Pender County Hampstead and the beautiful Pender County beaches, a short drive north of Wilmington on U.S. 17, used to be this area’s best-kept secret. But those days are long gone. Now the word is out that this is a unique community that combines a coastal and agricultural economy and does it in style. Imagine the charm of a genuine rural community where fishermen and shrimpers still peddle their catch to neighbors from iced-down coolers in their driveways, only moments away from state-of-the-game golf courses and spectacular oceanfront homes and condominiums. Yes, the secret is out, and this part of our world is experiencing amazing growth. The result is a sort of cultural exchange program – Northern newcomers have introduced bagels and bocce to families whose ancestors have been farming and fishing here for generations. In return, the new residents are taught to savor a slower pace of life that means mornings spent genially arguing politics over coffee at “the café” before a game of golf at Olde Point or tossing crab pots baited with chicken necks into the waterway. There is a marvelous sense of space in southern Pender County, where developments such as Whitebridge, an upscale gated community with sites from two to six acres, are popular. While these homes are pricey, there is certainly less expensive housing available. Several modular housing communities line lush golf courses only minutes from the ocean, and there are still bargains to be found in condominiums and older island homes. Pender County has a fascinating history. Topsail is named for the pirates who hid in island coves awaiting sightings of the top of the sails of merchant ships. After World War II, the Navy turned Topsail into a test site for its missile-development program, Operation Bumblebee. The odd-looking observation towers can be seen today and almost always inspire newcomers to corner an old-timer for an explanation of these architectural curiosities. You can visit the Missles and More Museum, located in the historic Assembly Building in Topsail Beach, which commemorates Operation Bumblebee. Pender County was founded in 1875 and named after Confederate Gen. William Dorsey Pender. With 45,000 residents, the county is known for its small shops, restaurants, raw bars and beaches. The county’s economy is mostly in tourism, timber and agriculture – typically, strawberries, blueberries, grapes and pumpkins. In fact, it is often referred to as the “Blueberry Capital of the World.” Topsail Island is a 26-mile barrier island that straddles Pender and Onslow counties. On the Pender County side, Surf City and Topsail Beach are popular beach towns with restaurants, shops, art galleries and endless opportunities for recreation. Newcomers and tourists alike are attracted to the relatively uncrowded beaches and coastal wildlife that inhabit the island. It’s the home of the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rehabilitation and Rescue Center, a hospital for injured loggerhead turtles. The center rehabilitates the massive turtles and then releases them in their natural environment. At the southern tip of Topsail Island, Topsail Beach was incorporated in 1963 and has a permanent population of just 518 residents, but during the summer this number swells to about 8,500. Most housing in Topsail Beach, both older homes and newer construction, lies along Ocean Boulevard and N.C. 50. Waterfront property in Topsail Beach can range from around $200,000 to near $1 million. No high-rise buildings are allowed here. The Beach Shop and Grill in Topsail Beach serves up typical beach fare – cheeseburgers, hot dogs and its famous orange-ade – as well as seafood and steaks. Beach items are sold in its adjoining shop and you can find live music here during the warmer months. Farther north on Topsail Island lies Surf City, a beach town that is especially popular with families with young children. The town spans Pender and Onslow counties, and a swing bridge – which has survived dozens of hurricanes in the last few decades – connects it to the mainland. Chartered in 1949, Surf City is the fastest-growing town on the island with 1,562 residents. Although there’s a tendency to talk about Hampstead and Pender’s beach towns in terms of the phenomenal numbers of retirees who move here from “up nawth,” young families are also swelling the population mightily here. The beauty of life here is that you can live in a peaceful pocket of Pender where the only sound you hear is the humming of cicadas or the “whack!” of a golf ball, while being only minutes from major shopping, fine dining and cultural offerings in Wilmington. In this part of Pender, land is plentiful and development is, for the most part, thoughtfully carried out. On the mainland, Hampstead is a quaint town of antique shops that is known for its seafood. Real estate varies from older homes to new construction, from townhomes and condominiums to single-family homes. One of Cape Fear Community College’s satellite campuses is located here. Hampstead strives for a village atmosphere and that image is helped considerably by magnificent oaks, fragrant fruit and vegetable stands lining U.S. 17 and even a popular pick-your-own blueberry farm, a tribute to a crop that thrives in Pender’s sandy soil. The town also offers several golf courses, including Topsail Greens and Olde Point. The Neighborhoods of Belvedere is a new country club community that offers 18 holes of golf along its scenic course. Townhomes, cottage-style homes and larger single-family homes are available at the Neighborhoods of Belvedere, ranging from $150,000 to $300,000. A swimming pool and tennis courts are also part of the neighborhood. North of Hampstead, the Holly Shelter Wildlife Refuge covers more than 70,000 acres in Pender County, as part of the state-wide game lands system managed by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. The refuge preserves the wildlife habitat and allows hunting within its borders. Pender County is served by Pender Memorial Hospital, an 86-bed facility that offers general acute medical and skilled nursing services that is located in Burgaw. New Hanover Regional Medical Center and Cape Fear Hospital also serve the area. Poplar Grove Plantation, located just north of Wilmington across the Pender County line, preserves the lifestyle and artifacts of the Foy family, who ran the plantation during the 1800s. The plantation includes the main house, tenant farmer’s house, blacksmith shop and other outbuildings. Workshops at Poplar Grove teach everything from rug hooking to basket weaving, and schoolchildren come here to learn about life on the plantation. In western Pender County, Moores Creek National Battlefield marks a major Revolutionary War battle that occurred on Feb. 27, 1776. The park includes a one-mile trail with exhibits that leads visitors through the battlefield and across Moores Creek. Picnic areas and a visitors center with an audio-visual program are also part of the battlefield. As the county seat, Burgaw retains its local flavor with just 3,500 residents. However, growth from Wilmington and the coastal areas of Pender County is moving towards the small town, which is expected to experience a significant population boom in the next decade. The Historic Burgaw Railroad Depot, once part of the Wilmington and Weldon Train Company is one of the oldest standing train depots in the state, dating back to 1850. Visitors can tour the station and caboose, and the depot is also the site of the Pender County Arts Council gallery. Also in Burgaw, Pender County Museum captures Pender County’s unique history. Artifacts and photographs are on display along with art exhibits. The museum also offers a genealogical research room. Pender County Schools operates seven elementary schools, four middle schools, three high schools and Pender Learning Center, an alternative school. The school system serves about 7,000 students, but as development in the area continues, Pender County Schools is planning for additional schools to accommodate the ever-increasing number of students. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE GREATER TOPSAIL AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE