Relocating to Elizabeth City, NC
Situated at the narrows of the Pasquotank River, the area that would become Elizabeth City soon served as a trading site, and inspection stations and ferries were established as early as the mid 1700’s . With the addition of a schoolhoue and minor roads , and soon a church, a small community was established at these narrows.
In 1793, construction of the Dismal Swamp Canal, which would drive Elizabeth City’s commerce, began, the North Carolina Assembly incorporated the town of Redding. The town was renamed Elizabethtown in 1794 , but due to confusion with another town of the same name, in 1801, the city was renamed Elizabeth City. The name “Elizabeth” has been variously attributed to honor either Queen Elizabeth I of England, who 200 years earlier spearheaded the colonization of the Virginia and Carolina coasts, or Elizabeth “Betsy” Tooley, a local tavern proprietress who donated much of the land for the new town.
Elizabeth City became a financial center of trade and commercially successful due to the improvements mad e to the Dismal Swamp Canal . In 1826, the federal government purchased 600 stocks in the canal and, in 1829, additional funds for improvements were raised by the Norfolk lottery. With these funds, the Dismal Swamp Canal was widened and deepened, allowing for larger boats to ship their goods.
Elizabeth City’s finacial success was further bolstered by the movement in 1827 of the customs house from Camden County to Elizabeth City, leading much of northeast Albemarle’s trade to be directed directly through Elizabeth City. From only 1829 to 1832, Elizabeth City’s tolls tripled. During the American Civil War the Confederate States had a small fleet stationed at Elizabeth City . After the Battle of Roanoke Island the Union forces sent a fleet to take Elizabeth City. There was a small fight that followed which ended in a Union victory. Elizabeth City was under Union control for the remainder of the war though Confederate irregulars engaged in Guerrilla warfare with Union forces in the area for the remainder of the war.
Meanwhile overland travel slowly improved, providing greater trade between neighboring counties, and a ferry continued to be used for transport between Elizabeth City and Camden county. However, the completion of competing canals and railroads around Elizabeth City diverted some of its financial success to neighboring cities. The Portsmouth and Weldon Railroad, completed in the 1830s allowed for goods to be transported from the Roanoke River to be directly transported to Weldon, and the Albemarle-Chesapeake Canal, completed in 1859, created a deeper channel for merchants shipping goods from the Eastern Albemarle Sound to Norfolk. It would not be until 1881 that the Elizabeth City and Norfolk Railroad, later renamed the Norfolk Southern Railway, would once again jumpstart the city’s industry.
Industry grew further during World War II, particularly in shipbuilding, tapering off over the following decades as industry withdrew to form the service, government and agriculture-dominant economic sectors present today. A recent revival in tourism and civic revitalization centered over downtown and the city’s varied historic districts has further shaped the city’s current P.R. image.
Free Relocation Packages for Elizabeth City, NC
