It is said that this west end of Bogue Banks was originally home to nomadic Native Americans and whalers. The area was also home to about 15 families, who arrived in 1893 and settled at Middletown, a small section of the island that is now part of Emerald Isle.

Other than those small groups, Emerald Isle was largely unsettled until the 1950s. Several years after Atlantic Beach was developed as a seashore resort, Henry K. Fort of Philadelphia bought the land that now makes up most of Emerald Isle along with 500 acres on the mainland, in what is now the town of Cape Carteret. Fort planned to link the island and his mainland property with a bridge and develop a large resort. When support for constructing the bridge could not be raised, he abandoned the project. Years later a ferry was created, and it carried motorists and pedestrians over to the Bogue Inlet beaches of modern-day Emerald Isle. The ferry landed near Bogue Inlet Pier, the first recreational spot at the island's west end.

Today, the Cameron Langston Bridge provides access from the mainland to Emerald Isle and the western end of Bogue Banks. It spans the Intracoastal Waterway, and from the top offers a great view of the waterway and Bogue Banks.

Emerald Isle has a year-round population of more than 3,500 and a seasonal population of more than 16,000. It is a thriving beach-vacation spot, with plenty to do for the entire family. The town's municipal complex and community center has large meeting rooms, a full basketball court and a gym (see our Sports, Fitness and Parks chapter). The town also offers many public beach access areas for residents and visitors alike. Several new housing sections have been developed west of the high-rise bridge, in the area surrounding the Coast Guard Station, and a few choice spots have become fairly exclusive gated communities.