“The Prettiest Small Town in the South” is a Hive of History and Natural Beauty

Edenton, North Carolina

You’ve probably never heard of Edenton, but this small North Carolina town is packing some serious charm. Known as “the prettiest small town in the South,” Edenton sits on the Albemarle Sound and offers a perfect mix of history, waterfront views, and small-town vibes. Here’s what you need to check out when you visit.

Pay a Visit to the Edenton Tea Party Marker

In 1774, the women of Edenton made history with the first female political protest in the American colonies. On October 25, exactly 51 women met at Elizabeth King’s home where Penelope Barker showed them a petition to boycott British tea and cloth.

Instead of hiding like the Boston Tea Party men, these women proudly signed their real names, risking being charged with treason. They drank tea made from local herbs like mulberry leaves and lavender instead of British tea.

Their bold actions shocked London so much that British newspapers published mocking cartoons of them in March 1775.

In 2025, they’re still celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Edenton Tea Party.

Learn about the Maritime Underground Railroad

Edenton’s harbor was a key spot in the Maritime Underground Railroad where enslaved people boarded ships heading north to freedom.

Local African-American boatmen worked together to arrange secret passage through Albemarle Sound toward Philadelphia.

Harriet Jacobs, the most famous person to use this route, hid for nearly seven years in a tiny attic crawl space—just 9 by 7 feet and only 3 feet tall at its highest point—before escaping in June 1842.

You can visit Colonial Waterfront Park today where official markers show this site as part of the National Park Service’s Underground Railroad Network to Freedom.

If you take a boat tour on Captain Mark Thesier’s electric boat “Liber-Tea,” you’ll follow some of the same water routes once used by freedom seekers.

Check out America’s last surviving screw-pile lighthouse

The 1886 Roanoke River Lighthouse has had quite the journey. Originally built after its predecessor got wrecked by ice, it stood in the Albemarle Sound before being moved around a few times.

It finally found a permanent home in Edenton Harbor in 2012. Inside, you can see the fancy French-made Fresnel lens. The state spent $1.2 million restoring it in 2014, and now it looks amazing.

Paddle around the historic waterways

Rent a kayak, canoe, or paddleboard right from the dockmaster’s office at Colonial Waterfront Park. You can explore Pembroke Creek, Queen Anne Creek, or head into the Chowan River.

If you want someone to show you around, locals like Native Girl Kayaking offers guided tours along the cypress-lined shores. The views of the historic buildings from the water are pretty incredible.

The state’s top court still meets in a colonial building

The Chowan County Courthouse isn’t just for show—it’s still used for real court cases. Built in 1767, it’s one of only two places outside Raleigh where the North Carolina Supreme Court can hold official sessions.

For over 250 years, judges have decided cases here, making it the oldest working courthouse in North Carolina. President James Monroe even attended a dinner here during his 1819 visit.

The courthouse sits on the town green surrounded by three Revolutionary War cannons from the Edenton Bell Battery. During the Revolutionary War, North Carolina stored its important legal papers here to keep them safe from British forces.

Learn about the man who created America’s first navy

Joseph Hewes, who owned ships in Edenton, helped create the American Navy we know today. He moved to Edenton from New Jersey in 1760 and built a successful shipping business before being named the first Secretary of the Navy in 1776.

He used his own ships and connections to help start America’s first naval force during the Revolutionary War. He was also one of just three North Carolinians to sign the Declaration of Independence.

His work was so important that in 1932, Congress put up a large granite monument in Edenton to honor him. John Adams said Hewes “laid the foundation, the cornerstone of the American Navy.”

The town’s namesake might’ve worked with Blackbeard

By the way, the town is named after Governor Charles Eden, who led North Carolina from 1714 to 1722 and may have had secret deals with the pirate Blackbeard.

Historical records suggest Eden protected Blackbeard and his crew in exchange for stolen goods.

This arrangement supposedly let the pirate operate freely around the Outer Banks while using nearby Bath as a safe place to stay.

When Blackbeard was killed in 1718, papers found on his ship hinted at corrupt dealings with Governor Eden.

Though Eden denied working with pirates until he died in 1722, the town was named “Edenton” for him that same year despite the rumors.

The Penelope Barker House

This impressive three-story house from 1782 has eight fireplaces and three different architectural styles: Federal, Georgian, and Greek Revival.

Here’s a fun fact: they actually moved the entire house to the waterfront in 1952 and turned it around 180 degrees. It’s named after Penelope Barker, who organized that famous tea party protest in 1774.

Today it serves as Edenton’s Welcome Center and opens Monday and Wednesday through Saturday, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.

The Chowan County Courthouse

History buffs, this one’s for you. This 1767 building isn’t just cool to look at – it’s the oldest courthouse in North Carolina and still hosts actual Supreme Court cases.

The brick walls are seriously thick (29 inches on the first floor) and you can walk on the original English stone floor that’s been there for 250+ years.

The place has eight fireplaces and became a National Historic Landmark back in 1970.

Hang out at one of the first public parks in America

Edenton set aside 100 acres of public land in 1723 at the north end of Broad Street for “Estovers & Pasturage”—where residents could gather firewood and let animals graze.

This was one of America’s first official public commons.

Today, the space has shrunk to about 40 acres but contains several historic buildings including the 1929 Boy Scout Cabin (built with $1,500 from J.A. Woodard), the 1936 National Guard Armory, and Historic Hicks Field from 1939.

The Town Common was also important during the civil rights movement when Golden Asro Frinks, known as the “Great Agitator,” led over 70 marches and demonstrations here in the 1960s.

Learn about historical moments like this case

Edenton made national news with the Little Rascals Day Care case from 1989-1997, which became North Carolina’s longest and most expensive trial ever.

Seven people who worked at the day care were charged with what prosecutors claimed involved rituals.

Owner Robert Kelly was sentenced to 12 life terms in 1992 after a trial that cost millions in taxpayer money. PBS Frontline made an award-winning three-part documentary by Ofra Bikel that questioned how children were interviewed in the case.

In 1995, the North Carolina Court of Appeals threw out the convictions because of legal mistakes by prosecutors.

North Carolina’s oldest house is right here

The Lane House, built in 1719, is North Carolina’s oldest standing house and was here even before Edenton officially became a town in 1722.

This simple building has survived more than 50 years before the American Revolution, making it through hurricanes, wars, and new development.

Unlike fancy historic mansions, the Lane House shows how everyday people lived in colonial times.

It was built using hand-cut timbers and wooden pegs instead of nails. Experts on old buildings regularly study this modest house to better understand how people lived in the early 1700s in the American colonies.