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Pamlico
County Primer
Pamlico County was named for Pamlico
Sound, which in turn was named for an Indian tribe that once inhabited
the northern fringes of the county. Perhaps four to five hundred Indians
occupied the area during the time of exploration and early settlement.
Belonging mainly to the Algonquians, the tribes were the Pamlico, Neuse,
Bay River, Coree and possibly the Secotan, Pamouick, Tuscarora and
Woccon. Until the smallpox hit them around 1686, the Pamlico were the
most numerous.
The Pamlico Sound provided an entry point
for the English explorers who “discovered” the area in the late 1500s --
some have theorized that the ships of Sir Walter Raleigh’s first
expedition may have touched the shores of Pamlico County in 1584 or
1585. But their large vessels found the shallow sound difficult to
navigate, so settlement didn’t begin in earnest for another century. The
first permanent European settlers arrived in the early 1700s. At
Nottingham Point near Arapahoe, the earliest known gravestone in the
county is dated 1745. But historians know the area was settled long
before that. Land records still exist of grants made by the King of
England to colonial farmers and many residents can trace their roots
back to those days.
Initial relations between European
settlers and Indians were good. As more settlers made their home at the
mouths of rivers and creeks and along the Neuse and Pamlico Rivers,
tensions increased and resulted in the Tuscarora War of 1711-1713. This
war saw four tribes unite against the encroaching settlers. The tribes
were defeated and by the middle of the 18th century no distinct tribes
remained in the area. Colonization forged ahead and, in 1872, Pamlico
County was formed from parts of Beaufort and Craven counties.
During the “Golden Era of Piracy” Edward
Teach, more commonly known as “Blackbeard,” is said to have sailed these
waters before he died in 1718. Local lore has it that some of his
treasure was buried under “Teach’s Oak” at the point in Green Creek
where Smith Creek forms.
County Statistics
Climate
The county is largely bordered by water with Goose Creek and the Pamlico
River on the north; the Upper Broad Creek forms the county’s western
boundary with Craven County; Pamlico Sound lies to the east; and the
Neuse River to the south. All this water has a moderating effect on the
climate.
Average annual temperature: 62 degrees.
January average: 45 degrees.
June average: 80 degrees (with about 40 days a year when the temperature
exceeds 90).
Average annual rainfall: 50” per year and a mean relative humidity of
75%.
Average snow: Perhaps one snowfall a year with about 2’ and a good
excuse to stay home from school!
Population
Countywide: Approx. 13,000
Topography
The area now known as Pamlico County was formed in 1872 from parts of
Beaufort and Craven counties. Pamlico County is a destination for those
who love wide-open spaces and soothing expanses of water. As a matter of
fact, it is made up of about 340 square miles of land and about 225
square miles of water.
Agriculture & Manufacturing
Primary farm production in Pamlico County consists of corn, soybeans,
wheat, potatoes, cotton and forestry. Seafood processing and marine
services account for most of the manufacturing output of the county.
Estimates vary, but as much as 10% of
Pamlico County’s total population is directly or indirectly involved in
the commercial fishing industry. Some common seafood manufactured and
harvested in Pamlico County are Flounder, Grouper, King Mackerel, Sea
Bass, Sea Trout, Spanish Mackerel, Striped Bass, Croaker, Blue Fish, Red
Drums, Black Drum, Mullets, Catfish, Common Eel, Crabs (Blue hard and
soft), Shrimp (Brown, Pink, White and Rock), Conchs, Octopus, Oysters,
Sea Scallops and Squid.
Our Communities
Alliance
Settled in 1890s and named for the Farmers Alliance Movement.
Arapahoe
Arapahoe was first known as “Cross Roads.” The name was later changed to
“Arapahoe” - some say it was named after the Indians and others after a
racehorse of the same name. The Corsa Indians lived at Core Point near
the mouth of the Pamlico River and blazed the trail that became the
first road to Wilkerson’s Point. This community was settled early in the
18th century, not long after New Bern (which settled in 1710).
Arapahoe’s post office was established in 1886. The town was
incorporated in 1920.
Bayboro
Bayboro was named for the Bay River and settled long before it was
incorporated in 1881. It’s the oldest incorporated town in the county
and was the first to have town water. It became the county seat in 1876.
The following year, the courthouse was relocated here from Stonewall.
Although narrow, the Bay River is navigable all the way to the town.
Hobucken & Lowland
“Goose Creek Island” was formerly part of Beaufort County. In 1874,
Hobucken and Lowland citizens voted to become part of Pamlico County.
Around 1900, a post office was established for the area. The island is a
magnet for fishermen and duck hunters and is home to a unit of the U.S.
Coast Guard, which is located on the Intracoastal Waterway.
Minnesott Beach
Developed as resort area on the Neuse River by the Hardison family after
World War 1, the town’s name is derived from an Indian word said to
mean, "land of sky-tinted water.” Older residents remember it as a
community that flourished on the shores of the Neuse in the 1920s.
Today, it is home to many retired military families and a place where
younger visitors come to enjoy one of its several riverfront summer
camps. The areas only golf course is located here.
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