Named one of America's prettiest towns, Edenton played a major role in the formation of our nation. As North Carolina's First Colonial Capital, strolling the streets here will leave you refreshed by the firm foundation and commitment of our forefathers. Former Edenton residents include signers of the Declaration of Independence, influencers of the Constitution, original Supreme Court Justices, and political influencers. Also, a few of my great GREAT great GREAT grandparents!
We didn't have enough time to even scratch the surface of the history here. Our biggest stops were visiting my family's past at the Iredell House and Hayes Plantation (See that post HERE.)
The historical downtown sits on the banks of peaceful Edenton Bay in the Albermale Sound near the northeast coast of North Carolina. Referred to as the "Inner Banks," it is about a 1.5 hour drive to the popular "Outer Banks" beach destinations.
The 1886 Roanoke River Lighthouse is one of the last screw pile lighthouses of its kind left in the U.S. It was relocated to Edenton to be used as a personal residence, but is now part of the historical tours.
The Penelope Barker house sits at the end of Main Street on the bay. During the American Revolution, Penelope Barker organized the famous Edenton Tea Party, the first recorded women's political demonstration in America. She rallied 50 women in Edenton together to sign an agreement to boycott British tea, an act of loyal support following the well-known Boston Tea Party. My ancestors were very close with the Barker family, and have passed down the name "Penelope" through our family tree.
Today, the house is maintained beautifully as a gift shop and museum. I might have tried on a few of her hats.
There is a downtown trolly that offers historical tours to visitors, and a historic museum walking trail that includes a Cupola House, the oldest house in North Carolina, Mill village, cotton mill museum, 1700's church, 1767 courthouse, monuments and so much more. We were able to see just a snippet of what Edenton had to offer.