Download or read book Topsail Island written by Bj Cothran and published by Arcadia Publishing. This book was released on 2006 with total page 132 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Topsail Island is a 26-mile barrier island, its pristine shores constantly shifting with the ebb and flow of the tides. This timeless treasure has long been known as one of North Carolina's best-kept secrets--a family-friendly beach--the kind we all loved as children and want our children's children to fondly remember. The island has always had a love affair with everything fishy--from piers to boats to businesses. In the late 1940s, the face of Topsail changed forever when the government seized the island for Operation Bumblebee, a top-secret mission to develop a supersonic missile. After the project ended, the three towns of Surf City, Topsail Beach, and North Topsail Beach grew and prospered. Bridges have played a huge part in Topsail's development, providing links to the rest of the world.