The Town of Oak Island landed several grants to purchase the pier after it went into foreclosure and up for auction. But it still lacks almost a million dollars needed to complete the purchase.

Al Baird is with the North Carolina Public Access Foundation. He says purchasing the pier would help preserve North Carolina's unique coastal flavor.

"We're losing public access at an alarming rate throughout the state. And this is one opportunity to save this pier where it will stay in public hands."

Yaupon Pier is one of twenty piers left on the North Carolina coast. That's down from 25 piers seven years ago.

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