“I’ve read that the Outer Banks natives used Yaupon as a tea, but I can’t find anything about it. What is it, where do you find it, and can you still make it?” ~Anonymous
We’re going to answer this in several parts stretched over a few posts with the help of local resident, Rebecca Rollinson.
Part 3: Did the settlers use Yaupon?
As it was hinted in Part 2, the tradition of Yaupon Tea was handed down generation upon generation.
In the mid 1700’s, yaupon tea developed into an industry as a result of the British tea tax imposed on American settlers. Yaupon became a staple product after the Boston Tea Party in 1773. On Hatteras, a few small factories were built to make the tea in bulk and export it north as far as Philadelphia. The industry thrived for about 150 years and was 2nd only to fishing.
In the 1920’s, the last yaupon factory was run by Charles Williams, paying working children a few cents per pound of processed tea.
