Aurora Fossil Museum
The Aurora Fossil Museum, founded in 1976, is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) science education resource center. Our mission is to educate the public about paleontology in an engaging manner while emphasizing the natural and cultural history of Eastern North Carolina.We accomplish our mission through exhibits, interactive inquiry-based activities, outreach programs, events, field studies, and our Fossil Festival held annually on Memorial Day weekend.The main museum houses a wide variety of Miocene and Pliocene marine fossils with most displays showcasing specimens collected from the neighboring Nutrien Phosphate Mine (formerly known as Texas Gulf Sulfur, PCS Phosphate, PotashCorp). Featured in our shark hall are the remnants of the terror of the Miocene-Pliocene seas, C. megalodon!During your visit to the Aurora Fossil Museum, please talk with our friendly staff and browse through our charming Gift Shop for souvenirs of your time at the Aurora Fossil Museum. Your Gift Shop purchases and donations help the Aurora Fossil Museum continue our tradition of being an admission free museum!
Belhaven Memorial Museum
The Belhaven Memorial Museum is a non-profit organization whose mission is to collect, display and preserve historical and cultural artifacts and objects and to stimulate and encourage interest and support of the history, art, science and culture of the Belhaven area, of Beaufort County, and of eastern North Carolina. The museum builds upon the original collection of Mrs. Eva Blount Way (1869-1962).Mary Eva Blount Way (1869-1962), or “Miss Eva” as she was known affectionately, was an avid collector. Her love of things unique began with a small but treasured collection of buttons given to her by her mother-in-law. Over the years, she accumulated approximately 30,000 buttons from throughout the United States and around the world.At the same time, she began acquiring all manner of items of special significance to her, including Christmas memorabilia, period clothing, toys and dolls, china, farm tools and specimens from her natural environment.
Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station & Museum
The Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station Historic Site & Museum is the only museum in North Carolina that commemorates the Outer Banks shipwrecks, rescues, men, and daily events of the early United States Lifesaving Service. It is one of the most complete Lifesaving Station sites in the country and the only one designated as a “hands-on” teaching museum.Located on the Atlantic beaches of Rodanthe, the unique site includes structures from two historic periods: the 1874 station and its outbuildings, and the 1911 station and supporting structures. Our goal is to provide interpretation of both these exciting historical periods in the US Life-Saving Service and to provide living history programs that help recreate the era.
Historic Bath
Historic Bath is North Carolina’s oldest incorporated town (1705), featuring several restored period homes and is a North Carolina State Historic Site.European settlement near the Pamlico River in the 1690s led to the creation of Bath, North Carolina’s first town, in 1705. The town’s location seemed ideal with easy access to the river and the Atlantic Ocean 50 miles away at Ocracoke Inlet.The first settlers were French Protestants from Virginia. Among early inhabitants were John Lawson, surveyor general of the colony and author of the first history of Carolina (1709), and Christopher Gale, first chief justice of the colony.By 1708, Bath consisted of 12 houses and about 50 people. Trade in naval stores, furs, and tobacco was important, and Bath became the first port of entry into North Carolina.Early Bath was disturbed by political rivalries, epidemics, Indian wars, and piracy. Cary’s Rebellion (1711) was an armed struggle over religion and politics in the colony. An epidemic of yellow fever and a severe drought occurred in 1711. The Tuscarora War between the weakened settlers and the powerful Tuscarora Indians followed immediately. Bath became a refuge for the surrounding area until the Indian power was broken. Bath was also the haunt of Edward Teach, better known as the pirate “Blackbeard.” An expedition of the British Navy killed him in a naval battle near Ocracoke in 1718.Later Bath offered a more peaceful, settled life. The first Beaufort County courthouse was built in the town in 1723. Construction of St. Thomas Church, oldest existing church in the state, began in 1734. In 1751, Capt. Michael Coutanch, a merchant, legislator, and commissioner for Bath and Portsmouth, built what is today known as the Palmer-Marsh House, Bath’s oldest, and in the colonial period, its largest residence.The General Assembly met in Bath in 1743, 1744, and 1752. In 1746 the town was considered for capital of the colony. Governors Robert Daniel, Thomas Cary, Charles Eden, and Matthew Rowan made Bath their home for a time, as did Edward Moseley, long time speaker of the assembly.By the turn of the 20th century, Bath had improved land transportation. Waterborne activities also increased as several large sawmills were operated nearby.Yet Bath remains a small village. Restoration efforts in Bath have preserved the St. Thomas Church, the Palmer-Marsh House, Van Der Veer House (ca. 1790), and the Bonner House (ca. 1830). The original town limits are the boundaries of a National Register Historic District.Hours of Operation:Tuesday through Saturday 9am-5pm – Closed on state recognized holidaysAdmission Fees:Adults $2; Students $1 (for house tours).
HISTORIC CAMDEN COUNTY
Historic Camden County was formed in 1777 and was named for Charles Pratt, First Lord of Camden. The historic Camden Jailhouse is a two story brick structure, rebuilt after a fire in 1910. The Camden Courthouse was built in 1847, in the Greek Revival Style, and is still in use today for county business. Explore Camden’s rich heritage through artifacts, miniature replicas and knowledgeable docents at the Camden County Heritage Museum and Historic Jail.The historic Dismal Swamp Canal opened in 1805 and is the oldest continually operating man-made canal in the United States. The canal is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, has been designated a National Civil Engineering Landmark, a part of the North Carolina and Virginia Civil War Trail and Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. It is also recognized as part of the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom. The Dismal Swamp provided a formidable refuge for runaway enslaved people, or freedom seekers.During the Civil War, attempts to destroy the canal, an important supply link, resulted in the Battle of South Mills. In later years, notorious moonshiners would also hide their recreational enterprises in the deep, vine covered canopies. Logging history took place in this vast expanse of Atlantic White Cedars.Today, the Dismal Swamp State Park’s Visitor Center provides exhibits and Ranger programs to educate the public about its colorful past.
Historic Columbia
The Tyrrell County Seat of Columbia originated as a trading post on the Scuppernong River called Shallop’s Landing but was incorporated as Elizabethtown in 1793. The name was changed to Columbia in 1801, and it became the county seat in 1802. It is the only post office within its environs, in which Tyrrell is unique. The Town of Columbia features a self-guided walking tour of historic buildings.The Columbia Theater Cultural Resources Center is an environmental and cultural history museum focusing on fishing, farming, forestry and everyday life in Tyrrell County. Renovated and managed by the Partnership for the Sounds, the Center is the first stop for education groups visiting the area.The Tyrrell County Visitor’s Center is the starting point of an extensive network of trails and docks that lead the visitor along the banks of the Scuppernong River, where they can glimpse the native flora and fauna. Columbia is also home to Pocosin Arts Folk School, eastern North Carolina’s premier hand-craft education center.
Historic Corolla
Historic Corolla is located on the Northern Outer Banks and is steeped in heritage and tradition. Explore a 1920s era Art Nouveau architectural masterpiece, a nearly 150 year-old brick lighthouse, two educational facilities that explore the wildlife and maritime history of the region, a quaint village that makes you feel like you stepped back in time and so much more.
Historic Edenton
“Edenton served as the colonial capital of North Carolina from 1722 to 1743, with the governor establishing his residence there and the population increasing during that period.” During the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, Edenton was a political, cultural, and commercial center in the colonies and in the fledgling nation. One of its citizens signed the Declaration of Independence (a second signer died in Edenton while fleeing his creditors), and another signed the United States Constitution.Edenton, North Carolina, is a storybook place. The view across Edenton Bay and the Albemarle Sound from the foot of Broad Street, the lovely waterfront parks, the tree-lined streets flanked by fine eighteenth- and nineteenth-century homes, the magnificent 1767 Chowan County Courthouse with its green running to the water, together yield an unsurpassed feeling of romance, charm, and warmth.(The Chowan County Courthouse is a National Historic Landmark).But, Edenton is more than its long, important history. It is a prosperous and vibrant community that welcomes visitors to share in the beauty of the land and the water, and in life today in a remarkable small Southern town.“Edenton served as the colonial capital of North Carolina from 1722 to 1743, with the governor establishing his residence there and the population increasing during that period.” During the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, Edenton was a political, cultural, and commercial center in the colonies and in the fledgling nation. One of its citizens signed the Declaration of Independence (a second signer died in Edenton while fleeing his creditors), and another signed the United States Constitution.Edenton, North Carolina, is a storybook place. The view across Edenton Bay and the Albemarle Sound from the foot of Broad Street, the lovely waterfront parks, the tree-lined streets flanked by fine eighteenth- and nineteenth-century homes, the magnificent 1767 Chowan County Courthouse with its green running to the water, together yield an unsurpassed feeling of romance, charm, and warmth.(The Chowan County Courthouse is a National Historic Landmark).But, Edenton is more than its long, important history. It is a prosperous and vibrant community that welcomes visitors to share in the beauty of the land and the water, and in life today in a remarkable small Southern town.
Historic Elizabeth City
Historic Walking Tours, Underground Railroad, Civil War & Aviation TrailsElizabeth City is rich in artifacts, architecture and atmosphere. Situated in the center of the Albemarle region and located on the Pasquotank River, Elizabeth City was founded in 1793 and once bustled with activity as boats disembarked from the waterfront to transport goods and people throughout the South.
Frisco Native American Museum & Natural History Center
Located on Hatteras Island on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, the Frisco Native American Museum and Natural History Center is a non-profit educational foundation created for the purpose of preserving and sharing Native American artifacts, art, and culture.Housed in a building with 100 years of history, the Frisco Native American Museum & Natural History Center contains a nationally recognized collection of Native American artifacts, exhibits, and natural history displays.Galleries filled with native art wind through the facility and include information on Native Americans across the United States as well as artifacts from the first inhabitants of Hatteras Island. Local finds include a dug-out canoe discovered on museum property as well as items recovered from the site of East Carolina University’s archaeological dig at Buxton. The nature trail includes a long house and other examples of early Native American village structures.In addition to traditional exhibits and tours, the museum’s activities also include Native American workshops, Scout badge work, science projects, natural history programs, Native American studies, programs for the visually impaired, senior citizen seminars, weekly summer programs, and annual events with emphasis on the sharing of cultures and the opportunity to gather on ancestral grounds to participate in educational and fun activities appropriate for all ages.
Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum
The Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum is a public, non-profit, educational institution. The Museum is dedicated to the preservation, advancement and presentation of the maritime history and shipwrecks of the North Carolina Outer Banks from the earliest periods of exploration and/or colonization to the present day, with particular emphasis in the periods from 1524 to 1945. The Museum preserves, researches, exhibits and interprets its collections for the benefit of the general public and specialized audiences.The Museum serves its diverse audiences in order to inspire appreciation, encourage discovery, and promote and an active, responsible understanding of the maritime heritage of the Outer Banks itself and in relation to that of the United States and the broader history of seafaring.The Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum is located in Hatteras Village, the southern most community on Hatteras Island. Access to the Museum is from Highway 12 near the NC DOT ferry terminal on Coast Guard Road.The design of the Museum building is unique. The Entrance Court is reminiscent of the timbers of the many shipwrecks that once were so common along the treacherous Hatteras coast.
Historic Halifax
Located on the Roanoke River, the town of Halifax developed into a commercial and political center at the time of American Revolution. Scheduled guided tours take you into several authentically restored and furnished buildings. These include the 1760 home of a merchant, the law office of a nineteenth-century attorney, and the 1808 home of a wealthy planter. The 1833 clerk’s office, a jail, the Eagle Tavern museum, and the Tap Room tavern, which offers the visitor a hands-on experience, are also available.After the American Revolution broke out in 1775, North Carolina moved towards supporting independence from Britain. On April 12, 1776, North Carolina authorized her delegates to the Continental Congress to vote for independence. This was the first official action by a colony calling for independence. The 83 delegates present in Halifax at the Fourth Provincial Congress unanimously adopted the document called The Halifax Resolves.The Halifax Resolves were important not only because they were the first official action calling for independence, but also because they were not unilateral recommendations. They were instead recommendations directed to all the colonies and their delegates assembled at the Continental Congress in Philadelphia.Other site features reflect everyday life in Halifax: Magazine Spring, long a source of water for townspeople; the cemetery; Market Square, which served as the town park, pasture, and marketplace; and the river outlook, near the site of an early ferry landing.The Historic Halifax Visitor Center offers an audiovisual presentation, exhibits, and displays on the history of the town and the Roanoke valley. Guided tours originate here and visitors are urged to make the center their first stop. In addition to the historic structures, the Montfort Archaeology Exhibit is available for tour. Constructed over the excavation of Joseph Montfort’s house, the building–through exhibits and walkways over foundations exposed by the scholar’s spade and trowel–portrays the life style of this wealthy resident of early Halifax. A spacious picnic area is nearby.April 12 is Halifax Day, the anniversary of the adoption of the Halifax Resolves, and the site celebrates the anniversary with special activities.Hours of Operation: Closed most state holidays. Schedule is subject to change, call in advance for current operating hours. Admission Fees: Free
Historic Hertford
Hertford and Perquimans County have attracted many people with its scenic, recreational waterways, its history, and great fishing & hunting.Hertford is the quintessential sleepy river town steeped in history. Beautiful Victorian and Georgian homes line a winding narrow road that follows the riverbank. Cypress trees draped in Spanish moss stand tall in the brown waters. The town is on the National Register of Historic Places, and features the only “S” shaped bridge in the country. Life here has a decidedly relaxed pace. Perhaps age that has something to do with it -this is the heart of the ancient Albemarle region.Hertford is one of the earliest permanent settlements in North Carolina, dating back to the late 1600s, and the countryside around the town pulses with history. The nearby Newbold-White House is the oldest house in the state open to the public. George Fox, founder of the Society of Friends preached around these parts in 1672.Hertford was the home of Baseball Hall of Fame great, Jim “Catfish” Hunter and there is a monument in his honor on the Court House green. The town also boasts of one of only five monuments in the country to honor the African-American soldiers who fought for the Union. Outside the town explore the three rural National Register Historic Districts of Winfall, Old Neck and Belvidere.In 2000, Hertford began participation in the North Carolina Main Street Program, which provides resources for downtown revitalization through historic preservation. Hertford Mainstreet Program offices are co-located in the town’s Visitor Center.
Hope Plantation
Welcome to Historic Hope Plantation, restored home of former North Carolina GovernorDavid Stone (1770-1818). Located four miles west of Windsor, NC, the plantation complex offers unique insights into the late 18th- and 19th-century rural life in eastern North Carolina and the South.The centerpiece of the plantation is the c. 1803 Hope Mansion, Governor Stone’s stunning example of an academic architectural combination of Federal and Georgian architecture. Restored and opened to the public since 1972, the mansion is meticulously furnished with reproductions and an extensive collection of original period pieces.The 1763 King-Bazemore House represents a fine example of vernacular architecture. It is one of the few remaining examples in North Carolina of mid-eighteenth century “hall and parlor” design. The home has been restored and furnished based on the 1778 inventory of owner, William KingBoth homes are on the National Register of Historic Places and are administered by the Historic Hope Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and interpreting the history of Hope Plantation and managed by a paid staff and board of directors. The site is open to the public.
Historic Jackson
Historic Jackson is the center of a county that supported a plantation society in the mid-18th century. The Northampton County Courthouse, built in 1858, is one of the finest Greek Revival Temple-form structures to be found in the South. A walking tour through the National Register Historic District encompasses the Courthouse Square, Northampton County Museum and stately old homes that whisper of the rich and romantic days of the Antebellum South.
Historic Jarvisburg Colored School
The mission of the Historic Jarvisburg Colored School Association shall be for the preservation and dissemination of information about the history and culture of the Colored People and Schools in Currituck County, North Carolina from 1868-1950’s.Historic Jarvisburg Colored School Association is the culmination of local efforts to preserve the Jarvisburg Colored School, first established in 1868 near its current location. The HJCS Association was formally organized in 2003 as a nonprofit organization.Initial efforts focused on saving the old school building in keeping with historic preservation standards, listing it on the National Register of Historic Places, and collecting and disseminating historic information about this school and five other schools for colored children in Currituck County (Gregory, Currituck Union, Moyock, Snowden and Coinjock).HJCS is a membership organization and we welcome your membership/donation support and your stories, photos, and any artifacts from your experiences in any of Currituck's Colored Schools during this timeframe.We believe it is important to take time to celebrate our heritage and to remember the path we have followed to be where we are today. The stories we share are about life in a poor, rural area of North Carolina in a segregated society where families were often self- sufficient and lived off the land.
Historic Manteo
The Town of Manteo wraps around Shallowbag Bay on the eastern side of Roanoke Island, part of North Carolina’s Outer Banks. Named the seat of government for Dare County in 1870, this waterfront community incorporated in 1899.In those early days, every store lining the waterfront had two doors – one for those coming by boat, and the other for those coming from the courthouse or one of the inns on Water Street.Today, county business still brings people to town, as well as many reminders of the island’s history, including the representative 16th century ship at Roanoke Island Festival Park, or the George Washington Creef Boathouse and Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse, part of the North Carolina Maritime Museum. Each summer, the town welcomes singers, dancers, and actors back to Waterside Theatre, where they perform the nation’s oldest outdoor symphonic drama, The Lost Colony.Weather is always a topic on an island, and in Manteo, the day’s weather report takes the form of signal flags flying from a restored US Weather Bureau tower.No matter the weather, there’s always something different to do in Manteo, and another reason to return. Maybe there’s a concert or art show or nature program that brings you back. First Fridays, Dare Day, July 4, Virginia Dare’s Birthday, Halloween, and Christmas are special times in the town for residents and visitors alike.But often it’s the everyday interaction with people that makes you pause, turn back, come again. You might meet an island native who traces his family back four generations. Or then you might meet someone from your own hometown.What’s special about Manteo is that, if you’re willing to take a moment of your time to say hello, you may very well make a friend. – Angel Ellis Khoury
Museum of the Albemarle
North Carolina Museum of the Albemarle interprets the cultural history of 13 northeastern North Carolina counties: Bertie, Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Dare, Gates, Hertford, Hyde, Northampton, Perquimans, Pasquotank, Tyrrell, and Washington. This area, known as the Albemarle region surrounds one of the world’s largest freshwater sounds. The Albemarle Sound is named for George Monck, an English general who aided Charles II in reclaiming the British throne. In exchange for his service, King Charles bestowed on Monck the title of “Duke of the Albemarle” and granted him the land of Carolina – North and South Carolina and lower Virginia.Exhibits are designed to be self-guided; however, groups may register for specialized tours upon availability. Entrance to the Museum is free, however donations are graciously appreciated. The Museum’s feature exhibit “Our Story” offers visitors the opportunity to view the unique history of the people and the land of the Albemarle region.The Museum of the Albemarle is part of the Division of State History Museums, Office of Archives and History, Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, a state agency under the direction of Darin Waters, Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.
Historic Ocracoke
During the early 1700s, Ocracoke Island sat amid a bustling trade route. Larger vessels were unable to navigate the shallow Pamlico Sound, and the island became a settlement for skilled sailors who could transport goods to ports on the mainland. These same waters that proved difficult to navigate also attracted pirates, many of whom continued to use the island as a temporary campsite even after the infamous Blackbeard was killed here in 1718.Over the next 200 years, Ocracoke Island prospered and grew. It was a strategic point of entry to the Pamlico Sound during the Revolutionary and Civil War, and served as a top-secret training ground for an advanced amphibious division of the U.S. Navy during World War II.Located near the southern end of the island is the village of Ocracoke, which has long attracted sailors, pilots, and commercial fishermen. Many of these early watermen and their families have stayed on the island for generations. They built homes and gardens, churches, pathways, cisterns, docks, and stores. Close to 250 historic structures remain, a testament to island skill on this narrow strip of sand where building materials were salvaged from shipwrecks and Mother Nature wreaked havoc with every season.
Historic Plymouth
The Washington County Visitor’s Center, located on Highway 64 in Plymouth, is a great place to begin your exploration of this historic town located on the banks of the Roanoke River Delta. If you arrive after hours, be sure to check the brochure rack outside.Historic Plymouth, founded in 1787, rapidly became an important port shipping not only agricultural products such as corn, tobacco and cotton, but also ship’s masts and spars, lumber, shingles, tar, pitch and turpentine. The Battle of Plymouth during the Civil War was the most significant page of Plymouth’s rich history. The most successful ironclad of the Civil War made her debut in that 3-day battle and was later destroyed in Plymouth in a commando raid that the History Channel, titled in their documentary, The Most Daring Mission of the Civil War. There are 5 North Carolina Civil War Trail sites in Plymouth not to be missed!Today, you can not only stroll the half-mile of waterfront located 6 blocks north of the Visitor’s Center, but you also have the rare opportunity to visit three different museums in three blocks along the river. Explore the downtown as well as the Nationally Registered Historic District with notable homes and churches.
Roanoke Island Festival Park
Twenty-three years before Jamestown, there was Roanoke Island. The settlement didn’t survive, but the history, adventure and family fun did. Roanoke Island Festival Park is an interactive family attraction that celebrates the first English settlement in America. The centerpiece of the 25-acre island park, across from the Manteo NC waterfront, is the Elizabeth II, a representation of one of the seven English ships from the Roanoke Voyage of 1585. Climb aboard and help set the sails, plot your course and Historic Albemarle Tour – Longhouseswab the decks! Also visit the Settlement Site and try a straw and feather beds, woodworking, and games. See the blacksmith fashion his 16th century wares. Explore 400 years of Outer Banks history in the interactive Roanoke Adventure Museum, for all ages. See the Legend of Two-Path film and the American Indian Town. The town features opportunities for guests to learn about the vital and vibrant culture, heritage, and traditions of the American Indians in our region. It includes a wide variety of true-to-scale structures, role-play environments, and places to explore, plant, dance, build and play.
NC Aquarium on Roanoke Island
Inspiring appreciation and conservation of North Carolina’s aquatic environmentsOn a beautiful site overlooking the Croatan Sound, the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island is one of three state-operated aquariums on the North Carolina coast. The Aquarium on Roanoke Island features the 285,000-gallon Graveyard of the Atlantic saltwater tank exhibit, interactive exhibits, two touch tanks, a theater and Sea Turtle Rescue,” where children become pretend “veterinarians” as they diagnose and treat a toy sea turtle! See our newest exhibit, the Sea Turtle Assistance and Rehabilitation Center (STAR), opening summer of 2014.Explore the NC Aquarium saltwater habitats from grass flats to Gulf Stream waters. Explore saltwater habitats from grass flats to Gulf Stream waters. Gently stroke a stingray or a hermit crab at the touch tanks. Watch hundreds of fishes flash by the 35-foot long viewing window of the 285,000-gallon “Graveyard of the Atlantic” tank. Sharks and other fishes cruise by only inches away. History buffs will marvel at the one-third-scale replica of the USS Monitor. See Oceans Revealed: Power of the Planet, and learn how the earth affects our lives with real time imagery on a 6’ sphere.Learn about sea turtles and the efforts of the Aquarium and Network for Endangered Sea Turtles (NEST) to save these animals from the perils of man and nature in Sea Turtle Rescue. This exhibit features interactive educational technology, live sea turtle in a 10,000-gallon tank along with other fishes found in the “Waters of the Outer Banks!”Be sure to visit the N.C. Aquariums’ newest Outer Banks attraction, Jennette’s Pier at Nags Head. You’ll find information about it in our Nags Head Attractions section or by visiting www.jennettespier.net.
Somerset Place State Historic Site
Somerset Place offers a comprehensive and realistic view of 19th-century life on a large North Carolina plantation. Originally, this unusual plantation included more than 100,000 densely wooded, mainly swampy acres bordering the five-by-eight mile Lake Phelps, in present-day Washington County. During its 80 years as an active plantation (1785-1865), hundreds of acres were converted into high yielding fields of rice, corn, oats, wheat, beans, peas, and flax; sophisticated sawmills turned out thousands of feet of lumber. By 1865, Somerset Place was one of the upper South's largest plantations.
Historic Tarboro
Incorporated in 1760, and said to be one of the state’s most beautiful towns, Tarboro in the 18th and 19th centuries was a thriving port on the Tar River, and was once a candidate to become North Carolina’s capital city.Now it is the home of Edgecombe Community College, a QVC distribution center, and many other thriving businesses and corporations. It boasts a 45-block Historic District, a lovely Town Common, the Hobson Pittman Memorial Gallery in the c. 1808 Blount-Bridgers House, and a downtown with unique shops, restaurants, and early 20th century commercial properties in the process of renovation.Within walking distance of the Town Common, the Tour included six privately restored homes (one a B&B with wine bar), two historic churches, and the Bridgers Building on Main Street as a work-in-progress. On the outskirts of town, two c. 1709 historic residences on an estate with a pond, livestock and a horse barn were also shown.The Blount-Bridgers House, a c.1808 historic house museum and art gallery operated by the Edgecombe County Cultural Arts Council (Edgecombe ARTS) served as Tour headquarters.
Historic Little Washington
Founded in 1776, the town of Washington, North Carolina, was the first city in America to be named for General George Washington. Because of this, the city is still occasionally referred to as “original Washington.”Waterfront parks, a lengthy boardwalk and promenade lined with swings offer plenty of opportunities to enjoy a Pamlico River sunset or afternoon stroll. Washington is known for stately homes and lovely gardens that make up its vast historic district, as well as ornate brickwork featured on the vintage commercial buildings on Main Street.The historic downtown is the heart of the community. With restaurants, galleries, boutiques and antique shops lining both sides of Main and Market Streets, visitors can wander to their heart’s content. Or, drop a kayak or canoe in at the public boat ramp to plunder the waters that we vitally important to this historic port town and all of North Carolina.
Historic Windsor
Bertie County has many historic sites, interesting places, beautiful scenes and fun events. We’ve listed a few below. For more information, please visit our Chamber office in the historic Freeman Hotel across the street from Livermon Park.Windsor is listed in the Civil War Discovery Trail. A marker in the Park at Gray’s Landing commemorates the Skirmish at Windsor when Union gunboats dispatched from Plymouth entered the town in the early hours of January 30, 1864, and faced a small regiment from the 42nd Georgia Calvary. A sturdy Boardwalk along the banks of the Cashie River leads from the Park to the Roanoke-Cashie River Center, which offers many exhibits that interpret the environment of the Albemarle estuary. The River Center provides rental canoes for use on the Cashie as well as pontoon boat rides. Oftentimes, along the boardwalk, you may see a sailboat docked.The deep waters of the Cashie make Windsor a perfect water destination. Along the boardwalk visitors encounter the reconstructed root cellar uncovered in the 1999 excavation at Eden House which revealed a 17th Century settlement. A small house nearby has replicas of artifacts uncovered in that excavation.
