About the Marina

Carolina Wind Yachting Center, Inc. is located at historic Havens Wharf, one of the oldest commercial buildings in North Carolina still in use for its original purpose - boating!  We are adjacent to the US Highway 17 bridge which spans the Pamlico River.

Built in 1802, Havens Wharf has a rich history as the busiest commercial shipping wharf in North Carolina. Tall-rigged sailing schooners brought goods to the warehouse to and from Europe, the northern colonies and the Caribbean. From a slip on the east side of the building, where cars park today, these vessels unloaded or loaded cargos of sugar, spices, cloth, machinery, lumber, tobacco, turpentine and cotton.

When the Yankees burned Washington in April 1864, it is reported that the first fire was set at Havens Wharf. During the course of the war, both Confederate and Union prisoners were held in the building, depending on which side was in control at the time. In the 1980's, civil war re-enactments were held on the property.

An interior renovation was completed in 2001, converting the warehouse to office space. The original timbers and brick were left exposed to maintain the historic flavor of the site. Today, boaters come and go from the docks and a variety of businesses operate on the premises.