Eastern North Carolina has become a favorite destination of mine. Here, the forests of the Piedmont give way to the coastal plain, while the rivers finally spread and flow lazily into the sounds. Tobacco and cotton fields roll across the landscape. The towns here are small, the opportunities somewhat limited - the shift away from an agricultural and industrial society has meant the closing of mills and the loss of jobs for many - but the history is long and varied, with people who are proud of their heritage and of their home.
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| Riverfront; Washington |
Travel east of Raleigh for about two and a half hours and you'll find North Carolina's oldest city and the first city in the US to bear the name: Washington. Situated where the Tar River becomes the Pamlico River, its waterfront is home to a small marina and park where locals stroll in the evening with their pets and their families.
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| Riverfront; New Bern |
Turning south on US 17, you'll drive along the coastal highway towards New Bern. North Carolina's second oldest city, it is strategically placed at the confluence of the Trent and Neuse Rivers. The riverfront has been preserved to provide access to the water, with parks, marinas, and a downtown that embraces its history and character through preservation and local businesses. The natural beauty of its location merges seamlessly with the society that has sprung up along its banks.
Both of these cities remind me of Davenport in the way that their rivers are embedded into the landscape of the town, simply part of the daily rhythm of life. Their waters are not a destination that requires planning to go to; they are not something walled off or kept separate from the civilization that exists because of the natural gifts afforded by their banks and eddies. Instead, these places embrace and celebrate their locations through milestones such as New Bern's tricentennial this year, as well as through the accumulation of smaller moments in time.
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| Fisherman; Washington |
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