Topsail Island has been a haven for clandestine activities over the years. Blackbeard helped give the island its name by hiding his ship on the sound side where only the \"top sails\" could be seen. Between 1946 and 1948, the Navy used the island for a top-secret missile program. Weather conditions, increased shipping, and a growing population caused the Navy to close the facility in 1948. Had they not moved to Cape Canaveral, Topsail Island might have been home to the space program and the moon launching.