Edenton has been called "the
south's
prettiest town."
Established in the late seventeenth century and incorporated in 1722,
it is located on Edenton Bay at the head of the Albemarle Sound, ninety
miles southwest of Norfolk, Virginia. A town of 5,000 people, Edenton
retains an extensive historic district with a wonderful assemblage of
eighteenth, nineteenth, and early twentieth century buildings.
A guided walking tour of the historic district is offered
several times daily throughout the year from the Visitor Center. During
the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, Edenton was a political,
cultural, and commercial center in the colonies and in the fledgling
nation. One of its citizens signed the Declaration of Independence (a
second signer died in Edenton while fleeing his creditors), and another
signed the United States Constitution. Artisans in Edenton and the
surrounding Chowan and Roanoke River basins were leaders in building
and cabinet-making. During the early eighteenth century, Edenton was
the second largest port in the colonies.
Today, the record of accomplishment from earlier days can be seen in
the public and private buildings along the streets of this remarkable
community, and in the pride its residents take in their past and
present.
Beyond its historic significance, Edenton offers visitors a fascinating
look at contemporary life in a small and thriving southern town. Its
three-block-long business district is lined with shops and businesses
that cater to both residents and visitors. The waterfront has been
given over to parks with vistas across Edenton Bay and the Albemarle
Sound. It is not uncommon for residents of the gracious old homes that
line the shaded streets to invite visitors to come in for tea... just
one sign that life continues as it should in Edenton.
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