|
|
|
|||||||
|
Edenton By Nancy and Richard Woodworth They call it "the prettiest town in the South." And who’d challenge the claim? Especially after enjoying an early-morning bicycle ride through the streets of this aptly named Eden. This off-the-beaten-path community of 5,000, North Carolina’s second oldest, is nestled around a bay along Albemarle Sound in the northeastern corner of the state. It could be the epitome of an old Southern town, except that when natives refer to "The War" they mean not the War between the States but the Revolution. Here in 1774, area women staged the Edenton Tea Party, a forerunner of the Boston event. Edenton, which was incorporated in 1722 as the first capital of the colony of North Carolina, was named for Lords Proprietary governor Charles Eden. It could just as well have been named for the Eden of Adam and Eve. Nicely situated along a beautifully open waterfront, it is a quiet backwater town of parklands and gardens, old homes and stately buildings. Nothing intrudes on the reverie. The imposing 1758 Cupola House and Gardens stand right across from commercial buildings at the foot a main street that hasn’t changed all that much in more than 200 years. The landmark 1782 Barker House is up against the water on a point in the bay. The impressive Georgian county courthouse faces a green extending to the bay. Scores of old homes are sited close to the street; a few occupy broad lawns. No particular architectural style predominates. "The tremendous diversity of architecture is one of our treasures," according to Historic Edenton tour guide Bill Strong. Many share a common feature generally found farther South: no basements and double porches, upstairs and down. There’s a palpable air of tranquility. Nothing hustles or bustles in this town. People fish beside three cannons facing the placid waterfront. They picnic in the waterfront park. The last commercial intrusions, some oil tanks, were razed in 1997. The wide-open waterscape now stretches across virtually the entire town. Cypress trees grow starkly out of the water, and a wreck of a boat lies tilted near the pier. The stunning view across Edenton Bay and Albemarle Sound from the waterfront parks, the tree-lined streets graced by fine homes from earlier eras and the courthouse green all combine for a storybook, small-town scene dripping with atmosphere and charm. "Edenton Is a Special Place" is the name of the introductory video shown at the visitor center. Indeed it is. Material excerpted from Inn Spots & Special Places in the Southeast, by Nancy and Richard Woodworth. Copyright 2000. Wood Pond Press E-mail feedback to: Home
page |
Full destination index | |
|
|||||||||||||||||||
