In 20 years, Cedar Point has grown both in population and value. But keeping the small-town feel, town officials say, is what it's all about.

While the town was chartered July 1, 1988, town officials and residents celebrated its 20th anniversary Sunday with an informal gathering. Cake, cookies, brownies, oysters and more were out for residents who wanted to join in.

"We postponed the actual ceremony. ... There's a lot of things going on in the summer," Commissioner Tom Delmore, who organized the celebration, said.

Carol Rich moved to Cedar Point in 1986 when it was still Cedar Village, she said.

"It was in the process (of incorporating) when we first bought the condo," Rich said. "It was all in the process to keep from going into Cape Carteret."

The town, she said, is a "great place," with good people and no crime.

Acelia Riley, 79, moved from Pennsylvania to Cedar Point in the 1990s in an attempt to get out of city life.

"You can walk up the street and get a newspaper or breakfast if you want it," Riley said of Cedar Point.

In 1986, there were about 300 people, Mayor Harry Redfearn said. Now, there are almost 1,000.

"The town has come a long way in 20 years," he said.

Population isn't the only thing growing, however. Property value has gone up as well.

In 1986, the real estate value of Cedar Point was $22 million. Now, it's between $360 million and $380 million and Redfearn expects it to be over $400 million next year.

While the town has grown, its property tax has not. For 20 years, it has maintained a 5 percent tax rate.

With the tax revenue, the town has expanded to include a town administrator, maintenance, town hall and more.

"We've done all of that with a nickel, and we're very proud of that fact," Redfearn said.

With 20 years in its rear view, Redfearn expects Cedar Point to continue growing - beginning with a new Wal-Mart store that is supposed to be coming to old NC-58.

"They've told us they're starting to build next year," he said. "When they come in, the town will just commercially explode."

But Redfearn doesn't want it to grow rapidly. Instead, he wants it to be "orderly growth."

"I want to be sure we maintain our small-town character," he said, explaining he wanted residents to be able to enjoy the beach and town without worrying about city traffic. "Orderly growth is a key factor in maintaining that."

The town of Cedar Point was born in 1986, when Cape Carteret was looking to annex it. The community itself was settled about 300 years ago. But when it looked like annexation was coming they joined Bogue and Pelletier in preserving their community names.

Austin Guthrie, who would later become the town's first mayor, joined John R. Jones in incorporating the community into a town. With the help of then N.C. House Representative J. Paul Tyndall, who now has a board room at Town Hall named after him, the community became a town, Delmore said.

"We were not willing to give up our Cedar Point name," Redfearn said.

Contact Jacksonville/Onslow County reporter Amanda Hickey at 910-219-8461.