OCRACOKE, N.C. (AP) — A century-old sign linked to the pirate Blackbeard is missing from a North Carolina island, and a reward has been posted for its return.
News outlets report the battered sign read "Howard Street," and it's believed the sign was posted on Ocracoke Island a century ago by Stacy Howard, who is said to be a descendant of Blackbeard's quartermaster.
The Ocracoke Preservation Society is asking people to be on the lookout. Martha Garrish, a member of the Howard family, first alerted the community to the missing sign on August 5 and she has begged for its return to their property.
Garrish is offering a $100 reward for the sign's return with no questions asked. She said island residents are offering to create a new sign to replace the missing one.
