Jennette's Pier it was, and Jennette's Pier it will stay

Jennette's Pier will keep its name.

More than 1,000 people from around the country pressured state officials to keep the historic moniker for the new pier being planned at Whalebone Junction, N.C.

"A decision was made to name the pier ' North Carolina Aquariums Jennette's Pier,' with signage reflecting the words Jennette's Pier large and bold," North Carolina Aquariums Director David Griffin wrote in an e-mail Thursday.

"We plan to refer to the pier as ' Jennette's Pier.' "

Last month, when Gov. Bev Perdue announced funding to start construction, the pier had been officially called "The North Carolina Aquarium Pier at Nags Head."

Outer Banks officials immediately balked.

"Keeping 'Jennette's' in that name is what a lot of people want," Bob Muller said at a meeting last week of the aquarium's Pier Advisory Committee.

Muller, a committee member from Nags Head, said that people wouldn't take it lightly if their heritage was cast aside.

"If folks want this to become a public outcry, it'll be a public outcry."

Muller had launched a petition drive on Facebook, and support for Jennette's came from all over the country. Comments mostly centered on the historic value of the old name; some skewered the new name.

"Aw, c'mon!" wrote Joe Sledge sarcastically. "The NC Aquarium Pier at Nags Head just rolls off the tongue!"

Originally built in 1939, Jennette's Pier was the oldest fishing pier on the Outer Banks before it was almost destroyed in 2003 by Hurricane Isabel. The rest of it was demolished last year by the North Carolina Aquariums to prepare for construction of a 1,000-foot-long concrete-and-wood replacement.

The town of Nags Head, Dare County and state Rep. Timothy Spear, D-Creswell, had notified the aquariums of their support for keeping the name.

Griffin told the committee that the state was looking at the pier in Nags Head as the first of a system of piers at the three state aquariums. The intention had been to say "formerly Jennette's Pier" on the facility's sign.

Wilmington-based contractor Clancy & Theys will start work on the two-year, $22.5 million project this week. Fencing will be installed on the beach face and along the property lines of the 5.12-acre site.

Beach access at the popular location will not be possible while it's under construction, Griffin said in the e-mail.

"While realizing the established use of the site for public beach access," he said, "they cited their overriding responsibility to provide safety to their workers and to the public during construction of the project."

Catherine Kozak, (252) 441-1711, cate.kozak@pilotonline.com