Corolla, North Carolina

Corolla (/kəˈrɑːlə/ kuh-RAHL-uh)[1] is an unincorporated community located in Poplar Branch township, Currituck County, North Carolina, United States, along the northern Outer Banks.

[2] Previously a quiet and little-known location, a development boom in the 1980s sparked growth in the area, and since then, Corolla has become a popular vacation destination.

Resting between the Currituck Sound and the Atlantic Ocean, Corolla attracts mainly beach-goers, especially in the summer months.

[6][7][8] Named for the collection of petals of a flower, the correct pronunciation has an emphasis on the second syllable, rah (kuh-RAH-luh, /kəˈrɑːlə/); however, many visitors incorrectly pronounce Corolla the same way they pronounce the name of the Toyota Corolla, with the second syllable sounding like row (kuh-ROW-luh, /kəˈroʊlə/).

[9] Corolla is home to the Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education, located in Currituck Heritage Park.

Early settlers made a living from fishing and hunting, as well as from salvage from shipwrecks and serving as guides to hunters.

[citation needed] Currituck was derived from an American Indian term, Carotank, meaning land of the wild geese.

[citation needed] Development of Currituck's Northern Outer Banks began in 1967 when investors from Sandbridge, Virginia, put together an investment group to purchase undeveloped land.