One building provides an unusually clear anchor in time: the William Rea Store was built in 1790 and is the oldest surviving commercial brick building in North Carolina. To discover Hertford County, architectural history, river connections and culture offer different perspectives—from access to the water to the history of education.
River Connections and Getting Around
Murfree’s Landing is being transformed into a town park with a launch site for kayaks and canoes. The park and access to the water are part of the described project. Parker’s Ferry offers a different kind of connection: the cable ferry is located on the Meherrin River in Hertford County and connects Maney’s Neck with the southern part of the county. These are two different ways of connecting with the water—a launch site for kayaks and canoes, and a ferry that connects two areas. If you plan to use Parker’s Ferry on your trip, check the schedule before setting out.
Architectural and Educational History
The Wheeler House also links a specific year of construction with a commercial use: it was built in 1810 as a store for William Hardy Murfree and George Gordon. Together with the William Rea Store, it offers a concise comparison: the buildings were constructed 20 years apart, and the early history of trade is part of the story of both.
The Winton Historic District is locally significant in the area of commerce. Under Criterion A, it is also locally significant for Native American ethnic heritage, African American ethnic heritage and education. The history of C.S. Brown School gives this educational theme a specific connection: it opened in 1886 as Chowan Academy and was the only secondary school for students of color in Hertford County until 1937. Its auditorium is a Colonial Revival-style building completed in 1926. The opening, the school’s status and the auditorium’s construction date mark different chapters.
Mill Neck School adds another perspective on school architecture. It is an intact example of the Rosenwald Fund’s Community School Plan 20-A for a two-classroom school. The specific designation makes clear that this is a particular school type, not simply a historic school building in general.
Culture and Exploring on Your Own
In Murfreesboro, you can take a self-guided tour of historic houses. The tour booklet covers 28 historic properties, giving the walk a specific scope. At the Gallery Theatre, two cultural offerings come together in one place: it presents live entertainment by local and visiting performers and operates an art gallery.
The Brady C. Jefcoat Museum of Americana has more than 13,000 objects. Its collection occupies more than 17,000 square feet in the Old Murfreesboro High School. The number of objects and the area convey two different measures of the collection: its size and the space it occupies.
Festival, Golf and Community
The Hertford County Watermelon Festival takes place in Murfreesboro and is held annually during the last four days of the first week of August. The specific calendar dates can vary; if the festival is the reason for your trip, check the dates for the year in question. The festival includes a market with food and arts and crafts vendors. The lineup of vendors may change.
Golf is at the heart of the Beechwood Country Club’s 75-year history. The club stretches along the banks of Potecasi Creek; its golf history and river connection offer two distinct facets. In Ahoskie, the Ahoskie Creek Recreation Complex is available for events and programs organized by the Town of Ahoskie, local government agencies, local businesses, and groups that promote the community’s civic, cultural, educational and informational needs.
Discover more destinations: Ahoskie, Alleghany County, Catawba, Onslow County, Craven County, New Hanover County, Columbus, Forsyth
For the main travel overview: North Carolina.
