Founded by Arthur Rhodes in 1787 through the inheritance and purchase of property on which to plant on, the town of Plymouth predates Washington County’s foundation by 20 years. Plymouth, named a “port of delivery” in 1790 and a “port of entry” in 1808 by the North Carolina General Assembly, was a thriving port town due to it’s adjacent location to the Roanoke River. This proximity, however, caused the town to be targeted for blockade by Union forces. One of Plymouth’s historical distinctions is as the location for the Battle of Plymouth (1864) in the American Civil War; this battle is known for being the second largest battle to occur in North Carolina, and the last Confederate victory.
After the American Civil War, only eleven buildings in the town were still standing; the five that exist today (Grace Episcopal Church, Ausbon House, Latham House, Armistead House and Clark-Chesson House) are part of Plymouth’s Historic Walking Tour. Another American Civil War attraction is the “CSS Albemarle”, a Confederate ironclad warship sunk October 27, 1864. 100 road signs titled “Historic Albemarle Highway” were installed by the North Carolina Department of Transportation Highways Division to promote and direct traffic onto the Historic Albemarle Tour, the oldest heritage trail in North Carolina connecting 32 historical sites from Plymouth to Manteo. To see collections of Civil War artifacts, The Port O’ Plymouth History Museum and the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad station (in downtown Plymouth) are two more locations of interest in the 3.9 square mile town.
In the the census of 2000, Plymouth was recorded as having a 4,107 person population, with the three major racial makeup of the town being African American (63.09%), caucasian (35.04%), and Asian (0.73%).
Plymouth Photos
