Atlantic is a small community located in Carteret Count which is situated in the geographic center of coastal North Carolina. The area around Atlantic has been a gathering spot for fishing and waterfowl hunting for well over a hundred years.
“Charlie” Edwards grew up in a family that had a tradition of fishing, duck hunting and decoy making. His father, Charles Edward, Sr. (1897 -1985) was a well known carver and “Charlie” undoubtedly honed his skills by working with him. Unlike many of the area carvers, Edward, Jr. made his decoys from canvas over wire frames. He is credited with swan, Canada geese, black duck, pintail, red head and scaup decoys, mostly of canvas over a wire frame. He is known to have made a few wooden swan decoys. Edwards, Jr. like most early area residents hunted for the family table and kept a workshop “outback” that served as a gathering spot for hunters drawn to the area.
For additional information see:
Carteret Waterfowl Heritage, 1983 by Jack Dudley.
Waterfowl Heritage: North Carolina Decoys and Gunning Lore, 1983 by William N. Conoley.