Throughout the years the pier has been enjoyed by locals and visitors and remains a highly frequented landmark of the town. The pier now offers a bait and tackle shop, a restaurant, ice cream, fishing and fishing competitions, and an incredible view. With help from the government the pier was rebuilt in August of 1997 (Lore, 2013). In 1975 the pier was rebuilt and lasted 20 years until Hurricane Fran destroyed it in 1996 (Lore, 2013). In 1974 the pier was destroyed by a nor'easter just after Thanksgiving (Lore, 2013). The pier was purchased by the Lore family in 1973, and it was mostly steel at the time (Lore, 2013). Soundside Park is a charming and entertaining place to relax and have fun with family and friends (Town of Surf City, 2014).Īnother popular attraction in Surf City is the Surf City Pier.
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During the summertime, the Soundside Park hosts a “Free Movie in the Park” event on the weekends where families can come and watch movies for free in the style of a 1950s drive-in movie. The park has been in existence as long as the swing bridge, and only continues to increase in both entertainment and beauty.
There is also a pier at the park with a place to launch your boat into the water. This playground has two climbing walls, swings and slides, and plenty of space for children to run. The local City Council and EMS Squad came together to donate a playground to the park. There is a large amphitheater that is available for reservations, and is great for receptions or concerts. This park is a popular place for wedding ceremonies as it has a beautiful view of the Intracoastal Waterway. The park is located just past the swing bridge heading onto Topsail Island on the right hand side. Surf City offers over thirty beach accesses, boat ramps, and parks (Wilmington Today, 2013). The Surf City swing bridge is 462.9 ft long and 24 feet wide (Ridpath, 2012). This swing bridge was built during a time era when Warren configuration bridges were being built across the coast.
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Built in 1955, the bridge has what is known as a Warren configuration, where the beams form a continuous ‘W’ or as in the case of this particular bridge, a series of ‘M’s (Ridpath, 2012). The swing bridge is made of concrete and steel that has stood the test of time. This bridge, connecting the mainland to Topsail Island, is one of the truss swing bridges on the Intracoastal Waterway (Ridpath, 2012). Steel trusses rise high on both sides of the bridge, creating an impressive framework.
The swing bridge leading into Surf City has become a landmark all by itself. One traffic light is for the swing bridge to get on and off the island. It maintains a permanent population of 1,700 people and has the only traffic lights on the island (Wilmington Today, 2013). Surf City was chartered in 1949 and is the oldest and largest town of the three on the island (Wilmington Today, 2013). When visiting today, you can still see the old white towers that were used during this time. It wasn't until the end of World War II with operation Bumblebee, which involved the development of missiles, that roads and fresh water were established on the island (Wikipedia, 2014). It is believed that Topsail, pronounced "Top'sl" earned its name from seeing the topsail of infamous pirate ships just before attack (Wikipedia, 2014 Wilmington Today, 2014). The other towns are North Topsail and Topsail Beach. Surf City is located on the 26 mile barrier island of Topsail.