Washington County, NC - Historical Markers Historical Markers of Washington County Information from a Washington County Historic Heritage Brochure P.O. Pox 567 Plymouth, NC 27962-0657 1. Brickhouse Landing - Circa 1711. Owned by Arthur Rhodes. From this plantation he sectioned off one hundred acres into what is now the town of Plymouth circa 1790. 2. Cathagenia Lodge - No. 38 Prince Hall Affiliated (Founder of Black Masonry). Established 1800's. Rebuilt 1975. 3. Cherry - Named by surveyor Gisbourne J. Cherry. Post Office established 1898. 8 stores, 2 cotton gins, 1 grist mill, 1 blacksmith shop, 2 sawmills, 1 jail, 2 churches, 2 schools - 1 black, 1 white. Charitable Brother Lodge Hall, barber shop. 4. Cherry Colored School - Conceived in the 1900's by black educator Booker T. Washington and his Tuskegee staff. The Rosenwald program represented a massive effort to improve black rural schooling in the South throughout public-private partnership. Rosenwald schools were also in Plymouth and Roper. 5. Concord Primitive Baptist Church - Original deed dated 14 December 1808. Jacob Hassell to James Ambrose and Andrew Oliver, commissioners. Constituted 1810. 6. Cool Spring - Was known as Cool Spring in 1826. Hillie Holmes' Store was the last surviving relict as Cool Spring Post Office was moved into what became the town of Creswell in 1874. 7. Davenport Homestead - Circa 1770. The Colonial home of Daniel Davenport, farmer, surveyor, and the first Senator from Washington County. He served in the Revolutionary War. 8. Garrett's Island - Circa 1750-1760. Built in Pre-Revolutionary War Period on a parcel of 100 acres. The gambrel-roofed house contains hand-carved pegs and nails forged by a blacksmith. Original matching mantels and porch posts still intact in 2000. Garrett family burying ground across the road. 9. Hampton Academy - Dr. John Hampton, Benefactor. Hampton Academy replaced Plymouth Academy and other small schools as the principal white school in Plymouth 1902-1922. Reopened as a primary school 1928- 1958. Plymouth Woman's Club acquired and preserved it in 1959. It was sold in 1999. Oldest educational building retaining original appearance. 10. Hoke, NC - Was known as Long Ridge in 1857, but was changed to Hoke in honor of the "Confederate general who forced the evacuation of Federal troops from the occupied town of Plymouth in 1864." First place in NC named after the general. 11. Holly Neck - Area comprises communities along Chapel Swamp. Settled prior to 1700 by Cahoons, Swains, Wileys, Suttons, Longs, and others. Existing road was part of the original road from Lees Mill to Scuppernong River. Evidence exists of a chapel predating 1735 on the west side of road leading to Longs Branch, which may have been the first church in what is now Washington County. 12. John Walden Darden Sr. - January 1885 - September 1960. One of Washington County's most reverend sons, Historian and Statesman. 13. Lake Phelps - Second largest (16,600 acres) lake in North Carolina, bordered by virgin forest. The age of the lake is not known, but Indian dugout canoes found in the lake have been dated to 4,400 years. Indian artifacts spanning 11,000 years have been unearthed around the area. 14. Latham House - Circa 1850. Built by Charles Latham, who occupied the house until 1882. Home was occupied for decades by descendants of its builder, a lawyer, county sheriff and state representative. During the battle of Plymouth, town residents sought protection in the basement. Musket ball holes remain in the house. 15. Lees Mill - Circa 1706. Later known as Roper, circa 1889. It was named after John L. Roper, who owned Roper Lumber Company and was responsible for Norfolk & Southern Railroad coming to Washington County. 16. Long Acre - Appears on 1770 Collet Map. Road in use before Revolutionary War. Extends South from head of Conaby Creek to Pungo Creek. Broken at the Tare-Over by Van Swamp. 17. Mackeys Ferry - 1735-1938. Established by permission of King George II. Operated for 203 years making 8 mile trips from Mackeys to Edenton. The largest vessel to operate was the John W. Garrett, a twin side wheel steamer 351 ft. x 41 ft. It carried railroad passengers, freight cars, and had an on board restaurant. Was in operation 1879-1910. Southern Terminus 1500 ft. East. 18. New Chapel Baptist Church - Established in 1867. Rev. Abraham Mebane entered into a lease agreement with the Lowell Colored School Society, giving New Chapel the right to erect a church on lot no. 41 in the town of Plymouth. 19. Pea Ridge Sahara Plantation - 1837-1840. Josiah Collins and Ebenezer Pettigrew purchased 500 acres of land, planted 40,000 mulberry trees and raised silk worms for the silk business. S.S. Simmons Fishery circa 1835. Piney Grove Freewill Baptist Church circa 1895. Sound Post Office 1903. Piney Grove School 1910. 20. Perservance Lodge No. 59 - A.F. and A.M. Chartered 29 November 1811. Incorporated by NC Legislature, 1811 session. Oldest men's organization in Washington County. First met: Plymouth Town Hall, N.E. Corner Fourth and Adams Street. 21. Plymouth State Normal School - Original site circa 1881. Established by the NC General Assembly as one of two NC schools for training black teachers. Moved to Elizabeth City, NC in 1903 and was the parent school to Elizabeth City State University. 22. Rt. Rev. Alfred Augustin Watson - 1818-1905. First Bishop Diocese of East Carolina. Rector of Grace Episcopal Church, Plymouth, NC. St. Luke's Episcopal Church, Roper, NC. 1844-1858 "The past is gone, the future is here". 23. Sleepy Hollow - Harrison-Blount House, circa 1835. Located on Kendricks Creek in a lovely setting of moss-draped cypress trees in Lees Mill. 24. St. Luke's Episcopal Church - Original site 1836. Built on Edward Buncombe property purchased from the estate for one dollar. De- consecrated and torn down in 1918. The Church of the Advent Episcopal Church in Roper renamed St. Luke's Episcopal Church. It became St. Luke's-St. Ann's Episcopal Church in 1987. 25. The Toll Road Company Turnpike Road - Incorporated 1815 by NC Legislature to build a Turnpike Road from Hyde County to Plymouth. Rebuilt in 1846 with slave and prison labor. Closed from 1865-1886. Burned in 1901. Reopened in 1915. 26. Washington County Courthouse - The first courthouse was located at Lee's Mill, Roper, 1801. Moved to Plymouth 1823. It was destroyed by fire three times, 1860-1862-1881. Present courthouse built 1918. 27. Wenona - The Land of Tall Corn. First development began February 1912. Home of Blackland Test Farm 1912-1943. One of North Carolina's earliest Agriculture Research Stations. Wenona Post Office 1913-1955. --------- In 1935 the General Assembly authorized the establishment of the North Carolina Highway Historical Marker Program (Public Laws, Chapter 197). From that time forward, the program has been administered as a cooperative venture among state agencies. It is presently the joint responsibility of the Research Branch, Office of Archives and History, Department of Cultural Resources, and the Traffic Engineering Branch, Division of Highways, Department of Transportation. The North Carolina Highway Historical Marker Program is one of the oldest such programs in continuous operation in the United States. The following additional historical markers for Washington County can be found on the North Carolina Highway Historical Program webpage http://www.ncmarkers.com/Home.aspx Battle of Plymounth - Confederates under Gen. Robert F. Hoke, aided by the ram "Albemarle," took the town, April 17-20, 1864. Ram Albermarle - Confederate ironclad, winner of notable victories under Capt. J. W. Cooke, was sunk 600 feet north, night of Oct. 27, 1864. James Johnston Pettigrew - Confederate General, famed for charge at Gettysburg. His grave is 8 miles south. Augustin Daly - Playwright, dramatic critic, theatrical producer, and actor, was born, July 20, 1838, in a house which stood 300 feet north. Buncombe Hall - The home of Col. Edward Buncombe of the Continental Line, who was captured at Germantown and died a prisoner in 1778, stood one mi. N. Charles Pettigrew - First Bishop-elect of Episcopal Church in N.C., 1794. St. David's Church, erected 1803 at his expense, and his home are 1/2 mile southeast. Lake Company - Josiah Collins, Sr., and partners drained part of 100,000-acre tract near Lake Phelps with 6-mile canal, completed 1788; mouth 2 mi. southeast. Rehoboth Church - Colonial Anglican congregation known as Skinners Chapel. Present church constructed 1850-1853. Now United Methodist. Somerset Place - Antebellum plantation of Josiah Collins III, who grew rice & corn. Home in 1860 to 328 slaves. Located six miles south. Hoke's Final Line - The extreme left flank of Confederate General Robt. F. Hoke's brigade was formed a few yds. N. just before the final attack, April 20, 1864. Ransom's Assault - General Matt Ransom's brigade formed in line of battle near here in the final Confederate attack, April 20, 1864. 85th Redoubt - Union fort built by the 85th New York Regiment. It was taken on April 18, 1864, in one of the heaviest assaults of the siege. Union Earthworks - The main line of Union defenses during the Battle of Plymouth, April 17-20, 1864, was built across the road at this point. Naval Action - The Confederate ironclad ram "Albemarle" sank the Union gunboat "Southfield", April 19, 1864, one mile N.E. in the Roanoke River. Fort Williams - Principal Union fort at Plymouth, named for Gen. Thomas Williams, stood here. It was the last fort to fall, April 20, 1864. ______________________________________________________________________ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/nc/ncfiles.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Connie Ardrey ______________________________________________________________________