Below is a posting copied from the AGLCA forum about one of the really striking sights to be seen from the AICW/Dismal Swamp Canal Alternate Route’s passage down the Pasquotank River, south of Elizabeth City, NC.
Southeast of marker #5, you will catch sight of a huge rooftop sitting back from the shore; its location is noted on chart 12206. This immense structure was built during World War II for the manufacture of dirigibles. In times past, cruisers could actually catch sight of two mammoth buildings at this location. The larger of the two’”one of the biggest wooden structures in the world’”burned in spectacular fashion during 1995; at that time, it still served as a blimp factory, while the smaller of the two structures was leased to a furniture company. Now, the blimp plant has been moved to the surviving building, and dirigibles are once again being constructed in Elizabeth City. If you’re lucky, you may spot one of the mammoth balloons being tested as you pass.
Below, we hear from a former employee of the Blimp factory, in a reply to a question which originally appeared on the AGLCA forum.

It is 1 of 8 blimp hangars still remaining in the US. I worked in the hangar in the early 70’s where we built wood kitchen caninets.
Westinghouse owned that hangar and a huge, all wood hangar that housed TCOM who built blimps for overseas telecommunications. The wood hangar burned to the ground in 1995.
John & Cyndi Esch

Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of the Blimp Factory on Pasquotank River