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There are even more rumors to that part of the story, but most likely more info will gradually come out. Bertie County was known for its Indians at one point, many of whom were light skinned Indians that later moved to the Lumberton NC area and were called the Lumbee Tribe. They are the largest Indian Tribe east of the Mississippi. Heather Locklear is part Lumbee as is University of Houston basketball coach Kelvin Sampson.
Riding a ferry is not really a big thing, except for the fact that it 1) requires you to stop and relax and 2) shows off the eastern NC scenery.
But I want to highlight a few small ferries not on the DOT lists...the "cable" ferries...
1) Elwell Ferry, which crosses the Cape Fear River between Highway's 53 and 87...it has operated since 1905.
2) San Souci Ferry, which crosses the Cashie River in Bertie County. It has been running since the 1800's...and can be accessed via Woodard Rd or Cooper Hill Rd.
3) Parker's Ferry, which crosses the Meherrin River in Hertford County. This is actually my favorite of the three...I stumbled upon it once taking a back road from Como to Winton. The road goes through the Meherrin Indian Reservation and has more of a grade to it than the other two.
Take the time if you are in the area of one of these three and take one of these. In my opinion, it just makes the trip more fun.
Her nickname is "Showboat"...cost over 76 million to build (in 1937) and survived a torpedo strike during WW II. She was sold to North Carolina for $330,000 in 1961, money raised by schoolchildren in NC to "save our ship". Getting the Battleship into its place along the Cape Fear River actually required some excavation of Downtown Wilmington. It also permanently damaged a boat name Fergus Ark that was used as a restaurant.
The Battleship is a National Historic Landmark.
Besides the tours and such, what makes it most interesting is its "other" uses. Movies are shown on its deck, it is rented for public events or private fundraisers and maybe its most interesting use is when its turned into the "Ghost Ship" at Halloween...where money goes for its upkeep. It has long been rumored to be haunted and has been featured on the show "Ghost Hunters". It is also the central feature for the annual Battleship Half-Marathon which covers multiple bridges, downtown Wilmington and Greenfield Lake.
Got to have a food item in this thread...well Eastern NC is known for its "eastern" style BBQ...to the point that its a part of its heritage and culture.
"Eastern" NC style is a whole hog BBQ with a vinegar and pepper based sauce. It is served mainly with cole slaw, hushpuppies or cornbread, Brunswick Stew and Sweet (Iced) Tea. "Pig Pickin's" are common in Eastern NC for parties, celebrations, or community gatherings.
Smithfield's is a chain of restaurants that serves Eastern NC barbecue and while their "cue" is good, most in ENC prefer their local spot...and there are a ton of them. For example...
There are surely others, but some of the best are on this list. Many of these are hole in the wall places or just operate out of basic facilities...it's the food and "local place to be" that are its true selling point. You need to have cash on hand because many do not take credit cards.
And note that the best places are not on the coast...so you may want to stop at one of these on your way to the coast. Also it should be noted that many of these also serve chicken...but I recommend trying the barbecue because these are one of a kind recipe's and style.
Ocracoke Inlet was the favorite hiding spot for Edward Teach back in 1717, aka, "Blackbeard" the Pirate. He resided in Bath, NC for a time. After he stole a boat, the Queen Anne's Revenge, from the French, he equipped it with 40 guns and blockaded the Port of Charleston SC. He then ransomed residents of Beaufort NC, before running the QAR aground in Beaufort Inlet. The ship was discovered in 1996 and as items are recovered, they are cleaned up at ECU and then put on display at the Maritime Museum in Beaufort....
Teach was forming a bigger Piracy effort in 1718 with other Pirates...Calico Jack, Charles Vane, Robert Deal, and Israel Hands that got the attention of the governor of Pennsylvania and Virginia, the latter of which sent forces to go capture Teach. He was killed on Ocracoke Island. The invasion by the Governor of Virginia was technically against the law because the governor of NC had no knowledge of it.
East Carolina University's mascot is the Pirates...and the City of Greenville hosts the annual "Pirate Fest" every April....
Got to have a food item in this thread...well Eastern NC is known for its "eastern" style BBQ...to the point that its a part of its heritage and culture.
Southport is a small community of about 3,000. It sits on the banks of the Cape Fear River near where it drops into the Atlantic Ocean. It supports two ferries, one to Fort Fisher and one to Bald Head Island. It has a beautiful Historic District and water views. It is just a hop, skip and jump to Oak Island/Caswell Beach beaches. And there are only two lane roads to get to Southport.
Many movies/TV shows have been made in Southport because of its scenery and charm. Its originally a fishing village. But none of that is what Southport is known for. Southport is known for its 4th of July Festival.
Its the"Official" NC 4th of July Festival....and its big. Between 40-50,000 people attend its festival (in a community of 3K). Its so big, it has been featured in movies like "I Know What You Did Last Summer". It's 4th of July Festival has been going on for over 200 years. The Festival has gotten so big, it starts a week ahead of time. It has a "Beach Day" on Oak Island, A Shag Dancing Competition, Historic Tours, a 5K race, Military Celebrations, Concert pavilions at the Beach and downtown Waterfront. And it all culminates with the 9PM fireworks on July 4th. It is truly an Americana experience.
And when in Morehead City-You MUST get a shrimp burger at El's Drive In. It's a dinky little place (Don't even have a website) that's been around since the '50's. It's located right on Hwy. 70/Arendell Street beside the hospital. El's Drive-In | Morehead City, NC 28557 | DexKnows.com™
History abounds in eastern NC, and the best way to see it is to check out the various Historic Districts.
Wilmington has the most widely known Historic District(s)...them collectively being one of the largest in the country at about 230 blocks...but there are others, lots of others.
IMO, the key to finding the best Historic Districts in NC is to go where they traveled by water. Certainly this is why Wilmington became so nice....but my favorite is Edenton. Standing in front of the old Chowan County courthouse you look out over the Albemarle Sound, you see the cannons face the water, and the tree's surround you. Just a block away is Main Street, with coffee shops, restaurants, your local insurance guy, a two film movie theater, among other things...and all you have to do is walk. Walking is easily the best way to see a Historic District in eastern NC, because any other means (besides maybe a horse drawn carriage) is just too fast. You have to be able to appreciate every little detail.
New Bern is well known for its Historic District, as is Beaufort...I really like Washington's. But they are really everywhere, some just small town oriented and different periods...Murfreesboro has Greek Revival, Windsor has Late Victorian, in Hertford, Bath, Kenansville, Tarboro, Southport, Columbia, Burgaw, and Halifax....some similar, some very different. What's also interesting is that many of these are fairly recently designated, only really because they seem to be recently discovered, not because they lack long time historical context. Properties were kept up for generations and many are still just single family homes.
If you are heading to the beach...reserve a few hours and stop at one of these Historic Districts to get out and stretch your feet....make a detour so you can visit a different one in your travels. I'd share a link, but no one has really linked these places together....but the area is being studied for a National Heritage declaration...so the "draft" may be the best research you can find...
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