Located on the Perquimans River in Hertford, NC, the Newbold-White House claims the honor of being the oldest brick house in the state of North Carolina. No matter if your tour is guided or self-guided, this plantation has a way of coming alive as you walk the property and learn about its beginnings, including the families who lived here.
A shell path crunches under your shoes as you learn about the background of this piece of history, including the establishment of NC as an English colony. Perquimans County has a rich and fascinating history due to its early settlement.
The path takes you past a boxwood-enclosed cemetery where the imagination supplies the stories of those who found their final resting place there. The Quakers who called this land home did not practice grave-marking, but there is knowledge of at least 24 graves here.
The path continues across a creek and closer to the house itself, where you learn of water travel, periaugers, and just how much the Perquimans River has meant to families for centuries.
As you move from the back of the house to the front, be sure to not miss the story in the details. How many children pressed their noses against these windows as visitors trudged up from the river, and how many might have climbed in the trees?
How rough and beautiful were the hands that so perfectly laid each brick, and so laid the foundation of a community?
Coming full circle around the house, be sure to note the kitchen garden and the things planted there. Imagine the ladies harvesting what their hands planted, and feeding their families.
The inside of the house is equally inspiring. But you'll have to visit and see it for yourself. When you're in Perquimans, be sure to visit Newbold White-House!
For more information, visit www.perquimansrestoration.org.
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