Edenton Township

In a follow-up article to Chowan River Ramblings by Robert (Bob) Forbes, he wanted to share additional information concerning his interest in Native American artifacts in the Chowan River area.

He is asking for information concerning any found Native American artifacts in or around the Chowan River. If so, I’d like to see photos of the same, along with the location of the finding if you want to share that information, you can contact him at rhforbesjr@gmail.com. Here is a photo of some of the artifacts he has found on his family farm near the Tar River; the penny is for size reference.

On Saturday, April 22, 2023, the Albemarle Area Chapter of the Model T Ford Club International (MTFCI) toured the Perquimans and Chowan County northern back roads for its annual Spring Tour.

The Chapter is one of the MTFCIs over 100 chapters worldwide and covers eastern North Carolina up into southeastern Virginia and west past Greenville.

Participants for this tour came from Portsmouth, Chesapeake, Moyock, Winterville, Hobbsville, and the local area. We also welcome Model A Ford participants, as many participants have both a Model T and A.

The tour left Hertford and went north above Center Hill and back down to Edenton for lunch at the “The Herringbone “, the newest restaurant on the waterfront, occupying the historic 1890s Edenton Ice Company building adjacent to the 1886 Roanoke River Lighthouse.

After lunch, participants were treated to a fascinating demonstration of the tire retreading process at the Colony Tire Retreading Facility. The staff at the facility gave a thorough presentation of all the steps involved in the retreading process, which was particularly impressive given the facility’s daily volume of deliveries from some 40 outlets.  

With the tour winding down and the skies starting to look ominous, the vintage convoy journeyed by the Burnt Mill Road route to the Bethel Volunteer Fire Department building. The group ended the tour with the Chapter’s traditional “End with Ice Cream “ celebration and farewells until the next time.

For further information on Model T activities, contact Bron Prokuski at bronprokuski@mediacombb.net, who contributed this article and information.

Some facts about the iconic Model T:

• The Ford Model T, produced between 1908 and 1927, was one of the most popular cars in history, with over 15 million manufactured at the Michigan plants. The car’s affordable price and ease of maintenance made it accessible to the masses and helped to transform America’s transportation landscape. Production reached a rate of 9,000 to 10,000 cars a day, only surpassed by the Volkswagen Beetle in 1972. Cars were also manufactured in Britain, Ireland, Denmark, and Canada.
• A four-cylinder engine, making 20 horsepower from 177 cubic inches that could run on gasoline, kerosene, or ethanol – up to 20 mpg, with a max speed of 45. No balanced crankshaft, and with a magneto flywheel.  Electric starting offered as optional in 1918, then standard.
• The T has a reverse gear, a low-speed gear, and a direct drive. Braking is on the transmission, and the brakes on the rear wheels are service/parking/emergency brakes only
• A typical annual MTFCI Annual Tour will draw over 300 Model T’s for several days of touring.  The 2023 Tour will be in Baraboo, Wisconsin.

The small coastal town of Edenton, North Carolina, had always been a town that celebrated its rich history. The town’s colonial past is visible in its well-preserved colonial houses, the oldest operating courthouse in North Carolina, and the site where American Founding Father Joseph Hewes operated his mercantile store. But amidst this history, a problem exists – the once-grand Hotel Hinton.

The Hotel Hinton location had been a part of the town’s history since the 1750s when inns first appeared at this location. It had seen many ups and downs over the centuries. Still, it had always been a prominent feature of the town’s landscape. It even served as the County Government office building. However, as time passed, the hotel continued to descend into disrepair, becoming a public safety concern.

On Saturday, 26 February 2022, citizens gathered at the confederate statue located at the end of South Broad Street to protest what the group highlighted as a lack of progress and clarity over the timeline for the statues removal.

Rod Phillips of Edenton who organized the protest, highlighted that while the town council has made a decision to remove the statue, the decision lacked timing of the move and what the plan would be for the space once the statue was removed. He indicated that the protest would happen every Saturday until the statue is removed.