Old Roanoke River Lighthouse Now Set In New Edenton Harbor Home

The historic community of Edenton, North Carolina lies near the western extremes of often choppy Albemarle Sound. Edenton is actually the state’s oldest town, though Bath, NC makes that claim based on incorporation dates. Edenton plays host to a wealth of historic homes and structures. We always feel that a visit to Edenton is like stepping back into America’s Colonial and Revolutionary past. And as Jim and Talley affirm, a visit to this city is well worth any cruisers’ time and effort.
Earlier, we reported here on the Cruisers’ Net that the historic Roanoke River Screw Pile Lighthouse had been restored, and was slated to be perched atop a series of pilings in the Edenton City Dockage Basin (see /?p=81847). Well, as you can see form the photo on the right of this posting, taken 5/15/12, while it looks like some construction is still ongoing, this old sentinel has now been set atop its new home! How utterly appropriate that this historic structure has been returned to its natural habitat, perched atop a series of “screw pilings!”
And what are “screw pilings” you may ask. Well, they are simply pilings that have been “screwed” into the bottom strata!

If Manteo looks like Norman Rockwell, then Edenton looks like Walt Disney. This is the idyllic little town main street leading up from the simple little harbor. Something like you would expect to find forgotten in some New England fishing village. There are houses dating from 1750’s. There are monuments and statues celebrating battles before our countries revolution. Formal English gardens open to the public for all to see. There are a couple of back yards that go on forever. Everywhere you look you see residential architecture depicting taste and grandeur, not efficiency and mass production.
This little town is anxious for the cruising community to frequent. They are improving the harbor, and restoring the old light house. They’ve moved it to sit atop new screw pilings as it was designed to be installed. Maybe the last square light house to sit on screw pilings. There is a large light cupola at the top of the house. With a good light in there, you will be able to see it from all over the eastern end of the Albemarle Sound and Chowan River.
Great walk around town. There is a really outstanding hardware store. The dock master has a courtesy car if no one else is using it, and there is a Food Lion just a mile up the road.
Ya got to come see this town. It’s great!
Jim and Talley Powell

And just across from the lighthouse is the 1758 Cupola House Museum and Gardens. Please do come to visit!!
sally francis kehayes
cupolahouse.org

Cruising News:
Recently the Roanoke River lighthouse was installed in its permanent home at Edenton harbor. A party atmosphere took over the town park while the crews readied for the transfer from land to a platform over the harbor waters. House moving is a slow and careful business so the crowd thinned considerably by the time the crew was ready. The house was rolled across the divide inch by inch on a sturdy network of girders.
Allegria had a front row seat in Edenton’s terrific town harbor (first two nights free).
Gregory Han aboard Allegria

Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s North Carolina Marina Directory Listing For the Edenton City Docks

Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Edenton, NC

Click Link Below to See Additional Photos of the Roanoke Lighthouse Newly Perched Atop Its New Home at the Edenton Town Docks