Kill Devil Hills is the oldest town on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Incorporated in 1953, Kill Devil Hills is still a baby of a town compared to most localities across the US, but it is the most established town on the Outer Banks.
The name is odd but the story behind it brings to life the folk history of the area. Rum was the drink of choice back in the colonial times. A ship wrecked on the shores of Kill Devil Hills laiden with a shipment of rum. The locals scavenged the shipment as was customary in those days and hid the rum behind the sand dunes where the Wright brothers later flew the first plane. The rum was strong enough to "Kill the devil" and those dunes where the rum was hidden was nicknamed Kill Devil Hill and the name has stuck like a sandspur.
On December 17, 1903, Wilbur and Orville Wright made the first successful power-driven airplane flight from the Kill Devil Hill near the town of Kitty Hawk. History records the first flight in Kitty Hawk but the location of the flight is now in Kill Devil Hills.
Kill Devil Hills has the highest percentage of year round residents of all the towns on the Outer Banks. This is where you will also find most of the restaurants, stores and ancilliatory services that a permanent population requires. There are also a large number of vacation homes making Kill Devil Hills the perfect location.
With 17 public beach accesses on the ocean front, 2 sound accesses, 1 sound boat ramp and 2 children's play grounds, Kill Devil Hills is one of the most vacation friendly resort towns on the east coast.
Kill Devil Hills real estate sales are one of the bright spots on the Outer Banks. Prices are holding steady and actually going up for westside homes. Town of Kill Devil Hills
