What we now know as Oriental was first settled about 1870 by Louis B. Midyette. He took shelter in the area's natural harbor on the Neuse River and the mouth of Smith Creek when he was blown off course on his way to New Bern.
First known as Smith's Creek. It was later renamed for the Federal transport, Oriental, which sank on May 8, 1862, south of Oregon Inlet near Bodie Island. Rebecca Midyette, wife of Louis Midyette, found the nameplate one day on the beach. Obviously the residents liked the name.
For years the town was a center of commercial fishing, and the big trawlers still unload their catches here. In the early part of the century, the town boomed when loggers used the docks to ship the timber they harvested from the peninsula between the Neuse and Pamlico rivers. This boom brought railways, hotels, and dance halls.
Now, as in the past, there are boats. But today, there is a mixture of commercial trawlers and sleek yachts that is the hallmark of Oriental.
New Bern’s youngest visitors will have an amazing time discovering all the ways to have fun at Kidsville – one of the most enticing attractions within the expansive Seth West Parrot Park.
The Belhaven Memorial Museum clearly holds the title as one of the most distinctive and unique museums in Eastern North Carolina, with a collection that includes historical artifacts, scientific oddities, and everything in between.
The Pecan Grove Marina stands out among the marinas and boat slips that veritably overrun the small town of Oriental for three distinctive reasons: location, location, location. Set slightly inland from mile marker 182 along the Intracoastal...
The Havelock Tourist & Event Center and Marine Corps Aviation Exhibit, located just off of US 70 and close to the Havelock Chamber of Commerce is a must-stop for travelers who are new to this region of the Inner Banks. Stocked with military...