Tarboro

Historic Tarboro has hometown feel about it

Story by John H. Walker

Tarboro is one of the oldest communities in the state, having been established by the North Carolina General Assembly in 1760.

But it is older than that, having been settled about 1733.

The community, located in a bend of the temperamental Tar River, grew because of the river and was once a thriving trading port supported by flat-bottomed river boats plying the river. It is located about an hour east of Raleigh on US 64 – or Future I-87 – and about two hours from the Outer Banks, Wilmington and Norfolk.

Tarboro – at one time “Tawboro” and “Tarborough” – remains a community tied to agriculture, although agricultural facilities are not nearly so prevalent as they once were.

Today, diversification of industry helps the community through periods when agricultural productivity is limited by forces of nature – or governmental regulations.

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Tarboro is home to food processors (Sara Lee Frozen Bakery), produce (Nash Produce) recreational manufacturing (World Cat Boats), automotive parts (Hitachi Astemo), warehousing and logistics (Kanban), cables (LS Cable), reels (Madem-Moorecraft Reels, USA) and more.

For those who make their living from the Earth, there are still the traditional crops of cotton, corn, soybeans, peanuts, tobacco, cattle, poultry, and swine. Additionally, seasonal crops of strawberries and watermelons thrive in the area.

Tarboro offers a variety of reasons for a person to visit and settle.

Foremost is that it has a hometown feel, with plenty of wide porches to sit and relax.

Each fall, the community hosts a weekend when former residents return to visit with one another – “Hometown Homecoming,” and it’s not necessarily tied to the high school homecoming.

Recreational activities abound in Tarboro – from the local Links at Cotton Valley Golf Course to the brand new pickleball courts, the community offers something for folks of all ages.

There’s swimming at the Community Pool, a soon-to-be-built splash pad, paddling down the Tar River or dropping a line in the Tar down at the “Fishing Hole” in Riverfront Park.

And while fishing for the town’s official fish, the Hickory Shad, is seasonal, when the shad start their annual run from late February to early April each year, it’s some of the finest fishing around.

Baseball? There are summer youth leagues and travel teams that play at the Indian Lake Sports Complex and there are

the Tarboro High Vikings and collegiate Tar River Bandits, who play at Municipal Stadium.

The Bandits, a wooden bat league team offering college players the opportunity to hone their skills, played their first season in 2020 and won league championships in their first two seasons.

Softball? You bet, just check out Indian Lake.

And what about basketball and football?

Tarboro has them both. In fact, Tarboro High Vikings football is synonymous with winning championships – having won the crown eight times, including four out of the last five.

For the history buff, there’s Tarboro’s 45-square-block Historic District, anchored by the Blount-Bridgers House. If reading historical markers is a past-time, you’ll stay busy as there are numerous historical markers – 18, infact, detailing the history of the town – including President George Washington’s overnight stay in 1791 when he was on his Southern Tour and the Knights of Labor farm-worker movement in the late 1800s.

For the food aficionado, the choice ranges from traditional, Southern style home cooking at Everlean’s Cafe to the fivestar cuisine at On the Square. In-between, there are a wide variety of eateries to help you placate your palate, including Italian, Korean, Chinese, seafood and several fast food outlets.

If you’re looking to shop, Tarboro has you covered as well – from the big box chains to the mom-and-pop clothing store downtown. Shopping districts are located in historic downtown Tarboro as well as along North Main Street and Western Boulevard.

Tarboro is also home to Edgecombe Community College, with campuses in Tarboro and Rocky Mount, Edgecombe County Public Schools and North East Carolina Prep School, a tuition-free public charter school.

Quality health care is also available in Tarboro through a network of local health providers. In addition, ECU Health Vidant Hospital and Cancer Center are located in Tarboro.

Tarboro offers a laid-back style of life and a lower cost of living. Its taxes are the lowest in eastern North Carolina and the growing home market makes it an attractive place for people looking to escape the cost of living and hustle-and-bustle of larger cities.

If you come to Tarboro, chances are you’ll wind up on a front porch, feeling like you’ve come home.

Tarboro is one of the oldest communities in the state, having been established by the North Carolina General Assembly in 1760.