Elizabeth City Civil War Tour

Click on the photos to see more pictures or information on each site.

 

 

 

1. Begin at Sheep-Harney School

 

2. John Burgess House

 

3. “First USCT Occupies the Town”

 

 

Begin the tour at the intersection of Elizabeth Street (US 158) and Road Street (US 17 Business). Head north on Road Street for two blocks until you reach City Road Methodist Church on the corner of Burgess and Road Streets.

 

 

The John Burgess House sits across from City Road Methodist Church on Road Street. This house was fired on by the USS Commodore Perry prior to the Battle of South Mills, scattering the Southampton Cavalry company stationed there.

 

 

Turn right on Burgess Street. Stop at the intersection with Poindexter Street. The marker is diagonal across the intersection on the campus of Mid-Atlantic Christian University. The entrenchments were on your right between Burgess and Pearl Streets.

 

 

4. Confederate Monument

 

5. Pasquotank County Courthouse

 

6. “Universal Panic and Distress.”

 

 

Turn right (south) on Poindexter Street. Go 4 blocks. Turn right on Main Street. Go 3 blocks. The monument is located on the right side of the street between the Federal and the Pasquotank County courthouses.

 

 

To the left of the Confederate monument stands the Pasquotank County Courthouse built in 1882. It replaced the original wooden courthouse that was burned during the Battle of Elizabeth City.

 

 

Located across the street from the Pasquotank County Courthouse on the south side of Main Street, this marker sits in front of the county tax office building, formerly the regional library.

 

 

7. Ambush of Sanders and McCabe

 

8. Colonial Avenue markers

 

9. Location of Marine Railway

 

 

Continue to travel west one block on Main Street when you leave the courthouse . Stop at the intersection with Road Street. Sanders and McCabe were ambushed and killed at this intersection. Turn right at the intersection  onto Road Street.

 

Go one block north on Road Street and turn right on Colonial Avenue. The markers are on the left, halfway between the public library and the sheriff’s office. Continue east for two blocks on Colonial Avenue until you reach Martin Luther King Street.

 

 

Turn left on Martin Luther King Street. Turn right at the stop light onto Elizabeth Street. Go three blocks east. Turn right at the bridge onto Water Street. The CSS Forrest was burned at the vacant lot to the left while sitting on a marine railway awaiting repairs.

 

 

 

10. Mariner’s Wharf

 

11. Waterfront Park

 

12. Museum of the Albemarle

 

 

Go 3 blocks south on Water Street, then turn left at Fearing Street into the parking lot at Mariner’s Wharf. The prisoners from Roanoke Island landed on the wharf here at the foot of Fearing Street.

 

 

Turn left on Water Street when you leave the Mariner’s Wharf parking lot. Go 2 blocks south, then turn left into the parking lot at Waterfront Park. The signage is on the waterfront.

 

Turn right when leaving the Waterfront Park parking lot. Turn left at the first stoplight onto Ehringhaus Street. The Museum of the Albemarle parking lot is the first driveway on the left once you turn on Ehringhaus Street.

 

 

13. Christ Episcopal Cemetery

 

14. Christ Episcopal Church

 

15. Martin Family Residence

 

 

Exiting the museum parking lot, turn right on Shepard Street. The cemetery is on the right directly behind the museum. A number of Civil War casualties and veterans are buried in this graveyard.

 

Turn right on McMorrine Street. Go two blocks north and stop at Church Street. The church will be on your right. Rev. Forbes surrendered the city to Union forces following the Battle of Elizabeth City on 10 February 1862.

 

 

On your left, diagonally across the street from Christ Episcopal Church is Twiford’s Funeral Home, former home of the Martin Family. Col. William F. Martin and Gen. James G. Martin were raised here. Turn left on Church Street.

 

 

16. 1856 1st  Methodist Church Bldg

 

17. Judge Brook’s House

 

18. Old Hollywood Cemetery

 

 

One block west of the Martin’s home stands the old Methodist Church building, built in 1856. Continue west on Church Street two more blocks to the intersection with Road Street.

 

 

Turn left on Road Street. Travel 2 1/2 blocks south on Road Street. On your left opposite the CVS Pharmacy is the Judge Brooks residence, used by Federal troops during their occupation of the town in late 1862. Brooks was a leading Unionist.

 

 

Travel 2 1/2 blocks south on Road Street. The Old Hollywood Cemetery is straight ahead. A number of Civil War veterans are buried here. Bear right on Peartree Road.

 

 

 

19. Oak Grove Cemetery

 

20. Cobb’s Point

 

21. Hospital Point

 

 

Travel south on Peartree Road until you see a large cemetery on your left. This is Oak Grove Cemetery. The Fletcher GAR Post established a cemetery here in 1888 for USCT veterans. Continue east on Peartree Road until you reach the stoplight at Halstead Boulevard. Turn right, heading west, and go about 2 miles to reach US 17.

 

 

Fort Cobb stood on Cobb’s Point near where Dr. Horsely’s house now stands. Click on the Mariner’s Wharf photo to see the site from downtown.

 

 

Links to northeastern North Carolina Civil War websites

 

Most of the battle of Elizabeth City occurred between Cobb’s Point on the Elizabeth City side of the river and Hospital Point on the Camden side. Hospital Point is on the upper left of the photo.

 

Google Map of the Elizabeth City

Civil War Tour