images elizabeth city, nc: 2010
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Known as the Harbor of Hospitality, Elizabeth City is a waterfront community on the eastern seaboard, just 45 minutes from the Norfolk/Hampton Roads area of Virginia and adjacent to North Carolina’s legendary Outer Banks. Whenever five boats or more come into the harbor at the same time‚ they are feted with a wine and cheese party sponsored by the Rose Buddies‚ a group dedicated to extending a warm welcome to Elizabeth City’s visitors. Among its many accolades, Elizabeth City has been named one of “The 100 Best Small Towns in America” three times.TRANSCRIPT
The Boat Stops Here
THE HEART OF THE CITY
Downtown comes alive with new business
SWAMPED WITH BEAUTY
State park is destination for boaters and birders
Tour the Downtown Waterfront
Market
What’s Online
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Click the top corners of the magazine to turn pages
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2010 | IMAGESELIZABETHCITY.COM
ELIZABETH CITY, NORTH CAROLINA
®®®
Whether you’re here for business or pleasure, you’ll enjoy all the complimentary extras our hotel has to offer. They’re part of what makes staying at Hampton Inn – Elizabeth City a very special value.
252.333.1800 www.hamptoninn.com
402 Halstead Blvd. US Hwy. 17 Business/Bypass
Elizabeth City, NC
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ON THE COVER Todd Bennett The Robinson House
DEPARTMENTS
6 Almanac: a colorful sampling of Elizabeth City’s culture
16 Local Flavor
17 Portfolio: people, places and events that defi ne Elizabeth City
26 Education
29 Health & Wellness
32 Arts & Culture
33 Community Profi le: facts, stats and important numbers to know
34 Business Guide
ELIZABETH CITY BUSINESS 20 The Heart of the City
Downtown revitalization energizes this waterfront town.
22 Biz Briefs
24 Chamber Report
25 Economic Profi le
2010 EDITION | VOLUME 11
ELIZABETH CITY, NORTH CAROLINA
®
CONTENTS
FEATURES
10 RETURN TO SPLENDORThe Arts of the Albemarle’s new home showcases art and theater excellence.
12 DINING ACCORDING TO STEVEFormer Mayor Steve Atkinson touts Elizabeth City’s many great restaurants.
14 THE BOAT STOPS HERE The city’s harbor sets the stage for welcoming visitors.
17 SWAMPED WITH BEAUTYDismal Swamp State Park is a unique natural wonder for outdoor enthusiasts.
27 CRUISE THE CAROLINA LOOPBoaters can fi nd all of the area’s hot spots by following a handy new brochure.
All or part of this magazine is printed with soy ink on recycled paper containing 10% post-consumer waste.
PLEASE RECYCLE THIS MAGAZINE
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• Elegantly designed clubhouse with bar and entertainment area• State-of-the-art fitness center• Business center• Resort-style pool with large deck overlooking Tanglewood Lake• GE appliances, hardwood birch cabinets and kitchen islands• Resort-style grilling and entertainment pavilion• Washer and dryer included in each apartment• Private patio/balcony• Located on 50-acre Tanglewood Lake• Apartments designed using many energy-star efficiency systems• Residents will enjoy lovely forest or lake views• Easy access to southeastern VA and northeastern NC• Vaulted ceilings in select units• Detached garages available • Pet friendly
FEATURES
3895 Waterside Dr. | Elizabeth City, NC 27909
(866) 457-3425www.tanglewoodlakeapts.com [email protected]
Luxury Lakefront Living
ELIZABETH CIT Y IMAGESELIZABETHCIT Y.COM 5
ELIZABETH CITY, NORTH CAROLINA
®
MANAGING EDITOR SUSAN CHAPPELL
COPY EDITOR JOYCE CARUTHERS
ASSOCIATE EDITORS LISA BATTLES, JESSY YANCEY
STAFF WRITER KEVIN LITWIN
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS EMILY LANSDELL, JOHN MCBRYDE
DATA MANAGER CHANDRA BRADSHAW
INTEGRATED MEDIA MANAGER RUTH MARTINEAU
SALES SUPPORT MANAGER CINDY HALL
SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER BRIAN McCORD
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS JEFF ADKINS,
TODD BENNETT, ANTONY BOSHIER, J. KYLE KEENER
CREATIVE DIRECTOR KEITH HARRIS
ASSOCIATE PRODUCTION DIRECTOR CHRISTINA CARDEN
PRODUCTION PROJECT MANAGERS
KATIE MIDDENDORF, JILL WYATT
SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNERS LAURA GALLAGHER,
KRIS SEXTON, CANDICE SWEET, VIKKI WILLIAMS
LEAD DESIGNER ERICA HINES
GRAPHIC DESIGN JESSICA MANNER,
JANINE MARYLAND, MARCUS SNYDER
WEB DESIGN DIRECTOR FRANCO SCARAMUZZA
WEB CONTENT MANAGER JOHN HOOD
WEB PROJECT MANAGER YAMEL RUIZ
WEB DESIGN LEAD LEIGH GUARIN
WEB PRODUCTION JENNIFER GRAVES
COLOR IMAGING TECHNICIAN ALISON HUNTER
AD TRAFFIC MARCIA MILLAR,
PATRICIA MOISAN, RAVEN PETTY
CHAIRMAN GREG THURMAN
PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER BOB SCHWARTZMAN
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT RAY LANGEN
SR. V.P./CLIENT DEVELOPMENT JEFF HEEFNER
SR. V.P./SALES CARLA H. THURMAN
SR. V.P./OPERATIONS CASEY E. HESTER
V.P./SALES HERB HARPER
V.P./SALES TODD POTTER
V.P./VISUAL CONTENT MARK FORESTER
V.P./EDITORIAL DIRECTOR TEREE CARUTHERS
V.P./CUSTOM PUBLISHING KIM NEWSOM
MANAGING EDITOR/BUSINESS BILL McMEEKIN
MANAGING EDITOR/COMMUNITY KIM MADLOM
PRODUCTION DIRECTOR NATASHA LORENS
PHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTOR JEFFREY S. OTTO
CONTROLLER CHRIS DUDLEY
ACCOUNTING MORIAH DOMBY, DIANA GUZMAN,
MARIA McFARLAND, LISA OWENS
RECRUITING/TRAINING DIRECTOR SUZY SIMPSON
DISTRIBUTION DIRECTOR GARY SMITH
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DIRECTOR YANCEY TURTURICE
IT SERVICE TECHNICIAN RYAN SWEENEY
HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER PEGGY BLAKE
SALES SUPPORT RACHAEL GOLDSBERRY
EXECUTIVE SECRETARY/SALES SUPPORT KRISTY DUNCAN
OFFICE MANAGER SHELLY GRISSOM
RECEPTIONIST LINDA BISHOP
C U S TO M M A G A Z I N E M E D I A
Images Elizabeth City is published annually by
Journal Communications Inc. and is distributed through
the Elizabeth City Area Chamber of Commerce
and its member businesses.
For advertising information or to direct questions
or comments about the magazine, contact
Journal Communications Inc. at (615) 771-0080
or by e-mail at [email protected].
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:Elizabeth City Area Chamber of Commerce
502 E. Ehringhaus St. • Elizabeth City, NC 27909
Phone: (252) 335-4365 • Fax: (252) 335-5732
www.elizabethcitychamber.org
VISIT IMAGES ELIZABETH CITY ONLINE AT IMAGESELIZABETHCITY.COM
©Copyright 2010 Journal Communications Inc.,
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(615) 771-0080. All rights reserved.
No portion of this magazine may be reproduced
in whole or in part without written consent.
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Member Custom Publishing Council
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What’s Online Onnnlnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn
imageselizabethcity.comTHE DEFINITIVE RELOCATION RESOURCE
PICTURE PERFECT
VIDEOS
FACTS & STATS
RELOCATION
In our Interactive section, watch quick videos by our editors and photographers featuring people, places and events.
ABOUT THIS MAGAZINEImages gives readers a taste of what makes Elizabeth City tick – from business and education to sports, health care and the arts.
LOCAL FLAVOR
Go online to learn
even more about:
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Utilities•
Parks•
Taxes•
We’ve added even more of our prize-winning photography to the online gallery. To see these photos, click on Photo Gallery.
Considering a move to this
community? We can help. Use our
Relocation Tools to discover tips,
including how to make your move
green, advice about moving pets
and help with booking movers.
From the simple to the sublime, the delicious offerings here are guaranteed to satisfy every appetite.
“Find the good – and praise it.” – Alex Haley (1921-1992), Journal Communications co-founder
Spinning Their WheelsThose who like to roll on two wheels look
forward to the Tarwheel Century bike ride
each spring.
Sponsored by the River City Cycling Club,
the annual event draws some 300 riders on a
scenic route through the historical downtown
areas of both Elizabeth City and Edenton.
The 17th annual ride is scheduled for
April 24, 2010, and all proceeds go to
local charities.
For more information, visit
www.rivercitycyclingclub.com.
‘Always Ready’Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City opened in
1940 with four officers and 52 enlisted men. Today, Elizabeth City is home to six commands with 750 active-duty military members, 750 civilians and more than 800 contract employees. In addition to the Air Station, the base is also home to an Aviation Technical Training Center; Base Support Unit; Boat Station Elizabeth City; Aviation Logistics Center; and the National Strike Force.
On any single day, aircrews may be as far away as Greenland, the Azores or the Caribbean.
The Coast Guard Air Station is one of the busiest air stations in the entire Coast Guard. The motto of this military branch of the United States is Semper Paratus, which means “Always Ready.”
A Warm Welcome
Boaters who take the
Intracoastal Waterway along
the Pasquotank River soon learn
why Elizabeth City has earned
its reputation as The Harbor
of Hospitality.
Whenever five boats or more
happen to come into the harbor
at the same time‚ they are feted
with a wine and cheese party
sponsored by the Rose Buddies‚
a group dedicated to extending
a gracious Southern welcome to
Elizabeth City’s visitors. In addition,
each woman on board gets
a rosebud as an extra treat.
Rose Buddies can be identified
by their shirts and Mariner’s
Wharf caps.
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Fast Facts Money magazine
named Elizabeth City one of the best places to live on the East Coast.
A rich variety of wildlife and waterways draw numerous ecotourists from near and far to the Elizabeth City region.
Elizabeth City was the site of the first public school in North Carolina.
Local shops in Elizabeth City supplied the Wright Brothers as they prepared for their flights at Kitty Hawk.
Dismal Swamp State Park has 16 miles of hiking and mountain biking trails.
Almanac
This Place Is Taking OffThe aviation industry is the undisputed backbone of Elizabeth City’s economy.
And the Elizabeth City-Pasquotank Aviation Research and Development Commerce
Park, which is located on Weeksville Highway, is the launching pad for this important
industrial sector.
The 63-acre, high-tech business park, which is adjacent to the Elizabeth City-
Pasquotank County Regional Airport, completed the first phase of infrastructure for
the $12 million commerce park in June 2009. The site is now suitable for construction
of four 60,000- to 80,000-square-foot hangars and a 15-acre campus for the
Elizabeth City State University School of Aviation Science and a College of the
Albemarle FAA-certified air frame and power plant maintenance training facility.
Trolling for TreasuresNorth Carolina’s beauty brings tourists
to Elizabeth City‚ but visitors might want
to pack treasure maps along with their road
maps to uncover pieces of the past in this
antique lovers’ haven.
Collectors and shop owners alike are
passionate about the bounty of furniture‚
glassware‚ dolls and other items they find
in the area.
A few of the places to snatch up
collectibles include The Framery, Little River
Antiques Mall, The Dusty Attic and Poor
David’s Antiques, Collectibles & More.
Elizabeth City State University School o
Albemarle FAA-certified air frame and
Par for the CourseGolf lovers have three courses to choose from in this scenic waterfront town.
The Pines at Elizabeth City is a semi-private, Tom Clark-designed, par 72, 18-hole
course on North Road Street. “Every hole is a unique challenge, reminiscent of
Pinehurst No. 2,” said one Golf Digest panelist.
In addition, Knobbs Creek Par 3 – described as compact and fast to play –
offers nine holes, and Matthew Creek Par 3, which was designed by Ricky Meads,
is a nine-hole course that opened in 2000.
ELIZABETH CIT Y IMAGESELIZABETHCIT Y.COM 7
Explore its landscapes, cultural offerings, food and fun.
See its downtown, neighborhoods, parks and attractions.
Experience the history, hot spots and local happenings.
Now Showing in Our Video Gallery
Sit back and enjoy a preview of Elizabeth City amenities.
Elizabeth City is rated L for Livability
imageselizabethcity.com
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POPULATION (2008 ESTIMATE) Elizabeth City: 20,025
Pasquotank County: 41,111
Camden County: 9,682
LOCATIONElizabeth City is in the coastal plain
region of northeastern North Carolina.
BEGINNINGSElizabeth City was founded in 1793,
and it gained economic importance
when the Dismal Swamp Canal was
completed in 1805 to connect with
the Intracoastal Waterway.
FOR MORE INFORMATIONElizabeth City Area
Chamber of Commerce
502 E. Ehringhaus St.
Elizabeth City, NC 27909
Phone: (252) 335-4365
Fax: (252) 335-5732www.elizabethcitychamber.org
Elizabeth City At A Glance
What’s Online ee Take a virtual tour of Elizabeth City, courtesy of our award-winning photographers, at imageselizabethcity.com.
Elizabeth City
History Captured Take a stroll through the Museum of
the Albemarle, a 50,000-square-foot building located on the waterfront in downtown Elizabeth City, for a history lesson on the area.
The museum’s main gallery has an exhibit called Our Story, which depicts the history of the Albemarle area. The 6,200-square-foot exhibit displays more than 700 artifacts about the Albemarle region’s watermen, farmers, lifesavers and soldiers.
Featured among the collection are the cannon recovered from the ship purported to be Blackbeard’s Queen Anne’s Revenge and “Inez,” a horse-drawn “steam-pumper” fire engine that was used in Elizabeth City in the 1920s.
For more about the museum, located at 501 S. Water St., call (252) 335-1453, or visit www.museumofthealbemarle.com.
Almanac
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T he old Lowry-Chesson Building in downtown Elizabeth City had stood shuttered and vacant since 2001.
But in 2009, the three-story structure that once served as an opera house and then a f lagship department store was once again brought to life – this time as the Arts of the Albemarle Center, commonly known as The Center.
A $3.2 million renovation of the historic 1897 structure culminated in March 2009, when The Center opened the 10,000-square-foot Jaquelin Jenkins art gallery on the first f loor and the 230-seat Maguire Theatre on the second floor. The third floor includes the theater’s balcony, a reception area and art classrooms.
“People walk into The Center these days and are impressed with what this entire building has to offer,” says Lisa Winslow, who retired in July 2009 as Arts of the Albemarle executive director and was instrumental in the organization’s acquisition and renovation of The Center. “It used to be that art classes in Elizabeth City were held in one building, theater productions were staged in another building, and concerts took place at other sites. It is gratifying to now have so many artistic-related events and attractions all under one roof, especially in such a beautiful facility.”
Arts of the Albemarle is a nonprofit organization originally founded in 1969 as Pasquotank Arts Council. Grants, corporate donations, membership dues and art gallery sales fund the AOA.
“Raising $3.2 million in grants and private donations for us to purchase the Lowry-Chesson Building and then
renovate it was quite impressive, and it just goes to show how influential the arts are in this community,” Winslow says. “For example, we have always had works from nearly 300 artists, craftsmen and photographers in our on-site gallery, and the gallery always accounts for about $130,000 in art sales each year. That annual amount is remarkable, but it’s just commonplace around here.”
George Jackson, president of the AOA board of directors, says The Center enhances the quality of life for everyone who lives in Elizabeth City.
“We can now stage top theatrical productions and have as good an art gallery as you could expect to find in a community of our size,” he says. “In addition, the building is acting as somewhat of a stimulus tool for downtown. The gallery has increased foot traffic along Main Street, and there are always faces in the gallery that I don’t recognize whenever I visit. That means out-of-town tourists are frequenting The Center and spending dollars in Elizabeth City.”
Jackson adds that having a showpiece such as The Center might attract more businesses to Elizabeth City because companies are interested in enhancing the quality of life for their employees.
“Our city has an arts center, a top-flight museum, a planetarium, and we will be expanding our Port Discover hands-on kids’ science center within the next year or so,” he says. “A future goal for Elizabeth City is to have enough critical mass to become a one-day type of attraction in itself. We are gradually getting there, and opening The Center was certainly an important step toward reaching that goal.”
STORY BY KEVIN LITWINPHOTOGRAPHY BY TODD BENNETT
THE CENTER SHOWCASES ART AND THEATER EXCELLENCE
SplendorReturn to
Jaquelin Jenkins gallery at the Arts of the Albemarle Center
ELIZABETH CIT Y IMAGESELIZABETHCIT Y.COM 11
FORMER MAYOR TOUTS ELIZABETH CITY’S MANY GREAT RESTAURANTS
DiningStevetoAccording
Sashimi appetizer at Toyama Japanese Restaurant
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S ometimes Steve Atkinson likes a thick rib-eye steak, and other times he’s in the mood for fresh scallops and jumbo shrimp. And he always tries to leave room for dessert.
The former mayor of Elizabeth City says he enjoys the dining scene and is lucky to live in a community known for its culinary excellence. Whether he lunches on a club sandwich at Montero’s or sits down to a dinner of lemon and thyme encrusted red snapper at Cypress Creek Grill, he is pleased that Elizabeth City has a wide variety of delicious options to suit anyone’s tastes.
“From small, quaint places to the bigger establishments, I honestly like all of the restaurants in Elizabeth City,” says Atkinson, who declined to seek a second term. “I can’t mention them all, but here are four great ones to try.”
For starters, Atkinson visits the scenic Elizabeth City waterfront often, so he is a frequent diner at Marina Restaurant located on the Pasquotank River.
“Their waterfront setting makes for a terrific ambiance, and the food at Marina is just as special,” he says. “I love seafood of all kinds and am especially fond of the Marina soft-shell crabs. They are great.”
Besides great food, Marina Restaurant has karaoke singing on Friday nights.
“I can’t say that I’ve ever sung karaoke at Marina, but it’s not out of the question for the future,” Atkinson says. “You never know where the former mayor is going to show up, and the stage at Marina might be next.”
Another one of his favorite places is Colonial Restaurant, a local favorite that has been an Elizabeth City mainstay.
“Colonial serves three meals a day – good, old-fashioned, comfort food cooked Southern-style,” he says. “Be sure to try the lemon pie when you’re there. It is excellent.”
Atkinson says he enjoys Asian food, and the city is home to a fine establishment that is also conveniently located near the waterfront. Toyama Japanese Restaurant serves everything from sashimi and shogayaki to tempura and teriyaki, and he savors every meal when he’s there.
“The sushi bar at Toyama is outstanding, and their Okinawan rolls are incredible,” he says. “They have put together a superb menu.”
One of the city’s newest restaurants is Logan Raye’s Key West Grille on East Colonial Avenue. It features a casual atmosphere with live music two nights a week.
“I like anything seafood-related at Logan Raye’s, but the restaurant cooks a great steak, too,” Atkinson says. “Diners can’t go wrong at any of the dozens of restaurants located throughout Elizabeth City. So, give them all a try.”
STORY BY KEVIN LITWINPHOTOGRAPHY BY TODD BENNETT
Marina Restaurant Top: Former Mayor Steve Atkinson at Logan Raye’s Key West Grille
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BoatStopsHere
The
What’s Online eee For a quick tour of the Downtown Waterfront Market, visit imageselizabethcity.com.
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T he waterfront is the venue of choice for what’s happening in Elizabeth City – for good reason.
It’s an idyllic setting, with boats bobbing in the harbor, pelicans flying overhead and pods of
porpoises playing within view of the dock. Along the water’s edge, the charming shops and quaint restaurants in the historic downtown district bustle with activity.
And folks are friendly here. Thousands of boaters who travel the Intracoastal Waterway each year know Elizabeth City as the Harbor of Hospitality, thanks in large part to the Rose Buddies, volunteers who welcome visitors with a rose and answer questions about local attractions and services.
The Downtown Waterfront Market, a farmers market launched by the city in 2008 and held every Saturday throughout the spring, summer and fall at Mariner’s Wharf Park, provides another perfect opportunity for residents and visitors alike to gather at the water.
“The waterfront is a phenomenal location, right in the middle of the city, beautiful and always breezy – which is nice when it’s hot,” says Denise Richards, coordinator and self-described “market diva.”
As the market’s only paid staff member, Richards is joined bright and early every Saturday by City Parks and Rec staffers who help pitch the white tents under which local vendors ply their wares. In its first two years, the market grew from 12 to upwards of 30 vendors, with booths featuring seasonal produce, locally raised meat and eggs, gourmet coffee, baked goods, plants and flowers, and handcrafted works by local artisans.
“We literally have butchers, bakers and candlestick makers,” Richards says. “We have a Web site www.downtownwaterfrontmarket.com that is updated weekly to highlight what’s available. The market provides a viable economic outlet for those who might not have another venue. And we offer free space once a month to local nonprofits to help support their efforts.”
Live music, animal adoptions and Market Impossible, a race between local chefs to buy foods and prepare a meal on site, help lend a festive atmosphere to the Downtown Waterfront Market.
“I’ve heard nothing but positive feedback. It’s also amazing how supportive the downtown businesses have been. As a
result of the market, they’ve seen a marked increase in their own Saturday business,” Richards adds.
Some downtown restaurants have seen extra business mid-week as well, thanks to the Mariners’ Wharf Film Festival, which takes place Tuesday nights in June and July at Mariner’s Wharf Park and features classic movies projected on a giant outdoor screen. Films shown during the 2009 season included On the Waterfront, The Thin Man, Double Indemnity and Charade.
“The response to the first season was tremendous, the turnout was excellent and the crowds were enthusiastic,” says Simone Cooper, festival organizer and director. “People are happy that something like this is taking place in the community.”
The festival is sponsored by local businesses, organizations and arts patrons and is free to the public. Folks just bring a blanket and stake out a choice vantage point from which to enjoy the show. Boxed suppers can be pre-ordered from City Wine Sellar, Bakery, Deli & Wine Bar and Three Squares Café.
STORY BY CAROL COWAN | PHOTOGRAPHY BY TODD BENNETT
CITY’S HARBOR SETS THE STAGE FOR WELCOMING VISITORS
Downtown Waterfront Market Left: Pasquotank River from Mariner’s Wharf Park
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Local Flavor
One Potato, Two PotatoNORTH CAROLINA POTATO FESTIVAL BRINGS OUT ALL THE STOPS FOR THE SPUD
One potato, two? What about 10?The 10th-annual North
Carolina Potato Festival will take root May 15, 2010, in downtown Elizabeth City. The event has been on Elizabeth City’s calendar since 2001, but the statewide potato celebration dates back to 1940.
That is when Fanny Leary of Camden peeled 8 pounds, 4 ounces of potatoes in 10 minutes at the National Potato Peeling Contest. The potato-peeling contest still occurs annually in Elizabeth City as part of the statewide celebration.
The Saturday festival features a wide variety of activities, but the food truly stands out. Free hand-cut french fries are available to the public while they last, in addition to funnel cakes, snow cones, hot dogs, gyros, fajitas, cookies, orangeades, lemonade and smoothies.
The festival kicks off Friday night at the City Wine Sellar with food, a a
wine bar and live music. The main Saturday event takes place from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Besides food, there is a Little Miss Tater Tot Contest, free amusement rides, potato sack races, a beer garden and a street dance. Past musical entertainers have included the Embers Mark Roberts & Breeze, Satellites and Sirens, Ehringhaus, Amber Braddy Jones, Step of Faith, Further Adieu, and Bobby Plough.
Some people might not think of North Carolina as a potato grower, but the North Carolina Potato Association is the oldest commodity association in the state, starting in 1928. Elizabeth City is the home office of the North Carolina Potato Association.
Nutritionally, one serving of potatoes provides almost 50 percent of the recommended daily value of vitamin C, and the potato is the second-most consumed food in the United States – trailing only milk products.
For more information, visitwww.ncpotatofestival.com.
– Kevin Litwin
What’s Online eHungry for more? Sink your teeth into other stories about Elizabeth City’s local fl avor in the food section at imageselizabethcity.com.
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Portfolio
After visiting Dismal Swamp in the early 1800s, Edgar Allen Poe penned his famed poem, The Raven.
Today, the swamp still inspires. Dismal Swamp State Park covers more than 14,000 acres
of protected land on the North Carolina-Virginia state line, and the park is open year-round for recreation.
The canal is used regularly by boaters who travel the Intracoastal Waterway, and the park also includes 16.7 miles of logging trails through swamp forests that are open to hiking and mountain biking enthusiasts.
Bird watchers also flock to the park to get a glimpse of more than 200 species of birds‚ while nature lovers can view numerous species of animals, reptiles and wild foliage.
Dismal Swamp State Park is recognized as part of the North Carolina Birding Trail and the East Coast Greenway, and is home to one of the largest black bear
populations on the Atlantic coast.The swamp itself is a unique natural wonder that is the
site of mystery‚ history and recreation that attracts thousands of people each year.
Many of those visitors start at the Dismal Swamp Canal Welcome Center that is located on the banks of the Dismal Swamp Canal. The center is open 24 hours a day and is the only welcome center in the continental United States that is accessible by both a major highway and a historic waterway. It offers information on everything from swamp history to local fauna, and tourists can also make lodging and North Carolina Ferry System reservations here.
As for the canal itself, it is fully open to canoeists and kayakers, and a boat ramp provides access. In addition, park rangers schedule several environmental educational and interpretive events along the waterway throughout the year.
Swamped With BeautyDISMAL SWAMP STATE PARK IS A HAVEN FOR OUTDOOR ENTHUSIASTS
You can see a variety of birds and other interesting wildlife at Dismal Swamp State Park in Camden County.
PHOTO BY TODD BENNETT
ELIZABETH CIT Y IMAGESELIZABETHCIT Y.COM 17
Score one for Elizabeth City and Pasquotank County.
The long-awaited River Road Soccer Complex is slated to open for youth league competition beginning in April 2010, at its location adjacent to River Road Middle School. The complex will feature five fields.
“This project has been ongoing for more than two years, but getting all of the state permits approved, as well as the infrastructure installed, has taken some time,” says Jim Overman, Elizabeth City director of parks and recreation. “However, getting the Bermuda grass to take root has been our biggest obstacle in the construction process. Good grass takes a while to grow, which is why the opening date for league play has been pushed to the spring of 2010.”
Overman adds that the complex will have a positive influence on area youth, because all organized soccer to this point has been played solely on school fields.
“Having a central place to play is exciting news for this community,” he says. “Pasquotank County will provide all of the maintenance and upkeep at the facility, while Elizabeth City will be in charge of programming.”
Meanwhile, plans are also in the works for South Park Athletic Complex to be constructed in Elizabeth City. It will ultimately feature five baseball/softball diamonds that can be used by boys up to age 12 and girls up to age 18.
“For the South Park complex, the city will provide maintenance and upkeep for that particular facility, while the county will oversee league and tournament scheduling,” Overman says. “It will be on 34 acres in the old industrial park south of town, just off Weeksville Road where the Food Bank of the Albemarle is situated.”
Kicking and Shouting
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It’s easy to like a baseball team whose mascot is Sam the Clam.
The Edenton Steamers play ball in the Coastal Plain League, a wood-bat collegiate summer league that features college players from throughout the nation. The players travel to this part of the country to join a total of 15 CPL teams based in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.
The Steamers play a 56-game schedule with 28 home dates, and the season takes place from late May through early August. A group called Edenton-Chowan Community Foundation Inc. owns the franchise, and the team’s uniform colors are teal, black and white.
Besides Edenton, the teams that comprise the CPL in 2010 are the Asheboro Copperheads, Columbia Blowfish, Fayetteville Swampdogs, Florence Red Wolves, Forest City Owls, Gastonia Grizzlies, Martinsville Mustangs, Outer Banks Daredevils, Peninsula Pilots, Petersburg Generals, Moorehead City Marlins, Thomasville Hi-Toms, Wilmington Sharks and the Wilson Tobs.
The Steamers compete in the CPL’s Northern Division against Outer Banks, Peninsula, Petersburg and Wilson, playing those four teams 10 times apiece each season.
The Steamers have been a part of the CPL since 1998 and have won two league championships – called the Petitt Cup – in 2004 and 2005. All of Edenton’s home games are played at Historic Hicks Field, adjacent to John A. Holmes High School.
Hicks Field is actually a story in itself. The stadium was constructed in 1939, and its main structure is a wood grandstand with a roof that was built to accommodate slightly more than 500 people. That grandstand is the oldest remaining wooden grandstand of its type in North Carolina.
The stadium was remodeled and expanded in 1997 prior to the Steamers joining the CPL, and today Hicks Field can comfortably accommodate 1,200 spectators.
In 2004, Baseball America magazine rated Hicks Field as the No. 2 summer collegiate baseball venue in the United States. – Stories by Kevin Litwin
Portfolio
Steaming Right Along
ELIZABETH CIT Y IMAGESELIZABETHCIT Y.COM 19
DOWNTOWN COMES ALIVE WITH NEW BUSINESSES
Heart
Cityof theThe
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S allie Stimatz says it was a no-brainer.Even though she’s a fairly new Elizabeth City
resident, Stimatz knew there was a certain significance to purchasing Rachel’s Place and
reopening it as Three Squares Café. Walking away from the opportunity simply wasn’t an option, she says.
“To have let Rachel’s close would have been a disservice,” Stimatz says of the former restaurant. “There is so much going on in downtown Elizabeth City, it would have left a huge void.”
There are obviously others here who feel the same way about downtown Elizabeth City, which is experiencing a revitalization that has energized the waterfront town.
The focus on downtown can be traced to the city becoming a Main Street Community in 1988. The National Trust for Historic Preservation created the Main Street program in 1980, and now there are more than 15,000 Main Street communities across the country.
“Both Elizabeth City and Pasquotank County benefit from a revitalized downtown business district,” says Peggy Langley, executive director of Elizabeth City Downtown Inc. “ECDI provides a return on investment to taxpayers. Local government will see an increase in tax revenue from increased property values due to property improvements and will also see an increase in the sale of business licenses due to an increase in the number of businesses located downtown. Having a healthy downtown also helps reduce sprawl.”
Stimatz’s Three Squares Café, which opened in May 2009 in the historic Virginia Dare Arcade, is one of several businesses that are breathing new life into downtown Elizabeth City.
Others of note include Poor David’s Antiques, Collectibles & More on East Fearing Street, and the Firefly gift shop and The Chocolate House on North Water Street.
In addition, the ECDI has been instrumental in other recent changes to downtown. The organization helped preserve the hospital dome at Waterfront Park, and it partnered with the city of Elizabeth City on the downtown streetscape project and the development of Moth Boat Park. ECDI also purchased the downtown clock on Main Street and new holiday lights and banners for lampposts on the thoroughfare.
“Elizabeth City has one of the most active downtowns I’ve ever seen,” says Stimatz, who moved here in 2002 from Washington, D.C. “There are lots of things going on here, lot of funs things to do. It’s just a very vibrant area.”
It’s that vibrancy that helped to influence David and Linda Hawkins to open Poor David’s Antiques in downtown Elizabeth City in May 2009.
The couple moved here in 1988, restored an old home on Main Street and became business owners 21 years later.
“I feel that the downtown area is a small community of its own,” says Linda Hawkins. “The business owners help by frequenting each others’ businesses, and the community seems to enjoy having an active downtown and a variety of local businesses.”
STORY BY JOHN McBRYDE
Business
From left to right: The Chocolate House, Three Squares Café, Poor David’s Antiques, Collectibles & More
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Business
Biz BriefsBUSINESSES – BOTH LARGE AND SMALL – THAT HELP DEFINE
ELIZABETH CITY’S ECONOMIC CLIMATE
HAYES IRON & METAL Biz: metal recyclerBuzz: Hayes Iron & Metal has been in business since 1929 and serving the Elizabeth City area since 2007. Based in nearby Providence, the company recycles copper, brass, aluminum and stainless steel. Hayes Iron & Metal offers demolition services at customers’ sites and also supplies a variety of containers, including flat-bed trailers and top-open scrap trailers.www.hayesironscrap.com
ScorecardBUSINESS AT
A GLANCE
$526,815Retail sales ($1,000)
$14,795Retail sales
per capita
$41,868Accommodations
and food services
sales ($1,000)
2,569Total number
of firms
Source: U.S. Census QuickFacts
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HOFFER GALLERYBiz: gift storeBuzz: Hoffer Gallery and Miss Mamie’s Gifts at 1831 Weeksville Highway carries a wide variety of gift items, including jewelry, crystal, china, Christmas ornaments and other collectibles. Shoppers will find brand-name objects by designers such as Fitz and Floyd, Nao, Christopher Radko and Swarovski. The store also sells a wide variety of Vera Bradley items.www.hoffergallery.com
CULPEPPER INN Biz: historic bed and breakfastBuzz: Situated in the historic district of Elizabeth City, the Culpepper Inn is a three-story, Georgian Revival-style manor built by William and Alice Culpepper in 1935. The B&B features 11 guest rooms, all with private baths. The inn offers a gourmet breakfast and can be rented for weddings, meetings and other events. It was voted Best Bed and Breakfast in 2009.www.culpepperinn.com
NINE BARS ESPRESSOBiz: coffeehouse/bakeryBuzz: Nine Bars is the place to go for a cappuccino and a cinnamon roll. The coffeehouse roasts its own beans – customers can watch the action – and serves up other sweets such as cookies, cheesecake, scones and chocolate éclairs. There’s also a drive-through for those on the go. Nine Bars is located on City Center Boulevard and is open daily.www.ninebarsespresso.com
PERRY GLASS CO.Biz: glass companyBuzz: Perry Glass Co. has been a mainstay in Elizabeth City since 1944. Products and services include auto glass and windshield repair, shower doors and bath enclosures, custom picture framing, mirrors, tabletops, window and screen repair, ventilated shelving and commercial storefront installation, to name just a few. Perry Glass also has a location in Kill Devil Hills.www.perryglass.com
ELIZABETH CIT Y IMAGESELIZABETHCIT Y.COM 23
An Economy on Target CHAMBER OF COMMERCE EVENTS PROMOTE COMMERCE AND COMMUNITY SPIRIT
Despite the country’s economic woes, Elizabeth City has
weathered the financial storm through new business growth and community involvement, says Elizabeth City Area Chamber of Commerce President Jennifer Palestrant.
With approximately 40 chamber-sponsored events annually, the largest chamber in northeastern North Carolina has continued its mission to bolster the economic base of the greater Elizabeth City area.
“Most of our events are business-driven, but everyone works together here to improve our economy,” Palestrant says. “Businesses have tightened their belts and they’re getting creative, but they’re still growing. We’ve done a business opening at least once a month.”
In addition, each month the chamber hosts Business After Hours events to
assist local businesses in building community support. The events provide a platform to introduce consumers and merchants to a business and its services, such as last year’s event that showcased neighboring Camden County.
“Camden County has historically been a very agriculturally based community, but that’s changing,” Palestrant says. “At the Business After Hours event, we brought out all of the county’s businesses to encourage them to work together. We can really jump-start business relationships at these events.”
The chamber also focuses on community relationships through events such as Coast Guard Week, which kicked off in August 2008 and is planned to resume as an annual event this summer.
Coinciding with the Coast Guard’s birthday in August, the week featured events and exhibits to celebrate and
support the more than 1,000 active-duty Coast Guard members and their families who are stationed at the Elizabeth City Coast Guard base.
“The Coast Guard is a big economic driver here,” Palestrant says. “All of the family members who come to Elizabeth City bring new skill sets and new employees. We were really excited to be able to celebrate the entire week with these families.”
Coast Guard families were treated to several activities, including a day for their children at Port Discover children’s science museum; a Coast Guard exhibit at the Museum of the Albemarle and a street festival downtown. The chamber also hosted the second-annual Coast Guard Expo, which brings local businesses, schools and organizations together to offer information and resources.
“The Expo helps the Coast Guard families gain traction fast here in the community,” Palestrant says. “It’s always hard when you come into a new community to figure out which doctor to use, where the playgrounds are and what schools to attend. This gives these families a chance to really jump-start settling into Elizabeth City.”
– Emily Lansdell
Business | Chamber Report
Hornthal, Riley, Ellis &Maland, L.L.P.
Attorneys at LawAttorneys Serving Northeastern North Carolina for Over 100 Years
WWW.HREM.COM
301 E. Main St. • P.O. Box 220Elizabeth City, NC 27907
(252) 335-0871 Tel • (252) 335-4223 Fax
2502 S. Croatan Hwy. • P.O. Box 310Nags Head, NC 27959
(252) 441-0871 Tel • (252) 441-8822 Fax
211 Main St. • P.O. Box 510Columbia, NC 27925
(252) 796-8561 Tel • (252) 796-1083 Fax
OFFICE LOCATIONS:
Elizabeth City Area Chamber of Commerce staff
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Business | Economic Profile
BUSINESS CLIMATEElizabeth City has a diverse economy. Major sectors include
education, agriculture, aircraft repair, manufacturing and the
U.S. Coast Guard.
ELIZABETH CITY
Specializing in Seafood, Steaks, Chicken and Salads
Since 1997
We have more than just great mattresses ...
TAX STRUCTURE
6.75%State sales Tax
6.75%Total Sales Tax
TRANSPORTATION
Atlantic Intracoastal
Waterway/Dismal
Swamp Canal
2356 U.S. Hwy. 17 N.
South Mills, NC 27976-9425
(252) 771-8333
www.dismalswamp.com
Elizabeth City-Pasquotank
County Regional Airport
1028 Consolidated Road
Elizabeth City, NC 27909
(252) 335-5634
www.ecgairport.com
Newport News, VA (NPN)
Amtrak Station
9304 Warwick Blvd.
Newport News, VA 23601
(800) 872-7245
www.amtrak.com
The nearest passenger rail to Elizabeth City is the Amtrak Station, 65 miles away, in Newport News, VA
Norfolk International Airport
2200 Norview Ave.
Norfolk, VA 23518-5807
(757) 857-3351
www.norfolkairport.com
Located 50 miles north
of Elizabeth City.
Port of Virginia
600 World Trade Center
Norfolk, VA 23510
(800) 446-8098
www.vaports.com
The nearest commercial
port to Elizabeth City is
Norfolk & Portsmouth,
which is within 50 miles.
Inter-County Public
Transportation Authority
(252) 338-4480
www.arhs-nc.org/icpta/
index.htm
ECONOMIC RESOURCES
Albemarle Economic
Development Commission
P.O. Box 70
Elizabeth City, NC 27907-007
(252) 338-0169
www.discoverec.com
Elizabeth City
Area Convention
& Visitors Bureau
400 S. Water St., Ste. 101
Elizabeth City, NC 27907
(252) 335-5330
(866) 324-8948
www.discoverec.org
MORE ONLINE
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ELIZABETH CIT Y IMAGESELIZABETHCIT Y.COM 25
Education
After 61 years, Roanoke Bible College has changed its name, which is big news in Elizabeth City.
It is now called Mid-Atlantic Christian University, and the new moniker is the result of a three-year open study among stakeholders, alumni, trustees, faculty, students and supporters.
“Our Roanoke Bible College name served us well for 61 years, and we are not running from our heritage, simply expanding upon it,” says D. Clay Perkins, president of Mid-Atlantic Christian University. “We have the same mission, but just changed the name to better describe who we are and where we are headed.”
MACU is a private Christian university in Elizabeth City that primarily trains people for ministry and service. It is affiliated with the Churches of the Restoration Movement, whose members comprise about 70 percent of fall 2009’s student population. A number of the university’s 170 students arrive from foreign countries to study, or will enter foreign countries to serve, which is one of the reasons for the name change.
“In international circles, the term ‘college’ often denotes a secondary school for university preparation or for non-degree vocational studies, while the term ‘university’ denotes a degree-granting institution,” Perkins says. “Secondly, becoming Mid-Atlantic Christian will eliminate the wrong assumption made by many that we are located in Roanoke, Virginia. It allows us to position ourselves for broader impact beyond eastern North Carolina.”
Perkins says that besides international students, MACU hopes to attract more American students from a target area
that includes much of the East Coast, from Carolina to Maine.“We still have a strong commitment to the Bible as the
core of our curriculum and to Christian ministry as our mission,” he says. “The name change merely helps dispel the misguided notion that we are not a ‘real’ college, or that we are a second-rate institution.”
MACU offers bachelor’s degrees in preaching, youth and family ministry, cross-cultural ministry, worship, counseling, applied linguistics and leadership administration. Its alumni now live in 13 countries and 45 U.S. states.
“Mid-Atlantic Christian also has five varsity sports, and we compete in the Shenandoah-Chesapeake Conference,” Perkins says. “And since our campus is situated along the Pasquotank River and the Intracoastal Waterway, we have plans to construct an eight-slip dock for boaters who want to visit us. When the slips are built, boaters can dock here for free for 24 to 48 hours in order to view our campus along with other attractions in Elizabeth City.”
Two other higher learning institutions – Elizabeth City State University and College of The Albemarle – are also located here.
ECSU has a student population of 2,500 who are privy to 37 baccalaureate programs and three master’s degree programs, and College of The Albemarle is a community college that serves students in Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Dare, Gates, Pasquotank and Perquimans counties.
“Besides being home to excellent educational opportunities, Elizabeth City is a beautiful city in itself,” Perkins says. “Students who attend classes here are lucky in many ways.” – Kevin Litwin
A Higher CallingROANOKE BIBLE COLLEGE CHANGES NAME TO REFLECT BROADER IMPACT
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Sports & Recreation
Elizabeth City is already known as the Harbor of Hospitality, so
local leaders thought it would be a good idea to have a brochure printed up to encourage even more out-of-town boaters to visit. The brochure could tell boaters about all the attractions in Elizabeth City and surrounding communities, as well as the best routes to take to see the scenic sites.
The result? “Cruise the Carolina Loop,” a colorful brochure that features a lot of information on boating along the Intracoastal Waterway, as well as interesting stops – including Elizabeth City.
“We see a lot of vacation boaters on the Intracoastal Waterway traveling north and south during the spring and fall, but there is usually a lull in boat traffic during the summer months,” says former Mayor Steve Atkinson. “This brochure came about to help market self-guided summer excursions of one to four days along the waterway.”
Brochures were mailed to boat owners, marinas, yacht club members and commodores in the Lower Chesapeake Bay region and seafaring communities south of Elizabeth City.
“We are trying to attract visitors by asking them to change their attitude with a small change in latitude, and come see what this beautiful part of
northeastern North Carolina has to offer,” Atkinson says. “It has been a successful initiative so far.”
Charlotte Underwood, tourism director for the Elizabeth City Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, says shortly after the brochure was published in May 2009, boat tourists started arriving from cities as far away as Richmond, Va., and Bellhaven.
“Only two months into the brochure, we had a group of 40 people from Morehead City, who spent some time in Elizabeth City,” Underwood says. “Those folks did some shopping and dined at a couple of our restaurants, which is what this brochure is supposed to be all about.”
“Cruise the Carolina Loop” details a route that boaters from the Lower Chesapeake Bay can follow, specifically navigating through Coinjock, around
Albemarle Sound, up the Pasquotank River to Elizabeth City, then down through Camden. The route can be easily sailed in the opposite direction, too.
The brochure also tells tourists about restaurants that are within walking distance of the waterfront, in addition to shops, B&Bs and tourism attractions.
“We would love for boaters to arrive here, dock for free at our waterfront, visit a museum or the arts center or our planetarium, have lunch or dinner and even spend the night before setting sail again,” Underwood says. “ ‘Cruise the Carolina Loop’ will hopefully attract boat tourists who will stay in Elizabeth City for a while to have some fun and enjoy a relaxing mini vacation.”
For a brochure, visit the Elizabeth City Area Convention & Visitors Bureau Web site at www.discoverec.org.
– Kevin Litwin
Cruise the Carolina LoopBROCHURE HIGHLIGHTS SCENIC ROUTES AND TOURISM HOT SPOTS FOR BOATERS
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Health & Wellness
With health-care and prescription drug costs on the rise nation-
wide, uninsured patients across America continue to struggle.
To help meet the needs of these patients, the Albemarle Hospital Foundation operates Community Care Clinics in Elizabeth City and Tyner, offering free physician care, screenings and prescription drugs to an uninsured population that is estimated to be around 35,000, says Phil Donahue, vice president of the Albemarle Hospital Foundation.
“Almost all of our patients are working minimum-wage employees who don’t have health-care benefits,” Donahue says. “The government does
a good job with Medicaid and in taking care of the indigent. We’re filling that gap for those who are uninsured. It’s very different than what we saw 20 years ago.”
Two decades ago, community members came together to offer prescription assistance and limited health-care access. In 2003, Donahue became involved, and the Albemarle Hospital Foundation was born. The foundation opened Community Care Clinics to provide more comprehensive care to a six-county area. The now-larger Elizabeth City location serves patients in Pasquotank, Camden and Currituck counties. The remodeled
Tyner location serves patients in Chowan, Gates and Perquimans counties.
“In 2003, when we started the foundation, our entire operational costs were about $60,000 a year,” Donahue recalls. “Now having the myriad of services we have and being open five days a week, it’s about $600,000 a year. We’re seeing about 20 times the patients now.”
With dedicated staff members and approximately 50 volunteers, the clinics are able to assist the underserved population in primarily two areas – primary care and prescription services.
Qualified patients receive free physician visits followed by free prescriptions at the clinics’ dispensing pharmacies. When generics aren’t available, Donahue says, the Prescription Assistance Program provides the needed name-brand drug after a brief waiting period. When waiting isn’t an option, the clinics provide vouchers to local pharmacies who carry name-brand pharmaceuticals.
With additional funding from the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust, the clinics are also able to offer preventive health education and case manager services. Case managers at both locations provide patients with a personalized consultation after each visit to explain the care and prescription instructions, and offer nutritional and other relevant resources.
“We mandate that every patient goes through a case manager, and we’re seeing amazing changes,” Donahue says. “It’s really making a difference in the health care of these people.”
– Emily Lansdell
Helping Those in NeedALBEMARLE HOSPITAL FOUNDATION PROVIDES FREE HEALTH CARE FOR UNINSURED
ELIZABETH CIT Y IMAGESELIZABETHCIT Y.COM 29
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(252) 335-4341
N E W P A T I E N T S W E L C O M E
BEFORE
AFTER
BEFORE
AFTER
ELIZABETH CIT Y IMAGESELIZABETHCIT Y.COM 31
1129 Horseshoe Rd. Elizabeth City, NC 27909
(252) 335-7117 www.whh-nc.com
Your Home Away from Home Providing lodging and support
for patients and their families receiving care from area medical facilities.
Health & Wellness
Arts & Culture
Encore Theatre Company is used to staging productions in cramped
quarters. But those days are over with the troupe’s move to the second and third floors of the three-story Arts of the Albemarle Center – commonly known as The Center – in the heart of Elizabeth City.
In 2009, the 19-year-old troupe became the theater company in residence at the recently renovated 1897 red brick building on Main Street. The new location provides an ideal and perhaps fitting setting for the Encore Theatre, since the landmark structure once served as an opera and Vaudeville house in the early 1900s.
“Live theater on Main Street in any city is a sign that a community is vibrant and things are happening, and that is the case here in Elizabeth City,” says Mary Cherry, president of Encore Theatre Company. “Our playhouse inside The Center is officially called the Maguire Theatre, and the Maguire has seating for 230 compared to our former downtown building that had seating for 120.”
The former building had Encore situated on a second floor above the Pasquotank Arts Council, and patrons attending performances at the old theater would have to climb nine staircases to arrive at their seats.
“Now, our current home in The Center is equipped with an elevator to get people to the second floor main seating area or the third-floor balcony of the Maguire, and the entire building is handicap-accessible,” Cherry says.
The first production in the Maguire took place in May 2009 with a three-weekend run of a musical called A … My Name Will Always Be Alice.
“We did seven shows, and all of them sold out,” Cherry says. “It was an exciting beginning.”
Encore’s season runs from November to May, with three productions scheduled each season. The troupe strives to stage a musical, comedy and a drama a in its annual lineup.
“For the remainder of our 2009-10 campaign, we will be performing Will You Still Love Me in the Morning on Feb. 19-20, Feb. 26-27 and March 4-6, followed by Harvey on April 23-24, April 30-May 1 and May 7-8,” Cherry says. “We already have our 2010-11 lineup finalized, with productions of Annie Get Your Gun, Books and Epic Proportions.”
Cherry says Encore Theatre Company has 325 season ticketholders, with a goal of reaching 200 by the end
of the 2009-10 season.“All tickets for each of our shows
are $15, which is a good price to see some quality live entertainment,” she says. “And we’re always looking for more volunteers to get involved with our group. We always need ushers, actors, set designers, backstage helpers – even someone to help launch a Web page. People can get as involved as they want to be with Encore Theatre Company.”
– Kevin Litwin
Stealing the ShowENCORE THEATRE COMPANY MOVES TO SPACIOUS NEW DIGS IN THE CENTER
Maguire Theatre at the Arts of the Albemarle Center
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CLIMATE OVERVIEW
Elizabeth City's climate is mild
and comfortable throughout
the year, with 215 sunny days.
The city sees an average of
5.9 inches of snow per year.
32 FJanuary Low Temperature
52 FJanuary High Temperature
70 FJuly Low Temperature
89 FJuly High Temperature
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Community Profile
SNAPSHOTKnown as The Harbor of Hospitality, Elizabeth City is a waterfront
community on the eastern seaboard just 45 minutes from the
Norfolk/Hampton Roads area of Virginia and adjacent to
North Carolina's legendary Outer Banks.
ELIZABETH CITY
EDUCATION
The Elizabeth City region
is among the top five in
North Carolina in educational
spending per child. Five of
its public schools have been
named Schools of Distinction
and one is an Honor School of
Excellence. In addition to public
and private schools, the city
has three higher-education
institutions – Mid-Atlantic
Christian University, College
of the Albemarle and Elizabeth
City State University.
ELIZABETH CIT Y IMAGESELIZABETHCIT Y.COM 33
ACCIDENT FORGIVENESS.Contact us about a discount for insuring multiple vehicles.
Tommy Davis Insurance Agency Tommy Davis
857 Halstead Blvd. Elizabeth City, NC 27906
(252) 335-5433 www.nationwide.com/TommyDavis
Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company and Affiliated Companies. Nationwide Life Insurance Company. Home Office: Columbus, OH 43215-2220. Nationwide, the Nationwide Framemark and On Your Side are federally registered service marks of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company.
On Your Side
Auto Home Life Business
Custom Electronic & Security
Systems Integrators
Specializing in:Residential & Commercial
Security Systems & Camera Systems
Whole House Audio & Surround Sound
Professionally Integrated & Automated Systems
Medical Alert Panels
121 Brayhall Rd.Edenton, NC 27932
Toll-free: (800) 485-8553(252) 482-4104
We invite you to a demo of our Smart Home.
Culpepper Inn Bed and Breakfast
609 W Main St.Elizabeth City, NC 27909(252) 335-9235 [email protected]
Kathryn & Gary Scott, Innkeepers
People’s Choice Award “Best Bed and Breakfast” Elizabeth City, NC for 2008, 2009
Also available for extended stays, weddings, special events and meetings.Special packages available through our Web site. We honor government and military per diem rates, AARP discount.
www.culpepperinn.comMembers of: PAII, NCBBI
Your Information Center for Northeastern NC“Greeting You by Highway or Waterway”
When can we expect you to
Pedal and
Paddle inCamden County?CC
DISMAL SWAMP CANAL WELCOME CENTER
CAMDEN COUNTY“An Opportunity Awaits You”
TWIFORD FUNERAL HOMES, LLCCEMETERIES AND CREMATORIUM
Owned and Operated by:
David H. Twiford, Sr.
J.J. Twiford &
David Twiford, Jr.
FUNERAL HOMES:
ELIZABETH CITY, NC – (252) 335-4395
MANTEO, NC – (252) 473-2449
HATTERAS, NC – (252) 986-2554
WWW.TWIFORDFH.COM
CEMETERIES:
NEW HOLLYWOOD CEMETERY
ELIZABETH CITY, NC
(252) 335-4395
LAUREL MEMORIAL GARDENS
POPLAR BRANCH, NC
(252) 453-8859
CREMATORIUM:
ALBEMARLE CREMATORIUM
ELIZABETH CITY, NC
(252) 335-5465
HONORED PROVIDER OF
visit ouradvertisersAdams Landing www.adamslanding.net
Albemarle Economic Development Commission www.discoverec.com
Albemarle Health, Sleep & Neurology www.albemarlehealth.org
Albemarle Hospital www.albemarlehealth.org
Albemarle Sound & Security www.asainc.net
Atlantic Wireless
Biggs Pontiac Buick GMC Cadillac www.biggspontiac.com
Camden County Tourism Development Authority www.camdencountync.gov
Carolina House Elizabeth City www.brookdaleliving.com
CenturyLink www.centurylink.com
City of Elizabeth City www.cityofec.com
College of the Albemarle www.albemarle.edu
Compro www.eccompro.com
Culpepper Inn www.culpepperinn.com
Cypress Creek Grill www.cypresscreekgrill.com
Dr. Karen Wuertz DDS PA www.karenwuertzdds.com
Fairfield Inn & Suites www.marriott.com
Hall Honda Elizabeth City www.hallhondaelizabethcity.com
Hampton Inn www.hamptoninn.com
Hornthal, Riley, Ellis & Maland LLP www.hrem.com
Hyman & Robey www.hymanrobey.com
Lynn Weeks – Portfolio Real Estate www.elizabethcityncrealestate.com
Mattress Outlet
Mid-Atlantic Christian University www.macuniversity.edu
Nationwide Insurance – Tommy Davis Agency www.nationwide.com/tommydavis
Portfolio Real Estate Services www.portfolioliving.com
Ricky’s Welding www.rickyswelding.com
Select Bank & Trust www.selectbankandtrust.com
Southern Insurance www.southerninsurance.com
Southgate Mall www.southgatemallec.com
State Farm – Dawn Elliott www.dawncooperelliott.com
Tanglewood Lake Apartments www.tanglewoodlakeapts.com
Toyota of Elizabeth City www.toyotaofelizabethcity.com
Twiford’s Funeral Homes LLC www.twifordfh.com
Wesley Hospitality House Inc. www.whh-nc.com
Call today for information
about the Stair Tamer:
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Ricky Edwards, Owner – Shiloh, NC
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Ad Index 33 ADAMS LANDING
36 ALBEMARLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
31 ALBEMARLE HEALTH, SLEEP & NEUROLOGY
28 ALBEMARLE HOSPITAL
38 ALBEMARLE SOUND & SECURITY
35 ATLANTIC WIRELESS
C3 BIGGS PONTIAC BUICK GMC CADILLAC
39 CAMDEN COUNTY TOURISM DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
30 CAROLINA HOUSE ELIZABETH CITY
C3 CENTURYLINK
4 CITY OF ELIZABETH CITY
31 COLLEGE OF THE ALBEMARLE
27 COMPRO
39 CULPEPPER INN
25 CYPRESS CREEK GRILL
30 DR. KAREN WUERTZ DDS PA
C2 FAIRFIELD INN & SUITES
34 HALL HONDA ELIZABETH CITY
2 HAMPTON INN
24 HORNTHAL, RILEY, ELLIS & MALAND LLP
23 HYMAN & ROBEY
18 LYNN WEEKS – PORTFOLIO REAL ESTATE
25 MATTRESS OUTLET
37 MID-ATLANTIC CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY
Ad Index (cont.) 37 NATIONWIDE INSURANCE – TOMMY DAVIS AGENCY
1 PORTFOLIO REAL ESTATE SERVICES
41 RICKY’S WELDING
37 SELECT BANK & TRUST
39 SOUTHERN INSURANCE
C3 SOUTHGATE MALL
19 STATE FARM – DAWN ELLIOTT
4 TANGLEWOOD LAKE APARTMENTS
C4 TOYOTA OF ELIZABETH CITY
40 TWIFORD’S FUNERAL HOMES LLC
31 WESLEY HOSPITALITY HOUSE INC .
