Small Coastal Towns

Edenton: One of America’s Prettiest Towns

Edenton is one of North Carolina’s oldest – and America’s prettiest – towns.

But beauty is only part of this coastal town's story. Edenton has been making history for 300 years, during which time its people helped unseat the King of England and it became the center of life for forefathers who were instrumental in establishing the principals and values upon which the nation was founded. This rich history has earned it a spot on the National Trust’s list of Dozen Distinctive Destinations.

Today, Edenton warmly welcomes visitors interested in exploring its Revolutionary and Civil War history and beyond.

Here’s more on the town’s must-see sights:

National Historic Landmarks
Edenton is home to three National Historic Landmarks: the Cupola House, Chowan County Courthouse and Hayes Plantation.

Built in 1758, the Cupola House is named for its central cupola, which was used as a lookout to identify ships entering the harbor. The house also features a Chinese Chippendale staircase and wavy glass windows. It’s a visible and familiar landmark for boaters traveling north in the entrance channel. 

The 1767 Chowan County Courthouse is thought to be the oldest courthouse in continuous use in North Carolina. The distinctive cupolas on both the Cupola House and the Courthouse were probably used for airflow and ventilation similar to an attic fan today.

Historic Hayes Plantation is located across Queen Anne's Creek from Edenton. It belonged to Samuel Johnston, who served as Governor of North Carolina from 1787 to 1789.

Barker House
Penelope Barker, organizer of the 1774 Edenton Tea Party, proved herself to be one of the most courageous women of all time when she and 50 female citizens signed a pledge to support the Provincial Assembly – an act thought to be the earliest purely political action by women in the American colonies. Penelope and her husband, Thomas, owned the 1782 Barker House, which is open to the public daily.

Historic Edenton State Historic Site
The Historic Edenton State Historic Site serves as the town’s visitor center and provides guided tours daily from its 108 N. Broad St. location. Visitors can enjoy an active downtown district surrounded by fine examples of Jacobean, Georgian, Federal, Greek Revival and Victorian homes.

Roanoke River Lighthouse
The restored 1886 Roanoke River Lighthouse is located over Edenton Bay. It started life as a warning signal at the mouth of the Roanoke River, where it stood for 52 years until a marine salvage moved it to Edenton in 1955 and placed it on land at Filbert’s Creek.  This one-and-a-half story screw-pile structure will become a light keeper’s residence interpretive site in 2013.

The Dram Tree
A stately cypress once stood in the middle of Edenton harbor, and had been there long before European settlers arrived. Whenever a trade ship called at Edenton, the captain would place a bottle of his best rum in a hollow place at the base of the tree. Ships leaving for foreign ports would stop at the tree and all hands would drink to a safe voyage. The old cypress became known as the Dram Tree. According to legend, ships whose crews failed to drink or place a bottle there were doomed to disaster. Unfortunately, the tree was destroyed by an ice floe in 1918, but similar, smaller trees still stand in the harbor today.

For more things to see and do in Edenton, visit the Edenton-Chowan County Tourism Development Authority.

added: December 22, 2008

updated: September 28, 2012