The traditional fishing village of Sneads Ferry is located on the New River near the northern tip of Topsail Island off NC Highway. 172. The river joins the Intracoastal Waterway at Sneads Ferry and access to the Atlantic Ocean is easy. A very active commercial fishing community, Sneads Ferry takes in more fish than any other Onslow County port.
In 1725 Edmund Ennett was granted the first license to operate a ferry in the area, (Ennett's descendants still reside in the area). Ennett's "Lower Ferry" as it was originally called, was an important link for postal delivery between Virginia and South Carolina, and for news of Revolutionary War battles in the 1770’s. The village is believed to have been first settled in 1775, making it the oldest settlement in Onslow County which is one of North Carolina's oldest counties, established in 1734. The ferry operated for more than 200 years. In 1939, it was replaced by a wooden bridge. Today, the bridge is a new high-rise span.
Attorney Robert Snead moved to the area sometime during the 1750's to operate a tavern. When he became the new ferry operator in 1760, the "Lower Ferry" was renamed "Sneads Ferry" in honor of Robert Snead. Snead himself has an interesting history. He shot and killed revolutionary war hero George W. Mitchell in the heat of a political argument. After being tried and convicted, Snead received a full pardon from Governor Richard Dobbs Spaight. There was speculation that the pardon was achieved dishonestly.
