Albemarle Area Fishing Tournament Calendar
| Rock & Bass fishing. |
Pamlico-Neuse Fishing Tournament Calendar
| Inshore tournaments. Bass & Rock fishing. |
Albemarle Sound
Kitty Hawk, Currituck County, Camden County, Elizabeth City, Hertford, Edenton, Columbia, Plymouth
The Albemarle Sound, 55 miles from east to west, is the largest freshwater sound in North America. A favorite recreational fishing ground and a popular place for cruising, sailing and all water sports. It is also part of the IntraCoastal Waterway. For more info: Albemarle Sound
Aurora Fossil Museum
Aurora
The Aurora Fossil Museum collects and displays fossils from the coastal regions of North Carolina and also from other places throughout the world. Their emphasis is on the preservation and display of numerous exhibits of fossil remains that come from the PCS Phosphate mining operation. Using these fossils, the museum tells the story of the formation of the Coastal Plain from the birth of the Atlantic Ocean to the present. The museum has an outdoor fossil bed where children can search for fossils, and the museum sponsors an annual Fossil Festival. Discover prehistoric man, ocean life fifteen million or more years ago and geological formations. The museum boasts a large collection of fossils from the nearby PCS Phosphate mine and allows visitors to see fossilized bones, teeth, shells and coral. aurorafossilmuseum.com
Atlantic Coastline Railroad
Washington
Dating from abou 1904,is one of the largest and best-preserved railroad stations in eastern North Carolina. The depot currently serves as headquarters for the Beaufort County Arts Council and the freight warehouse is home to the Washington Civic Center and art gallery. washingtonnctourism.com
Ausbon House
Plymouth
Civil War: Bullet holes attest to this home's use as a Southern sniper's nest during a Confederate attempt to take the town Dec. 10, 1862. The Southerners eventually withdrew. The sniper was shot dead here. visitplymouthnc.com
The Barker House
Edenton
The Barker House, 1782, was home of Thomas and Penelope Barker. Penelope presided over the famous Edenton Tea Party, 1774. Enjoy our bookshop, featuring books on historical, cultural and economic importance of North Carolina. ## The Edenton Historical Commission was established by the North Carolina General Assembly in 1961 and re-created by the General Assembly in 1973. It's purpose is "to effect and encourage preservation, restoration, and appropriate presentation of the Town of Edenton and Chowan County, as a historic, educational, and esthetic place, to the benefit of the citizens of the place and the state and of visitors." (GS 143B-95) Their offices are located in the Barker House, built 1782 - the home of Thomas and Penelope Barker of Edenton Tea Party fame. historicedenton.org edenton.com/history/barker
Historic Bath State Historic Site
Bath
Historic Bath State Historic Site interprets 300 years of history of North Carolina's first town. Emphasis is given to the colonial period of Bath's history. The facility includes a visitors center and three historic houses that visitors can tour. NCDCR
Bath State Historic Site
Bath
Meander the streets of this historic waterfront community, which was the first incorporated town in NC. Home to Blackbeard the Pirate and the oldest church in North Carolina. Bath features guided tours of the Palmer-Marsh House (c. 1751), furnished Colonial home of wealthy official, and Bonner House (c. 1830), furnished home of a Bath planter. Van Der Veer House (c. 1790) is a self guided tour. Visit our on-site gift shop. The Bath State Historic Site is on the Historic Albemarle Tour. ## Ormond Amphitheater: This new amphitheater is being built for the Bath Tri-cenntenial celebration, and this summer will be the home of Blackbeard the Pirate, as well as other wonderful performances! historicbathnc.com
Belhaven Memorial Museum
Belhaven
The Belhaven Memorial Museum seeks 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, Beaufort County, and eastern North Carolina. The museum builds upon the unique and eclectic original collection of Mrs. Eva Blount Way and is housed on the second floor of the Belhaven Town Hall. Listed on National Register of Historic Places. Museum began as the private collection by Eva Blount Way (1869-1962). Includes 30,000 buttons, dressed-flea wedding couple, antique dolls and toys, Civil War and World War artifacts, old money, furniture, farm tools, period fashions, an antique x-ray machine from a dentists office, and technological antiquities from around the world during the last two centuries. The Belhaven Memorial Museum is on the Historic Albemarle Tour. Belhaven Memorial Museum
Bath A.M.E. Zion Church
Bath
Archaeological site along the Bath Bay waterfront in Bath. Bath State Historic Site. Excavated in 1997, the site contains the foundation of the Bath A.M.E. Zion Church, built between 1895 and 1900. The church continued to be used into the 1930s but by 1940, it fell into such disrepair that it was abandoned and had disappeared by the 1950s. A plan to develop the property in the 1960s led to the discovery of an abandoned cemetery that contained some 42 unmarked graves. originalwashington.com
Bennett Vineyards
Edward
Bennett Vineyards is the largest muscadine and scuppernong vineyard in the Carolinas and lies on a 138-acre parcel of colonial grant land in North Carolina east of U.S. Highway 17 between the neuse and the Pamlico rivers. The wine is made in barrels in a converted tobacco barn using recipes and techniques that emulate those of the earliest colonisits. The winery offers tours and tastings. ncwines.com
Battle of Washington
Washington
Civil War: USS Pickett (Battle of Washington), Trails sign at the waterfront on Stewart Parkway, one block east of Route 17 - On Sept. 6, 1862, Confederates under Maj. Stephen Poole attacked a Union garrison here backed by gunboats including the USS Pickett (which exploded during the battle). Union reinforcements overcame initial Confederate success and drove the attackers away, maintaining Union control of the town. Siege of Washington, Trails sign at the EC Estuarium on Stewart Parkway, three blocks east of Route 17 - Hoping to reestablish Confederate supremacy somewhere in Eastern North Carolina, Gen. D.H. Hill staged actions against New Bern and Washington in March 1863. Unable to accomplish much at New Bern, Hill turned to Washington, besieging the town March 30-April 20. Hill held off Union gunboats downriver and infantry attacks against his fortified position five miles from town. Hill was called away by Lee and the siege was soon lifted by Union reinforcements. history/civilwr1
Beaufort County Arts Council
Washington
Local Arts Council and Gallery located in the Historic Atlantic Coastline Train Depot, home of the Washington Civic Center. The Beaufort County Arts Council supports artistic programs throughout the county. The diverse offering of cultural programs includes an annual juried art show and crafts show, year-round exhibitions in the adjacent Washington Civic Center gallery, a series of free public concerts for all ages, an annual art camp for young people, workshops, lectures, and organized trips to attend outstanding cultural events. The renovated Atlantic Coastline Railroad Station houses the Arts Council Offices, meeting room and Lane Gift Shop where hand-crafted artwork by area artists and craftspeople is available. beaufortcountyartscouncil.org
Asa Biggs House
Williamston, Martin County
Civil War: Home of prominent politician and jurist Asa Biggs from 1835 to 1862. Biggs served in the U.S. Senate 1854-1858, becoming a Federal, then Confederate district judge. Built circa 1831, the historic Asa Biggs House was once home to 19th Century attorney, judge and later US Senator Asa Biggs. Over two-thirds of the renovations present on the house today were made during Biggs' residency. Owned by the Martin County Historical Society, the house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Martin County Travel & Tourism Authority & Visitor's Center and the Williamston Partnership for Revitalization occupy the home. Martin County Tourism albemarle-nc.com/martin/history
Chowan Arts Council: A Century of Chowan Through Photographs
Edenton
A permanent exhibit depicting life in Chowan County from 1850 to 1954 and is located in the Swain School Building. This exhibit features a variety of scenes from by gone days. Handicapped accessible 0pen 10 am - 4 pm Monday - Saturday. Admission Free chowanarts.org
Chowan River
Edenton
CSS Albemarle
Plymouth
A 3/8-scale, 63-foot replica of this ironclad is moored behind Port O' Plymouth Museum. Upon request for groups, the CSS Albemarle will cruise up the Roanoke, fire its guns and return to its mooring. visitwashingtoncountync.com livinghistoryweekend.com
Cashie River
Windsor
Cashie Wetlands Walk
Windsor
Boardwalk in a natural wetlands environment with cypress trees and other swampland flora. Walk takes visitor to the edge of the Cashie River, which is 20 miles long, as deep as 80 feet in places, and begins and ends within the county of Bertie. An observation deck allows views of several different species of endangered waterfowl as well as other swampland animals in their natural habitats. Canoes available at no charge. Free. Windsor
Carolina Crossroads
Halifax County
Outdoor amphitheatre >> Concerts and Events Carolina Crossroads
Davenport Homestead
Creswell
Built by Daniel Davenport, Washington County's first Senator, in 1800. The homestead has preserved ''A Place in Time'' and consists of a dwelling house, chick house, salting and smoke house, outhouse, loom house, shelter for farm equipment, hog pen and corncrib. visitwashingtoncountync.com
Deadwood
Williamston, Martin County
Come live the Old West and eat in the famous Smokehouse Grill. Open Friday and Saturday nights 6 p.m.-2 a.m., Sundays 1-10 p.m. Featuring 18 hole miniature golf course, shaded picnic area, video game room, playground, gift shop, snack bar, large western dance hall with live music Friday and Saturday nights. deadwoodnc.com
Historic Edenton State Historic Site
Edenton
Historic Edenton State Historic Site seeks to preserve, maintain, develop, and interpret the James Iredell House, and to help preserve and interpret the numerous other historic structures and locations in the town of Edenton including Saint Paul's Episcopal Church, the Cupola House, the Barker House, and the Chowan County Courthouse. NCDCR
Historic Edenton
Edenton
Visitor Center, located at 108 North Broad Street provides 14 - minute audiovisual program, exhibits, gift shop, visitor information/orientation. Guided tours of five properties: 1736 St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 1758 Cupola House (National Historic Landmark), circa 1782 Barker House, 1767 Chowan County Courthouse (National Historic Landmark) and early 19th-century Iredell House State Historic Site. Walking and trolley tours available with the Trolley Tour highlighting much of our African-American (African American) Heritage. Visitor Center free. Fee for tours. NCDCR
Historic Edenton Trolley Tour
Edenton
Discover the rich history and architectural diversity of Edenton during a comprehensive 45-minute trolley tour thru the historic district. An experienced interpreter introduces you to the people and events that shaped the town - the prominent citizens of Edenton's Golden Age (1750-1800), the African American, builders, educators, and entrepreneurs of the post Civil War period, and the industrial rebirth of the town (1880s-1920s) - while you travel past the beautiful and varied architecture of the historic homes and buildings. Edenton tours
Edenton Bell Battery
Edenton
Civil War: ''St. Paul,'' one of four cannon cast from bells donated by Edenton churches. The Edenton Bell Battery served throughout the war. The gun with a sign explaining its history is located in front of the Barker House at the foot of Broad Street. historicnenc.com
Freeman Hotel
Windsor
Home of the Windsor Chamber of Commerce and the Windsor Visitor's Center. Constructed in 1840s as a hotel and renovated for offices in 1980s. Greek Revival building with double portico and fanlighted gables; two of first-floor rooms have original tin walls and ceilings. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Free.
Fort Branch Confederate Earthen Fort
Hamilton, Martin County
Fort Branch Confederate Earthen Fort is a privately owned historic site open to the public April through the first weekend in November. The Fort Branch Battlefield Commission works to preserve and restore the fort and to interpret its heritage and historical significance. The First North Carolina Volunteers, a Civil War re-enactment group, uses Fort Branch for winter headquarters and battle drills, and the site is used for Civil War re-enactments and educational and curriculum-based programming in the community. Civil War: Confederates began fortifying this bluff 70 feet above a bend in the Roanoke River to help deter Union advances against the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad and protect the construction site of the ironclad CSS Albemarle. Work on the fort, begun February 1862, was completed a year later. A December 1864 Union attack failed to capture the fort. Well preserved earthworks in this extensive fortification remain. Original cannon remain at the site. Well-preserved star-shaped Confederate earthen fort on Rainbow Banks overlooking the Roanoke River. Annual battle re-enactment the first weekend in November. Seven of the original cannons on display. fortbranchcivilwarsite.com
Goose Creek Gameland
Aurora
Opened and managed by the NC Wildlife Resources Commission, Goose Creek Gameland is a series of waterfowl impoundments, each about 200 acres in size on a peninsula on the south side of the Pamlico River between Aurora and Hobucken in Beaufort and Pamlico counties. The best time to observe waterfowl is from January 20 through February. The best time to see wading birds is from May to August. Impoundments are north and east of NC 33 and are best reached from several public launch sites nearby. The swamp forest is south and west of NC 33. Hunting occurs during fall, winter and April through May, on Mondays, Wednesdays, Saturdays and holidays. The best time to visit the gameland is non-hunting days. Visitors will need a boat to see much of the area. The water can often be rough so boats 16 feet or longer are advised. originalwashington.com
Goose Creek State Park
Bath
Nature beckons you to experience the mysterious wonders of marsh and swamp along the borders of the Pamlico River and Goose Creek. Canoe the unhurried creeks, fish on the shores of the Pamlico River or learn more about wetlands. Birders and hikers are welcome. ## Goose Creek State Park seeks to preserve and to educate the public about the plantlife, wildlife, and ecosystems of the Goose Creek, Mallard Creek, Flatty Creek, and Pamlico River area through educational programs, permanent and traveling exhibits in the Environmental Education Center, and ongoing conservation projects in partnership with regional and local organizations. Permanent collections include mounted specimens of many of the animal species found in and around Goose Creek State Park. A five minute film is available to introduce visitors to sights in the park. The park's newletter, The Waterline, can accessed on the NC State Parks website, www.ncparks.net. Goose Creek State Park
Historic Hope Foundation: Hope Plantation/King Bazemore House/Samuel Cox House/Margaret Long Tyler Library
Windsor
The Historic Hope Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization, owns and operates the Hope Plantation, the 1803 Palladian mansion of former North Carolina Governor David Stone (1770-1818), and the King-Bazemore House, a 1763 structure significant for its gambrel roof and brink end walls, as well as a spacious visitor center and a small research library. Both homes are furnished with period pieces and are open to the public for tours and educational programs. The visitor center houses the library and some exhibits on the Stone family and 19th century Bertie County life and is available for meetings, programs, and social functions. Historic Hope Foundation maintains these facilities for the benefit of the public to illustrate and interpret agrarian life in eastern North Carolina 1760-1840 and the heritage of the Roanoke-Chowan Region. ## Hope Plantation is located in southern Bertie County on the edge of Roquist Pocosin, four miles west of Windsor, adjacent to NC Highway 308. It was a grant in the 1720s from the Lords Proprietors of the Carolina colony to the Hobson family. Zedekiah Stone, of New England, acquired the property in the late 1760s with his marriage to Elizabeth Shriver, the widow of the previous owner, Francis Hobson. In 1793, Zedekiah Stone gave the plantation to his and Elizabeth's son, David Stone (1770-1818). During David's ownership the plantation was further developed and prospered. After his death, the then 1,051 acre property was sold by his son in 1836. A precocious youth, David Stone was graduated, first in his class, from Princeton in 1788. His education and various fields of endeavor proved him, like Thomas Jefferson, to be an heir of the Eighteenth Century Enlightenment. By 1803 David Stone had built an impressive mansion at Hope to accommodate his wife, Hannah Turner, eleven children to be, his many guests and as a fulfillment of his interest in architecture and as a haven to pursue his other many interests. Built on an ''above ground'' basement, the Hope mansion portrays basic Palladian design with some neoclassical elements. The five bay facade features a pedimented double portico. The hipped roof is topped by a ''widow's walk'' surrounded by a Chinese Chippendale balustrade. The floor plan is adapted from Abraham Swann's ''The British Architect,'' a copy of which David Stone owned. The first floor rooms are entered from a center through hall. On the second floor are a large drawing room and a library, which housed Stone's 1,400 volumes. In addition to the main stair, a service stair runs from the basement to the attic. Hope was a self-contained plantation as was Stone's other plantation, Restdale, in Wake County. He owned at one time 8,000 acres in both Bertie and Wake. His estate inventory lists by name 138 slaves of African descent. At Hope he operated a water powered grist mill, a still, and, probably, as indicated by his inventory, a saw mill, a blacksmith shop, a cooper's shop and houses for spinning and weaving. His farm lands produced wheat, corn, oats, rye, flax, and cotton, for which he had a ''cotton machine.'' On his pastures he raised cattle, sheep and horses, in his woods he raised hogs, while his forests produced timer for the sawmill. David Stone was a member of the 1789 State convention at Fayetteville at which he voted to ratify the United States Constitution. By age 33, he had become an attorney, a Superior Court judge, and a member of the North Carolina General Assembly for a number of sessions. He also had been appointed to the Board of Trustees for the University of North Carolina on which he served the rest of his life. In addition to these honors, he had been elected to the United States Congress, in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. Later, he served, again, as a Superior Court judge. In 1808, he was elected governor of North Carolina for two terms after which he returned to the United States Senate. Always interested in education, in his last years he established an academy in Wake County. David Stone's life was that of a planter, statesman, and scholar. Moved four miles from its original site to Hope is the 1763 King-Bazemore house, now ''one of only two gambrel roofed houses in North Carolina with brink end walls.'' Evidence indicates that the house is similar to the eighteenth century Hobson house which first stood at Hope. The King-Bazemore house and the Hope mansion represent a continuing agrarian culture during the Colonial and Federal periods in northeastern North Carolina. Historic Hope Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization, owns and operates these two rare and outstanding buildings and approximately forty-five acres surrounding them to preserve and promote their historical, architectural and archaeological assets for their educational and recreational benefits to the visiting public. Visitors are first introduced to this historic site at the reception facilities in its Roanoke-Chowan Heritage Center situated in the Hope Forest at Hope Plantation. Here, they receive background information on Hope and its environs through such educational tools as orientation films, exhibits, and the Hope Research library. In addition, the assembly room, classroom, 60-seat theater, and conference room are available for lectures, symposia, seminars, and workshops promoting the heritage of the area. The museum gift shop provides books and other supplementary material to complete the story of Hope and the Roanoke-Chowan region. Over a mile and a half of nature trails and picnic areas are available in the surrounding Hope Forest. Hope Plantation is on the Historic Albemarle Tour. hopeplantation.org
Historic Halifax State Historic Site
Halifax County
In the spring of 1776, North Carolina's Fourth Provincial Congress met in Halifax and unanimously adopted a document called the "Halifax Resolves," the first official action by an entire colony recommending independence from England. Historic Halifax, one of North Carolina's State Historic Sites, interprets the first eighty-five years of the town of Halifax. The Historic Halifax Visitor Center has an audio visual presentation as well as displays and exhibitions on the history of the town. Visitors can tour several authentically restored and furnished on the grounds of the site, including the home of a Halifax merchant dating from 1760, the Eagle Tavern, the Tap Room, a Federal-style plantation dwelling, a law office, the town clerk's office, and the jail. There is also the Montford Archaelogical Exhibit, a shell building that was constructed over the excavation of Joseph Montford's house . There are walkways over the excavated foundation, and exhibits educating visitors about historic archaeology. NCDCR
Halifax County 4-H Rural Life Center: Halifax County Agricultural Museum, Allen Grove Rosenwald School
Halifax County
The Halifax County Agriculture Museum and the Allen Grove Rosenwald School are located on the grounds of the 4-H Rural Life Center in Halifax. The museum showcases the agrarian past of Halifax County with displays of farm equipment, tools, letters, photographs and other items. A farm tenant house provides a view of farm life in the early 20th century. The Allen Grove Rosenwald School was built in 1922 and used through the late 1950s. The school building maintains it's original shape and has the original desks. The museum, farmhouse, and Rosenwald School are open by appointment. halifaxnc.com/4hrurallife/4home.html
Hamilton Walking Tour
Hamilton, Martin County
See wonderfully restored homes, from Queen Anne to modest bungalows, in the National Register Residential Historic District of Hamilton, located on NC 125 North on the Roanoke River in northwestern Martin County. Many of the homes were built between 1830 and 1850. Martin County Tourism
Intracoastal Waterway
Camden County, Elizabeth City, Currituck County, Hyde County, Belhaven, Oriental, Morehead City, Beaufort, Atlantic Beach, Emerald Isle, Swansboro, Sneads Ferry, North Topsail Beach, Surf City, Wilmington, Wrightsville Beach, Carolina Beach, Southport, Oak Island, Holden Beach, Ocean Isle Beach
Ironclad CSS Albemarle
Edenton, Plymouth
Civil War: the May 1864 battle between the ironclad CSS Albemarle and escorts and Union navy vessels waiting in the Albemarle Sound. The Confederates managed to damage several Union ships, then escaped back to its base in Plymouth. The town, like many in the area, contributed troops to both sides. livinghistoryweekend.com
Medoc Mountain State Park
Halifax County
Medoc Mountain State Park
Morningstar Nature Refuge
Williamston, Martin County
Privately owned and operated refuge open by appointment only daily, yearround afternoons from 2 p.m. Points of interest incude museum and visitor's center, observatory, research lab and nature library, eight short educational trails, feeding station, trees, plants and shrubs identified. Located in migratory flyway with over 250 species documented. Programs created for one-on-one and small groups. Larger adult clubs and groups accepted. morningstarrefuge.org
National Fish Hatchery
Edenton
Walking trails and ponds in back assessible for visitors. An addition of an educational facility has been built where conferences for up to 40 people can take place. Features new aquarium and exhibits for everyone to enjoy. The Hatchery is located on West Queen Street and is part of the Charles Kuralt Trail. Edenton National Fish Hatchery recreation.gov
NCDOT Ferry System: Bayview / Aurora
Bath - Aurora
Feel the wind on your cheeks as you breeze across the Pamlico River on this short ferry route. The ferry makes travel on the Pamlico River from the northern shore to the southern shore an adventure. North Carolina Ferry System
North Carolina Estuarium
Washington
Explore science, art, nature and history where the rivers meet the sea at the Pamlico/Tar River estuary. Seasonal river tours are available and groups are welcome (reservations suggested for groups.) ## The North Carolina Estuarium is a unique combination of science museum, history museum, and educational center. Its mission is to promote sustainable community-driven economic well being and stewardship in the Albemarle-Pamlico region through environmental education and nature-based and cultural tourism. The Estuarium defines and interprets the historical and modern day significance of the estuary through interactive exhibits including native living creatures, environmental artworks, creative audio-visual components, historic artifacts, K-12 educational programs, games, and activities, and river excursions aboard ECU's Aqualab. North Carolina Estuarium
North Carolina's First Confederate Memorial
Washington
In 1888, Beaufort County became the first in the state to erect a monumnet honoring its Confederate dead. The monument, a replica of a Confederate soldier placed on a granite pedestal, now stands on the crest of a hill in Oakdale Cemetery. It was originally placed on the slight elevation where Water Street turns into MacNair Street, a location chosen so that ships coming up the Pamlico River would get, as their first glimpse of the town, the Confederate soldier on his pedestal. When a new railroad station was built and railroad activity changed the character of the location, the town decided to move the statue to the new cemetery. originalwashington.com
NCDOT Ferry System: Sans Souci Ferry
Windsor
One of the last two-car inland ferries in the state. Guided by a cable stretched across the river. Ride gives visitor a sense of nature at its best. Saves about 20 miles for locals who want to get to the other side of the Cashie River and could be a shortcut to the Outer Banks for travelers. Free. Sans Souci Ferry
Pamlico Sound
Hatteras Island, Ocracoke Island, Hyde County, Cedar Island, Oriental
Pantego Academy Historical Museum
Pantego, near Belhaven
The museum located in the oldest school house in Beaufort County. Academy building was established in 1874, it became Pantego High School in 1907. Academy is on National register of Historic places. Preservation of the building and creating a museum for the Beaufort county ares is being done by the Pantego Academy Historical Museum Inc. , a non-profit association. Displays of early way of life, farming, lumbering, home and hearth are exhibits ready for veiwing. Other exhibits include 2 restored class room and Pantego High School artifacts. And Eva Blount Way of the Belhaven Museum DID attend school in our building! Located in the heart of Pantego on Academy street. Check website for hours. yeoldeacademy.com
Pamlico River
Washington, Aurora, Bath, Belhaven, Hyde County
Pungo River
Belhaven, Hyde County
Port-O-Plymouth Museum
Plymouth
History museum featuring Civil War Battle of Plymouth, April 17-20, 1864. NC's second largest battle and last major southern victory of the war. Bullet shell and artifact collections. Considered one of the top 10 Civil War tour sites in the Carolinas. Artifacts on CSS Ram Albemarle (ironclad) sunk at Plymouth in October 1864. Displays and information on Union Occupation from 1862 -1864. ## Civil War: Tells the story of Plymouth during the Civil War including the Union occupation and the battle in April 1864. Special attention is paid to the famous Confederate ironclad CSS Albemarle, its successful exploits against the Union fleet and its sinking Oct. 27, 1864. Scale model of the Albemarle is anchored nearby. ## The Port-O-Plymouth Museum has a growing collection of Civil War artifacts as well as other items related to the history of Washington County in other eras. This institution has an active research component and has compiled several databases of information on Washington County's Civil War servicemen both Union and Confederate as well as on other topics. livinghistoryweekend.com/port_o.htm
Historic Plymouth
Plymouth
Historic Plymouth, on the south bank of the Roanoke River in northeastern North Carolina, played an important role as a major port in bygone years. The town was laid out in 1787 and designated as a Port of Entry. It had its own Customs House and a collector. Shipments of cypress shingles, lumber and other wood products and agricultural produce to the northern ports of Norfolk, Baltimore, New York and Boston as well as the West Indies made it prosper until the outbreak of the Civil War. That same prominence as a shipping center made it in great demand during the Civil War, sought by both Union and Confederate forces. The sinking of the confederate ironclad the C. S. S. RAM Albemarle on October 27, 1864 preceded today's reenactments of the many nearby battles of the war. On April 14, 1898 a raging fire destroyed most of the commercial district, but you'll find today's historic district down shady lanes amongst the dogwoods, azaleas and crepe myrtles. Begin your visit at the Port O'Plymouth Museum on Water Street. Walking tours and a waterfront boardwalk are available. Historic Plymouth is on the Historic Albemarle Tour. visitplymouthnc.com
Pettigrew State Park
Creswell
An angler's paradise, this park is the home of Lake Phelps, a 16,600-acre natural lake; a virgin forest; and recreational facilities including a family campground, group camping, trails, picnic areas, boat ramp, exhibits, fishing pier and play fields. Ideal for shallow draft sailboats, canoeing and windsurfing. View displays of prehistoric Indian culture in the exhibit hall or visit nearby Somerset Place, a state historic site. Free. Fee for camping. ## Pettigrew State Park borders Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge including Phelps Lake. The site of James Johnston Pettigrew's family home, the Pettigrew family cemetery, and Somerset Place State Historic Site are all located inside the perimeters of the park. The park's public collections include two Algonquian dugout canoes excavated from Phelps Lake. Pettigrew State Park
Roanoke River Lighthouse and Maritime Museum
Plymouth
Replicated on the waterfront in Historic Plymouth, the lighthouse allows one to experience life as a lighthouse keeper. It has been built to look as it did from 1866-1885. Climb to the top and experience a most beautiful view of the Roanoke River. Roanoke River Lighthouse
Roanoke/Cashie River Center
Windsor
Focus on the vast floodplain and bottomland swamp system of the lower Roanoke basin. Historic items on the center property, including an ''in situ'' brick vault, a 150-year-old grave marker, and an outbuilding from a historic home what will house various artifacts, allow for interpretation of the Windsor area's past. ## The Partnership for the Sounds seeks to promote sustainable, community driven economic well-being and stewardship in the Albemarle-Pamlico Region through environmental education and nature-based and cultural tourism. Specifically, the Roanoke-Cashie River Center features a natural area and park with a boardwalk and canoe/small boat access to the Cashie River on the premises, an amphitheater for special events, exhibits of historical artifacts, science and nature displays, and educational programming on the history, heritage, and natural resources of the Roanoke and Cashie River area. partnershipforthesounds.org
Roanoke River National Wildlife Refuge
Windsor
Established in 1989, the refuge is home to animals such as deer, otter, beaver, muskrat, and black bear, as well as more than 191 species of migrating birds. Informal trail systems are open to the public for hiking and birdwatching, including the new Charles Kuralt Trail which opened in spring 2000; some of the trails and refuge are only accessible by boat. Hunting by special permit only. Refuge is closed to public during permitted hunts for safety reasons. Special wildlife observation areas along Hwy.13/17 are available seasonably. Special fishing regulations apply in selected tributaries within the refuge boundaries. Fishing is permitted in the Roanoke River proper. Owned and operated by the US Fish & Wildlife Service. Roanoke River National Wildlife Refuge recreation.gov
Roanoke River Paddle Trail & Canoe Camping Platforms
Jamesville, Martin County
An emerging destination in northeast North Carolina, the Lower Roanoke River and its tributaries offer a unique wilderness experience for kayakers and canoeists. Meandering through the Coastal plain to the Atlantic Ocean, the Roanoke spreads out through the largest intact bottomland hardwood swamp forest east of the Mississippi. The area is home to black bear, river otter, white-tail deer, bobcat, beaver, and mink. Over 200 bird species have been identified including bald eagles. It is a birdwatcher's paradise. The River is renowned for its abundance of striped bass, largemouth bass, black crappie, lunker catfish, gar and bowfin. Thousand year-old bald cypress trees and towering tupelos form a lush canopy overhead. Seven camping platforms off the river have been completed as part of Phase One of the development of this water trail by Roanoke River Partners. To complete Phase One, three more platforms will be constructed between Hamilton, Plymouth and up the Cashie River to Windsor with nearly 140 miles of water trail linking the platforms. Phase Two will extend the paddle camping trail up to Roanoke Rapids, increasing the trail total to 200+ miles. Reservations for the Trail can be made at Roberson's Marina in Jamesville. Visitors will be educated about the trail system, and will sign a liability waiver and a ''pack-in and pack-out'' waste policy agreement to be used with the platforms. A per-person rental fee is paid to hold the reservation and receive a permit. Call 252-794-6501 to reserve a platform and visit us at www.roanokeriverpartners.org roanokeriverpartners.org
Roanoke River Basin
Windsor, Halifax County, Martin County, Northampton County, Plymouth
nature.org
Roanoke Canal Museum
Roanoke Rapids, Halifax County
The Roanoke Canal, completed in 1823, was built as the North Carolina segment of the Roanoke Navigation System. It was designed to connect the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia and Norfolk over a distance of 400 miles. The Roanoke Canal Museum, opening in early summer 2005, will explore the history of the Canal and the Roanoke Valley. The museum will be housed in a brick generator house built by the Roanoke Navigation and Water Power Company in the early 1900s. Locks used to lower loaded bateaux can be seen on the grounds of the museum. roanokeriver.com
Roanoke River: Larkspur Ridge Preserve
Halifax County
nature.org
Roanoke River: Devil's Gut Preserve
Martin County
nature.org
Roanoke River
Windsor, Halifax County, Martin County, Northampton County, Plymouth
St. Thomas Episcopal Church
Bath
North Carolina's oldest church and in our oldest town! Still in use today. NCDCR
Somerset Place State Historic Site
Creswell
Somerset Place is a representative antebellum plantation dating from 1785. Beginning in 1829, this was home to two generations of the Collins family-Josiah Collins III, his wife Mary, and their six sons. It was also home to more than three hundred enslaved men, women, and children of African decent whose lives and work are interpreted here as well. Somerset Place offers an insightful view of plantation life during the antebellum period. ## Somerset Place is an antebellum plantation offering an insightful view of life before the Civil War. It is one of North Carolina's most significant African American (African-American) heritage sites. During its existence (1785-1865) it encompassed 100,000 acres and became one of North Carolina's most prosperous rice, corn and wheat plantations and home to more than three hundred slaves and the Collins Family, the wealthy planters. Eighty of the slaves were brought to Somerset directly from thier West African homeland in 1786 due to their firsthand knowledge of rice cultivation Guided tours are available of the site including the Collins mansion and a reconstructed slave cabin. ## Civil War: Once one of the most prosperous plantations in the state, Somerset Place extended to more than 100,00 acres and maintained 300 slaves during its 1785-1865 lifespan. The house has been preserved, offering information about both planter and slave cultures before the war. NCDCR
Sylvan Heights Waterfowl Center
Scotland Neck, Halifax County
The Sylvan Heights Waterfowl Center is the largest waterfowl collection in North America maintaining 2,500 birds. Since the late 1980s, the 9-acre facility has been dedicated primarily to propagation, especially endangered species. Currently, tours of the breeding preserve at Sylvan Heights Waterfowl Center in Scotland Neck, North Carolina is limited to members of the Sylvan Heights Waterfowl Society. However, plans are being implemented to expand the Center into an education-oriented destination for school children and visitors of all types. In 2004, an additional 19 acres was acquired by the North Carolina Zoological Society for the Sylvan Heights Waterfowl Center. Part of the new land will be developed into a visitors' area with a variety of exhibits showcasing waterfowl and other exotic birds. Plans include a two-story building that will serve as an education center and library, where numerous conservation-oriented programs will be presented. sylvan-heights.org
St. Martin's Episcopal Church
Hamilton, Martin County
Circa 1881, the church is one of the most outstanding examples of frame Victorian Gothic architecture in eastern North Carolina. While the congregation has been inactive since the 1960s, the building remains consecrated and its preservation remains guided by the Historic Hamilton Commission Inc. Martin County Tourism
Skewarkee Rail Trail
Williamston, Martin County
A mile-long paved biking and walking trail from downtown Williamston to the Roanoke River waterfront. First rail trail in northeastern North Carolina. Martin County Tourism
Sen. Bob Martin Eastern Agricultural Center
Williamston, Martin County
The first facility in Eastern North Carolina designed primarily for equestrian and livestock events, this multi-event, yearround complex features a coliseum, Meeting Center, covered outdoor riding ring, lunging rings and four barns. The Coliseum is 110,000 square-foot fully enclosed indoor show arena with seating capacity of 7,000 people. Also hosts farm shows, boat shows, expos, car shows and more. The Meeting Center has 10,380 square feet of meeting and assembly areas perfect for trade shows, receptions, seminars, banquets, meetings and educational seminars. Rooms seat 125; Halls seat up to 250; total capacity 1,000. NCAGR
St. James Place
Robersonville, Martin County
Restored Primitive Baptist Church serving as a museum for folk art, quilts, furniture and pottery. Contains original furnishings, over 100 North Carolina quilts and over 600 pieces of North Carolina pottery. The church is a quaint, pristine example of late, clapboard revival architecture. Open by appointment. Call 800-776-8566 for more information. Martin County Tourism
Historic Washington Walking Tour
Washington
Step back in time as you enjoy this self-guided walking tour through Washington's Historic District including 18 antebellum buildings. This area is considered the ''cradle of the city.'' And this area is listed on the national Register of Historic Places. originalwashington.com
Historic Washington Visitors Center
Washington
An easily accesible location just off Highway 17 and Main Street. Information about Historic Washington and the surrounding area is available at this site year round. originalwashington.com
Historic Windsor
Windsor
Created by the Colonial Assembly in 1768, New Windsor was established on the site known as Gray's Lading where William Gray had offered 100 acres for a town. Today, the National Register Historic District encompasses that same area. A scenic boardwalk from the Cashie-Roanoke River Interpretive Center to the Cashie River Bridge borders the waterfront that was once a busy port with a customs house and a branch of the State Bank serving West Indian and coastal water trade. Artifacts from the archaeological dig authorized by the NC Deparment of Transportation in 1996 at the site of the Chowan River Bridge on US 17 North are displayed in a small museum at the Interpretive Center where artifacts confirm once speculative evidence that earlier permanent settlement in North Carolina was in what is today known as Bertie County on a point between the Roanoke and Chowan Rivers and the Albemarle Sound. Bricks from the cellar of a home that once stood on that site have been removed and reassembled at the center. A self-guided walking tour through the Historic District encompasses the area of the town as it was first laid out in 1768 and includes the traditional commercial district and the oldest residential section of the town where some of the houses date to the 18th century. Two early churches, Cashie Baptist and Windsor United Methodist Church which have been modernized stand on the original sites. Grave markers in the church yard cemeteries attract genealogists regularly. St. Thomas Episcopal Church, built in 1839, retains most of its original architecture. Sandy Point Baptist Church just acress the Cashie River on US 17 North was formed in 1835, but the original structure is much older. The framework of the church was constructed in 1776 as a house of worship for the congregation of Cashie Baptist which included both blacks and whites. The building and grounds were purchased by members of the black congregation who had founded Sandy Point Missionary Baptist Chruch when the white congregation moved to Windsor. Other points of interest in the town include the Livermon Park and Mini-Zoo, the Cashie Wetlands Walk, and the Tuscarora Indian Musuem and the 19th century Freeman Hotel which houses the office of the Windsor Chamber of Commerce. Historic Windsor is on the Historic Albemarle Tour. windsor-bertie.com
Wright Brothers Mural
Williamston, Martin County
Circa 1940 mural painted by Philip von Saltza of Maine hangs above the Postmaster's office in the US Post Office in Williamston. Entitled ''First Flight of the Wright Brothers at Kitty Hawk,'' the scene is set on the beach showing Orville and Wilbur Wright with their plane, a bicycle and hovering gulls - ''the perfect flying machine'' according to von Salza. The work was commissioned through the US Treasury Department's Section of Fine Arts. von Saltza won a contest in 1939 in which 1,475 designs were submitted to the Fine Arts Section for small post offices in rural areas. von Saltza chose the subject due to Williamston's relatively close proximity to Kitty Hawk. (About a two hour drive). Martin County Tourism
Williamston Walking Tour
Williamston, Martin County
Close to 75 properties are highlighted in the self-guided walking tour in two National Register historic districts in Williamston. Containing a number of structures designed by well-known Benton & Benton Architects of Wilson Martin County Tourism
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