In the early 1970s, the voices of three children transformed the future of North Carolina’s coastal environment when the sand dune known as Jockey’s Ridge was set to be leveled and developed for residential housing.
One day, Ann-Cabell, Inglis, and Gibbs Baum saw bulldozers where they often played at Jockey’s Ridge and ran home to tell their mom, Carolista. With her children’s urging, Carolista mobilized the community and relentlessly lobbied local and state leaders to save the dunes. In 1975, Jockey’s Ridge was designated as a North Carolina state park. Learn more about collective environmental activism and its effects in "Save Our Sand Dunes," a new children’s book from the North Carolina Office of Archives and History.
Authored by Hannah Bunn West with Ann-Cabell Baum, one of the three Baum children, the book brings to life the unique ecosystem of Jockey’s Ridge, the tallest living sand dune system on the Atlantic coast, and the successful effort to save it from development.
“Our family is so excited to see this long-awaited story come to life in the pages of this book,” said Ann-Cabell Baum. “The artwork is incredible! Our hope is that the book will stand as a testament to our mom's spirit and what the determination of children can accomplish.”
For more information about the book, contact Ansley Wegner at 919-814-6620 or by email at ansley.wegner@dncr.nc.gov.
The book is available for purchase from UNC Press at https://uncpress.org/book/9780865265059/save-our-sand-dunes/.
About the authors
Hannah Bunn West grew up on the Outer Banks and is passionate about sharing its history, advocating for its people, and protecting its natural wonders. She is a freelance writer, former teacher, and the author of Remarkable Women of the Outer Banks. She lives in Kill Devil Hills.
Ann-Cabell Baum grew up in Nags Head across from Jockey’s Ridge. She is the oldest daughter of Carolista Fletcher Baum, artist, jeweler, preservationist and great granddaughter of Inglis Fletcher, a noted historian and author instrumental in the development of the Elizabethan Gardens in Manteo. Ann-Cabell is a successful businesswoman in Raleigh and vice chairwoman of the Friends of Jockey’s Ridge State Park.
About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina – its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. Through its programs, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency.
The department manages over 100 locations across the state, including 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, five science museums, four aquariums, 35 state parks, four recreation areas, dozens of state trails and natural areas, the North Carolina Zoo, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, the African American Heritage Commission, the American Indian Heritage Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office, the Office of State Archaeology, the Highway Historical Markers program, the N.C. Land and Water Fund, and the Natural Heritage Program. For more information, please visit www.dncr.nc.gov.