Travel writers have been writing about the importance of discovering ‘new’ destinations for the travelling public for decades. Marketers love anything that is ‘new’. This is a challenge for marketing a destination. How do you make something old new again?
Edenton North Carolina is definitely not ‘new’. “Edenton is the second-oldest town authorized by legislation in North Carolina and it has been a witness to and participant in our nation’s history for more than 300 years.” History of Edenton NC’, by Renée S. Gordon.
Edenton has been honored by Forbes and Smithsonian Travel. It was listed 11th of the ‘Best Small Towns to Visit’ in 2015 and named ‘One of the Prettiest Towns in America’. Great honors and well deserved.
But what else is there about Edenton that attracts people who love to travel to this pretty small town? In my research I discovered a two part travel article by Renée S. Gordon. Her writing helped me discover a bit of history that was new to me, it was also enlightening and moving. A destination must tell a story, especially one that is steeped in history like Edenton. In her article Ms. Gordon writes:
“One of the things Edenton does best is tell a “complete” story, inclusive of all its residents, black or white, slave or free, rich or poor and that fact alone makes the city more than just a pretty façade.” In her two part article she writes of Edenton’s part in the Maritime Underground Railroad and “the contributions of black watermen to the UGRR and the black community.” She continues to chronicle the life of Edenton native, Harriot Ann Jacobs. She was born into slavery and later freed and eventually wrote her autobiographical story that addressed the struggle for freedom by female slaves. This once little known and often untold history has been embraced and enriched by the Historic Edenton Visitors Center through self-guided tours, historical markers and exhibits, as well as selling copies of Harriot Ann Jacob’s book, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl.
A part of Edenton that is quite apparent is the impressive historic architecture. Ms. Gordon’s writes; “Tours of the historic area are a tour of American architectural history.” As we well know, innkeeper/owners are among the best preservationists of historical homes. Prime examples are here in Edenton. Five gracious architecturally stunning historic homes are now bed and breakfast inns. Each tells a story of Edenton.
The Captain’s Quarters Inn is a 1907 Colonial Revival Home built for Metrah and Mary Makely by architect Frank Fred Muth. The house was turned into a bed and breakfast in 1992 and has received ongoing restorations. It stands proud in its stately beauty on Queen Street just around the corner from Albemarle Sound. Current innkeepers, Don and Diane Pariseau purchased the inn in 2004 and continue to upgrade and enhance this remarkable property. The B&B Team is offering the Captain’s Quarters for sale. A wonderful opportunity for new innkeepers to embrace this property and the Edenton community. Don and Diane took something old and made it new again by breathing new life into the house. Taking a timeless classic and re-positioning it into something new in a timely way can be a very rewarding challenge for new innkeepers.
There is always a new story to be told, new discoveries to be found. Within the history, beauty and charm of Edenton and the Captain’s Quarters Inn you may discover just that.
Thanks for Listening,
Janet Wolf
