you will see a McGinnis Point sign.
Development began at McGinnis Point
around 1982-83 and proceeded in stages throughout the 80s and 90s up to the
present. Property owners first created a Master Association. Then, when they
wanted to start building the Currituck units, they created an association. They
did the same when they started the Pamlico units. They did not turn an
association over to its members until certain conditions were met, for example
until three-fourths of the units were sold. Last to be built were six
Pamlico-style units on McGinnis Drive West. In 2009, M.P. Development, LLC, had
some remaining properties there and was represented on the Master Association
Board by Tommy Simpson and Attorney Richard Stanley.
So, McGinnis Point consists of one
Master Association and two constituent homeowner associations: Currituck, which
represents 26 town houses, and Pamlico, which represents 11 patio homes.
However, these individual homeowner associations do not have active boards.
They are largely responsible for insuring units they represent. The governing
body for the entire area is McGinnis Point Master Association, which operates
under established bylaws and a set of covenants.
McGinnis Point Master Association,
contracting over the years with Crystal Coast Management Consultants (CCMC) is
responsible for landscaping and maintains internal roadways, including McGinnis
Drive, Lagoon Lane, West Court and West Road. Also under its care are three
lagoons and a water treatment plant, which it has recently replaced. A boat
ramp, boat storage area, one pool and two tennis courts are among the
amenities. McGinnis Point also has an attractive website,
www.mcginnispoint.com, which contains both current and archived information as
well as helpful links to town and county websites.
CCMC representative Johnny Cameron
describes McGinnis Point as “a tranquil community in a natural setting.” Lagoons have natural borders—no bulkheads.
Landscaping is understated—not highly manicured. Tall trees dominate the
interior. Tennis courts have a view of undeveloped land with marsh on the
western border. It’s an atmosphere in harmony with the neighboring aquarium
property and Theodore Roosevelt Natural Area.
Photo of housing at McGinnis Point on one of the lagoons.
Only a small number of McGinnis Point
residents live here full time, but most, according to Johnny Cameron, are from
in state, so they can visit regularly. Their covenants and Master Association
ensure the property is well managed at all times. When residents are here, they
can enjoy access to both the sound and ocean. They can play tennis, go to the
pool, spend time on the beach, or go out on a boat.
Long-time McGinnis Point resident Ahna
Logan, who has a beautiful place overlooking Bogue Sound on one side and a
natural lagoon on the other, says, “It’s heaven here.” She especially loves the natural spaces that
provide a habitat for egrets, heron, osprey, otters, and other wildlife.
Post Author: Phyllis
Makuck (based on an article written for The Shoreline in 2009.)
To contact the author or the History Committee