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Edenton

Edenton was home to several lawmakers involved in country’s founding

From Staff Reports

EDENTON -- Nestled by a serene bay bordering the Albemarle Sound, Edenton offers small town charm, a bit of history and places to stroll and relax.

Accolades include Coastal Living Magazine calling it a “Dream Town,” Forbes Magazine naming it one of America’s Prettiest Towns, and it also made the cut in Smithsonian magazine’s America’s 20 Best Towns. Remember, COVID-19 changes everything, which may again be different this fall than from the summer, so call ahead, check Facebook and plan accordingly.

1767 Chowan County Courthouse

A Colonial era capital, the first stop on any tour should be the 1767 Chowan County Courthouse located at the corner of Court and King streets.

Two early US Supreme Court Justices – James Wilson and James Iredell – practiced law within the courthouse that has been recognized as a National Historic Landmark in 1970 and its classic Georgian style architecture is the finest of its kind in the South.

If the large front wooden doors are open, any one of the judges chronicled on the walls could see Edenton Bay as he presided over a justice system that traces its cases back to the Revolutionary War era.

According to the North Carolina judiciary, one of the

The Roanoke River Lighthouse and Penelope Barker House welcome visitors who stop by Edenton’s waterfront to enjoy the view of Edenton Bay and the Albemarle Sound.

File Photo

more interesting early cases at the courthouse happened in 1867, its centennial year. The case was around the will of James Cathcart Johnston and Hayes Plantation. Even in the depths of the post-Civil War economy, the plantation was valued at $500,000. The will became a court case when Johnston left the estate not to family, but to three close friends. Luminaries of the state bar and former governors were participants in the trial. Perhaps the most noteworthy debates prior to that were in 1861 around secession from the United States.

North Carolina's Supreme Court still holds sessions periodically within the historic courthouse.

And maybe after taking a tour of the courthouse, maybe walk barefoot on the Courthouse Green, a grassy spot bordered by historic homes, some dating back to the 1700s.

St. Paul's Episcopal Church

Nearby on Church Street sits St. Paul's Episcopal Church, the second oldest church building in North Carolina, begun in 1736. The parish, organized under the first Vestry Act of 1701 holds the oldest charter in the state.

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Albemarle Magazine Fall 2020

The 1767 Chowan County Courthouse is the oldest working courthouse in North Carolina. It was used as a model for the governor’s palace in Colonial Williamsburg.

Submitted Photos

Three colonial era governors are buried in the churchyard. National Register of Historic Places.

Tourists may note the presence of an effigy – a buzzard – hanging from the Magnolia tree's branch high in the air above over the grave of Edenton's namesake Charles Eden, former governor and an acquaintance of the dreaded pirate Blackbeard. The effigy is meant to scare away buzzards who sometimes want to pop a squat on the ancient magnolia trees.

And legend has it that when Eden's body was reinterred from his estate in Bertie County to the church's graveyard, the buzzards may have followed. Who knows?

Wive's tale or not, the best way to learn more about the Colonial era church is to see its sanctuary and graveyard.

Roanoke River Lighthouse

Roanoke River Lighthouse is a must see on any tour of Edenton. Located on Dock Street by Colonial Park, the lighthouse serves as a beacon not only for boaters seeking solace after a day spent fishing on the Albemarle Sound, but tourists who want to know more about one of the last screwpile lighthouses of its kind in the nation.

Originally, the 1886 Roanoke River Lighthouse was at the mouth of the Roanoke River. After being bought by a private individual, it was moved to the Edenton side of the Albemarle Sound, to the mouth of Filbert's Creek just west of Edenton. It was moved again to its current and permanent location over by Edenton Bay in the early 2000s. Interesting tidbit – Waff Contracting of Edenton, who moved the lighthouse, also assisted with moving the Cape Hatteras lighthouse.

Roanoke River Lighthouse is/was open for tours, giving you a complete look of life on the water from a lightkeeper's perspective.

Maybe afterwards, rent a kayak or canoe from the town of Edenton’s harbor master and explore Edenton's waterfront or take a trek out into the bay and perhaps the Albemarle Sound.

Penelope Barker House

The Penelope Barker House Welcome Center is a waterfront historic house offering information and maps, trolley tours of historic sites, exhibits, restrooms and a book and gift shop. Known as Edenton’s Living Room and a nice

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St. Paul’s Episcopal Church is the second oldest church building in North Carolina. It is also the home to the graves of several notable leaders of North Carolina.

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place to relax and enjoy the views of Edenton Bay. And on a sunny day, pack a lunch perhaps because the Barker House's porch overlooking the bay and Water Street's historic homes is a good place to sit in a rocking chair.

Open year round 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Admission: free. Home to the Edenton Historical Commission.

Edenton Trolley Tour times: Mon, Wed, Saturday 10:30 a.m, 11:30 a.m, 1:30 p.m & 2:30 p.m. Sunday Trolley Tours — 10:30 a.m, 11:30 a.m, 12:30 p.m. (Seasonal)

Iredell House

Home of James Iredell, North Carolina Superior Court Judge and Attorney General during the American Revolution, and an Associate Justice on the first U.S. Supreme Court. Also the birthplace of James Iredell Jr., Governor of North Carolina.

To see this site, visitors can purchase tickets, cash or check by visiting the Historic Edenton Visitor Center, 108 N Broad Street - open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday - Saturday.

The Cupola House is known for its gardens, which are maintained by a group of volunteers known as the Wednesday Weeders. File Photo

Cupola House

Built in 1758 for Frances Corbin, an agent for Lord Granville, one of the eight Lords Proprietors. The gardens were restored from 1769 Sauthier Map of Edenton. National Historic Landmark. Gardens open daily and House open daily on guided walking tour. Maybe come on Wednesdays to talk to a group of dedicated volunteers known as the Wednesday Weeders as they plant flowers and maintain a great garden.

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