Historic Halifax

02/14/2025

Happy Valentine's Day from all of us here at Historic Halifax State Historic Site! In celebration of love, here are some historical "Wedding Announcements" from Halifax-based newspapers from between 1770-1830.

02/13/2025

One week from today, "Lafayette" returns to Halifax!

02/12/2025

Join us! We are seeking a Social Media Marketing Manager who will be responsible for informing and engaging the public on Tryon Palace events, tours, lectures, happenings and history through multiple social media and digital platforms. Great writing and editing skills are a must! Candidate should have strong photography and videography skills. This position does require weekend and evening duties on occasion. For more information and to apply:
http:/www.governmentjobs.com/careers/northcarolina/jobs/4823038/

02/12/2025

Did you know that one of the first African American Senators in the North Carolina General Assembly was from Halifax County? Henry Eppes, was born enslaved on September 16, 1830. He was trained as a brick mason and plasterer, but self-educated himself in order to become an A.M.E. minister and politician. After the Civil War, Eppes became Halifax's delegate to the state's "Freedmen's Convention" in 1866, and represented Halifax County again in 1868's Constitutional Convention. He served seven terms as a state senator for Halifax County. During that time, he pushed for the state to protect against the criminal actions of the K*K; he advocated for equal rights when travelling on public conveyances, and he helped established educational opportunities for African Americans. His efforts as well as that of another senator led to the founding of Elizabeth City State University.
Eppes married Lavinia Knight, and together they had thirteen children. His son Charles Montgomery Eppes was also an educational leader in Greenville, NC. Senator Eppes died at home in Halifax County in January 1093. In a 2013 Senate Joint Resolution by the North Carolina General Assembly, Senator Henry Eppes and many others were acknowledged as being African American pioneers in the state’s political and racial history. Pictured here, State Senator Henry Eppes.
Sources: https://ncdncr.medium.com/first-african-american-senators-in-the-north-carolina-general-assembly-fe4a4efa08be
https://www.ncpedia.org/eppes-henry

02/11/2025

The North Carolina State Archives recently released a blog post regarding Rosenwald Schools in the state. Did you know that they have an entire collection of digitized records for anyone interested in researching African American Education in our state? You can read the blog and access the digitized records here:
https://ncarchives.wpcomstaging.com/2025/02/03/rosenwald-fund-papers-in-the-digital-collections/

02/11/2025

Come celebrate the arrival of our Nation’s Guest, the Marquis de Lafayette, as he is received in the birthplace of independence. Halifax was where the Halifax Resolves and the first NC Constitutio...

02/10/2025

02/09/2025

Today is Super Bowl Sunday, which has become almost a national holiday in it's relatively short history. The first Super Bowl was played in 1967. North Carolina didn't have an NFL team of its own until the formation of the Carolina Panthers in 1993, and their first Super Bowl appearance was 2004. However, we North Carolinians have a long tradition of following college football obsessively. Football became a college sport in the late 19th Century, and was pretty controversial at the time. Halifax County Newspapers such as the "Scotland Neck Commonwealth" and the "Roanoke News" fretted and joked about it's roughness. Gradually, as North Carolina teams began winning, concern became fandom.
Pictured here, clippings from "The Scotland Neck Commonwealth," November 25, 1897, and "The Roanoke News," printed in Weldon, NC, October 22, 1896 and December 1, 1898 editions.

02/08/2025

We continue celebrating Black History Month by telling the story of James Williams. Williams was born into slavery in Virginia in 1805. His enslaver moved him to Alabama and assigned him to be a “slave driver,” meaning he would have to hunt runaways and punish both men and women with a whip. Horrified and feeling betrayed, Williams fled north using what we now know as “The Underground Railroad.” He later talked about the difficulty of crossing the Roanoke River in Halifax in his book, “Narrative of James Williams, A Slave,” published in 1838.
“. . . the thought of being again made a slave, and suffering the horrible punishment of a runaway, restrained me. I lay in the woods all day without food. The next evening, I soon found a large pile of excellent apples from which I supplied myself. The next evening I reached Halifax Court House, and then I knew I was near Virginia. On the 7th of October, I came to the Roanoke and crossed it in the midst of a violent storm of rain and thunder. The current ran so furiously that I was carried down with it, and with great difficulty, and in a state of complete exhaustion, reached the opposite shore.”
James Williams finally arrives in the north, first in Philadelphia and then New York. He is welcomed by the American Anti-Slavery Society, an abolitionist group. They purchased a ticket for him to travel to England (much safer than the north or even Canada for him), and in exchange he allowed them to publish his story. Williams lived out the rest of his life in England and in freedom.
Here at Historic Halifax State Historic Site, we offer visitors a chance to learn about the hardships enslaved individuals faced when seeking freedom. The Underground Railroad Trail, which leads to an overlook of the Roanoke River, is available for visitors to walk or drive. Site maps are available in the Tap Room, which we are using as our temporary Visitors Center while renovations are ongoing.
Source: https://docsouth.unc.edu/fpn/williams/summary.html

02/07/2025

Today’s profile for Black History Month is Sarah Keys Evans. On August 2, 1952, Sarah, then a 23-year-old Private in the Black Women’s Army Corps, was travelling via bus from Fort Dix, New Jersey to her hometown of Washington, NC. When the bus stopped to change drivers in Roanoke Rapids, NC, the new driver told her to give up her seat for a white Marine. She refused and was arrested for disorderly conduct. She was pulled off the bus by two policemen and placed in the Roanoke Rapids jail. She spent the night in a cell with a mattress so dirty that she was afraid sitting down would soil her uniform. According to her, she spent the night pacing in her 1 and ½ inch heels, “crying and praying.” The next morning, she was fined $25 and allowed to resume her journey. With the support of her family, she filed a complaint with the Interstate Commerce Commission, “Sarah Keys vs. Carolina Coach Company.” After three long years of legal battles, the ICC banned segregation on interstate busses. That ruling came on November 7, 1955, making national headlines. Later that month, Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat on a Montgomery, Alabama city bus. As time passed, Sarah moved on, marrying, and becoming a hairdresser in Harlem. She did not like talking about the emotional experience and preferred to fade into the background. However, her story was too important to be lost to history. The US Department of Justice honored Evans with a Trailblazer Award in 2006. Today, Sarah Keys Evans is remembered in Roanoke Rapids with a mural of her story, painted by local artist Napoleon Hill. A highway marker has also been erected on Roanoke Avenue near the former bus terminal. Sadly, Sarah Keys Evans passed away on November 16, 2023. In 2020, TIME Magazine asked her what advice she’d give to young people today. “Keep on reading, and keep on listening.”
Sources: https://time.com/5871245/sarah-keys-evans/
https://www.rrdailyherald.com/.../article_9e6d5ab0-77d7...

02/05/2025

Wednesday This past Sunday was Groundhog Day, and the famous Punxsutawney Phil in PA saw his shadow. While North Carolina’s own Sir Walter Wally retired last year, another NC groundhog named Snerd in Garner didn’t see his shadow, predicting an early spring for NC. If the groundhog sees his shadow, the tradition is that he is predicting 6 more weeks of winter. Of course, this is all just for fun. A groundhog is no actual meteorologist. But, many people this time of year may be asking, “What the heck is a groundhog, anyway?”
A groundhog, also known as a woodchuck or a whistlepig, is a rodent in the same family as squirrels. The name woodchuck is believed to be derived from the Native American name for the animal, “wuchak.” A fully grown groundhog can weigh between 4-14 lbs. and their bodies can range between 16-32 inches long. Their fur is usually a reddish-brown color, and are quite common in the northern half of the state. They typically reside in burrows and hibernate throughout the winter. A common belief is that they would wake up from hibernation around February 2nd and poke their nose out of their den to see if winter was over—and, if they saw their shadow, they would go back to sleep for another 6 weeks! Hence the holiday was born!
Many localities have their own weather-predicting groundhog, like Phil and Snerd. There’s “French Creek Freddie” in West Virginia, “Buckeye Chuck” in Ohio, “Smith Lake Jake” in Alabama, and “Big Al” in Texas. If you would like to learn more about groundhogs from around the US and Canada, you can click here: https://groundhog-day.com/groundhogs. To read more about groundhogs in the wild in North Carolina, click here: https://www.ncwildlife.org/species/groundhog

02/04/2025

Historic Halifax State Historic Site Marks 200th Anniversary of the Marquis de Lafayette’s Visit
Contact: Kristal Chapman, 252-583-7191
HALIFAX, N.C.-- Historic Halifax State Historic Site will mark the 200th anniversary of the Marquis de Lafayette’s historic visit to the town with special programming on Thursday, February 27.
Beginning at 1 p.m., visitors to the site are invited to tour Historic Halifax’s historic buildings and interact with costumed interpreters engaged in living history demonstrations. At 5 p.m., cannon fire and ringing bells will announce the arrival of “Lafayette” in a horse-drawn carriage. The actor portraying Lafayette will be welcomed at the Eagle Tavern to offer greetings to all assembled. Then, he'll proceed to a festive dinner at The Hen and The Hog Restaurant.
The dinner program will reenact the hospitality of the citizens of Halifax, who celebrated their distinguished guest with thirteen toasts in 1825. The dinner, hosted by Royal White Hart Lodge #2 and the American Friends of the Marquis de Lafayette, is sold out.
Nearly 50 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, President James Monroe invited the Marquis de Lafayette to tour the United States. Lafayette, the French hero of the American Revolution, stopped in Halifax on February 27, 1825. He stayed at the Eagle Tavern and gave a speech about liberty and freedom. At the time, Lafayette was the last surviving major general of the Revolutionary War.
About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina – its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. Through its programs, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency.
The department manages over 100 locations across the state, including 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, five science museums, four aquariums, 35 state parks, four recreation areas, dozens of state trails and natural areas, the North Carolina Zoo, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, the African American Heritage Commission, the American Indian Heritage Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office, the Office of State Archaeology, the Highway Historical Markers program, the N.C. Land and Water Fund, and the Natural Heritage Program. For more information, please visit www.dncr.nc.gov.

02/04/2025

Austin Curtis Part 2
As we continue the story of Austin Curtis, we will be talking about his emancipation and how he built his own wealth and reputation as a horse breeder and trainer.
Curtis was a veteran of The American Revolution, though we have little details of his service. When the British occupied Halifax in May of 1781 on their march to Yorktown, they stole livestock, especially horses, from Halifax citizens. When General Cornwallis stayed at the home of Willie Jones, Curtis successfully hid and protected all horses under his care.
Willie Jones filed a petition to the NC Legislature to emancipate Curtis on December 5, 1791. In it, Jones wrote of Curtis, “by his attachment to his Country during the War by his fidelity to his Master (the said Willie Jones) and by his Honesty and good Behavior on all Occasions, has demonstrated that he deserves to be free." The Legislature granted the petition and changed Curtis’s last name to “Jones.” His family later reversed their surname to Curtis.
After being emancipated, Curtis accumulated wealth and notoriety as a free man of color. He became nationally renowned as a horse breeder and trainer. In 1832, Judge William Williams, secretary of the Nashville Jockey Club, wrote of Austin Curtis, “. . . Austin Curtis, a man of color indeed but one of judgment, skill and courteous manners. He knew how 'to get the length into them,' or to bring out their game. Under his auspices the fame of Collector grew, and the powers of Snap Dragon were developed.” (Collector and Snap Dragon were both racehorses bred and trained by Curtis.)
Curtis was able to purchase freedom for several of his children before he died in 1808, and left the family well provided for. His obituary was featured in the January 5, 1809 edition of “The Raleigh Minerva" which was rare for a person of color. We have pictured it here.

02/03/2025

Austin Curtis, Part 1
Did you know that one of the most successful jockeys in the early history of our country lived right here in Halifax? Today, we want to share more information about Austin Curtis, a renowned jockey and horse trainer born into slavery in Virginia in 1760.
Horse racing was the most popular sport in early North Carolina, and prior to 1850, the Roanoke Valley was the premier location of horse breeding in the United States. Willie Jones, Austin Curtis’ enslaver, had his own horse track built behind his home in Halifax. Curtis trained racehorses for Jones and competed as a jockey, thereby contributing significantly to Jones’s wealth. Jones profited heavily from Curtis’s equestrian skills, not only from purses, but from side bets. Gambling land, horses, and property such as cash crops were common in early America. The following quote is from “The Great Black Jockeys“ by Edward Hotaling: “Their relationship may have been imbalanced -- to put it mildly -- but Willie Jones, in his early thirties, and Austin Curtis, in his early teens, were the first famous manager-athlete combination in America.”
Austin Curtis’ most famous win came in 1773 in nearby Brunswick County, Virginia. He raced Willie Jones’ horse “Paoli” against “Big Filly” to win 147,000 pounds of to***co. Curtis won by taking his foot out of a stirrup and wiggling it, tricking the other jockey into believing he was not ready. While there is no record of what Curtis’ cut of the prize money was, it was customary to reward a winning enslaved jockey with a share of the prizes or other perks.
Part 2 tomorrow

02/02/2025

Visitor Center Renovation Update:

Raise the roof! The open "rotunda" is no more. In its place will be a glass sun room, making the former courtyard our new lobby. We are all quite happy with the progress at the Visitors Center.

02/01/2025

Today is the beginning of February, and the beginning of Black History Month. Throughout the month, we will be posting stories regarding the Black History of Halifax County and the Roanoke River Valley.
The area that we today know as Northeastern North Carolina was first colonized by Europeans in the late 1600’s and early 1700’s. Many of those colonists migrated from Virginia, where slavery was a well-established institution. Existing records show that people were being forcibly shipped to North Carolina from places such as the West Indies, Africa, and other North American Colonies. Once here, they were enslaved by the wealthy planters and middle-class whites such as merchants and tavern-keepers. While Halifax County had a large population of free African-Americans, most living here prior to the Civil War were enslaved. They worked in agriculture, transportation, kitchens, homes, and stores. Some became blacksmiths, printers, dressmakers, brewers, jockeys, carpenters, and sailors. They fought in the Revolutionary War, preached, and educated others. We will talk about some of their lives and contributions over the next few weeks.
Painting: "The Old Plantation" circa 1785-1795 by John Rose, Beaufort County, South Carolina

01/31/2025

Here is the schedule for our episode of "Travels with Darley" airing on PBS.