Vintage Holden Beach Ferry Photo Prints: Old Holden Beach Ferry

Vintage Photos from Holden Beach showing the history of this beautiful island restored and made into Giclee Prints printed on acid-free paper, printed with a half inch white border. Perfect for any Holden Beach lover, old or new!

In 1756 Benjamin Holden bought four mainland tracts and the island between his plantation and the ocean. This island extended from Lockwood’s Folly Inlet west 6 miles to Bacon Inlet. Bacon Inlet is, of course, long gone. Benjamin and his sons used the island for fishing and cattle grazing.

John Holden, Benjamin’s grandson, started a commercial fishery on the island and in 1924 surveyed a section which he called Holden Beach Resort, the first subdivision of beach property in Brunswick County.

In 1925, he built a bridge that was subsequently destroyed by the Inland Waterway construction. The state of North Carolina built a public ferry to reach the island which begin operation in 1934.

Luther S. Holden, John’s son, operated the old hotel that his father had built, started development of the property nearby and became a permanent resident in 1946. Soon afterwards, John F. Holden (Luther S. Holden’s son) began building other homes and renting them to vacationers.