Originally named Jack's Neck, Belhaven was once a bustling industrial town with a half-dozen lumber companies and a branch of the Norfolk and Southern Railroad.
Nearby Pamlico River and Pamlico Sound, along with the railroad, provided the transportation necessary to move the hundreds of tons of wood products produced in Northeastern North Carolina. These same waters still provide a living for residents today, as they yield their plentiful bounty of crabs, fish and shrimp to local fishermen.
Many of the grand homes built in the later 1800s and early 1900 still stand today. The finest of all is River Forest Manor, completed in 1904. Its first owner was John Aaron Wilkinson, president of Roper Lumber Company, and vice-president of the Norfolk and Southern Railroad. Today this magnificent building is a country inn, restaurant and marina which boasts of many famous visitors throughout the years.
The Oriental History Museum is one of Oriental's "newest" attractions, and since opening its storefront doors less than a decade ago, the museum has welcomed thousands of visitors in search of an inside-look of Oriental's celebrated maritime...
Visitors to New Bern's historic downtown are advised to take a break from the shopping, antiquing and dining, and enjoy a comfortable seat and a great view at the scenic and newly revitalized, Union Point Park.
European settlement near the Pamlico River in the 1690's 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.
Creekside Park is the largest park in the town of New Bern, and it’s situated close to the local airport, just off of US Highway 70. The park extends for 11 acres and since opening in 1997, is one of the most popular destinations for a myriad...