In 2025, the Town of Carolina Beach celebrated its centennial anniversary. A vital piece of the town’s story is preserved in The Island Gazette, a local newspaper published by the McKee family from 1978 to 2023. As part of the centennial celebration, UNCW Library staff collaborated with the McKee family and other community contributors to digitize nearly all existing issues, making them available online through The Island Gazette digital collection.

Among the many boxes of newspapers transferred to the library, staff discovered another piece of local history: a magazine titled Pleasure-Island Magazine (later known as Carolina Coast Magazine). Published from July 1975 to at least October 1977 by Roger and Beattie McKee through Seaside Press, it appears the magazine may have served as the direct precursor to The Island Gazette.

Each cover features an original illustration by Beattie McKee. Inside, the issues offer a mix of local news, town history, and regular feature articles by community members. Highlights include a regular feature by Dr. Gilbert W. Bane, then Director of Marine Science at UNC Wilmington, and recipes shared by Lee McKee, Roger’s mother. 

Beyond its nostalgic charm, the publication is also a rich source for regional research. It documents key civic and environmental issues of the era – including the local impact of major environmental legislation passed in the mid-1970s – alongside business spotlights and in-depth coverage of historical and personal topics.

Researchers can explore the full run of Pleasure-Island Magazine and Carolina Coast Magazine via the digital collection or by visiting the Center for Southeast North Carolina Archives and History in-person during open hours. Special thanks to Digital Initiatives staff and students for their work to digitize these titles.

Happy spooky season!

Image sources used in this post:
Image 1: Pleasure-Island Magazine, Vol. 1 No. 1 (July 1975) 
Image 2 ("His beak..."): Carolina Coast Magazine, Vol. 3 No. 23 (April 1977)
Image 3 (Cooking with Lee): Pleasure-Island Magazine, Vol. 1 No. 7 (October 1975)
Image 4 (Halloween cat and pumpkin cover): Pleasure-Island Magazine, Vol 1. No. 7 (October 1975)
Image 5 (Halloween witch cover): Carolina Coast Magazine, Vol. 2 No. 17 (October 1976)

Find these titles in the Library Catalog:
Carolina Coast Magazine
Pleasure-Island Magazine