BY MILES LAYTON

A round-up of all things from God’s country…

Chowan County’s population is growing. In 2020 the county’s population was 13,707, which grew to 13,891 in 2024, according to the latest census figures.  

Chowan County’s population increased 6 out of the past 12 years between 2010 and 2024 with its largest annual population increase was 1.1% between 2021 and 2022. 

And I suspect that with Project Teapot moving forward, Edenton will gain even more people. Project Teapot will generate 61 new jobs within three years, probably a lot more. 

Why is Chowan County growing? Because people like Hood Ellis make it a great place to live.

Applying Ellis as an example of being invested in the community, he has served as Town Attorney for Edenton since 2007 – a smart guy who graduated from the Wake Forest School of Law and NCSU. He’s also active at St. Paul’s, a longtime member of the church’s vestry. Married to Anne – they live in that big nice house on Court Street.  

Speaking of good people, Patti Mordecai has been hired to serve as the Director of Marketing, Retail, and Community Events for the Edenton Historical Commission.  

Mordecai holds a degree in marketing from NC State University and has accumulated decades of experience working with local non-profits in various capacities. Prior to her new job, Mordecai was the Gallery and Marketing Manager for the Chowan Arts Council.  

Mordecai will make a great addition to the Barker House folks.  

“Patti is excited to work alongside the Edenton Historical Commission, the staff and volunteers at The Barker House, and the community to create engaging experiences and to help tell the stories that make Edenton so special,” Edenton Historical Commission posted to Facebook.  

Mordecai is married to Julien – good guy – they have a nice home on North Broad Street.  

Back to the census and growth — Chowan County is a good place for investment because it offers solid infrastructure and access to highways that lead to big cities in North Carolina and Virginia – a state that may be eyeing our area more and more in the years to come for warehouse space that’s far more affordable than it is across the stateline. Chowan County has a regional hospital and airport. Entrepreneurial spirit – Google Colony Tire and/or Charlie Creighton – Google Jimbo’s Jumbos – I bought their peanuts in San Francisco.  

Chowan County offers great events like Pilgrimage. We are three weeks – roughly 22 days – from the start of Pilgrimage. My wife will serve as a docent – a guide for one of the homes featured during the tour. If you missed it before, here are the stops for Pilgrimage.   

PRIVATE HOMES

• Homestead, 1773
• Bennet Dixon House, Elizabeth Van Moore, 1780
• Edward Piland House, 1785
• Beverly Hall, 1810
• Skinner Paxton House, 1820
• Wessington, 1850
• Rebecca Sansbury House, 1889
• D.T. Ward Sr. House, c. 1900
• Speight House, 1900
• E.S. Norman House, 1917
• William Holmes House, c. 1920

OTHER

• Granville Queen Inn, c. 1907
• Metrah Makely House, (Captain Quarters), 1907

These properties (below) are owned by the North Carolina State Historic Site. Some sites may have tours or other activities going on, so visit the Historic Site Welcome Center on North Broad Street for information.

• Mr. Ogilby’s Tavern, 1718 (Edenton’s Oldest House) (Outside viewing only)
• The James Iredell House, 1773
• Hayes Farm, 1814-1817

Chowan County has good schools with smart students, especially our student-athletes, who achieve on the playing field and in the classrooms. As a substitute teacher on occasion, I can say with certainty that our Aces are topnotch, taught by great teachers and led by experienced and caring administrators.  

Aces’ De’Andra Winslow (9th grade) and Olivia Resendiz (11th grade) won prizes with their art in the categories “Mixed Media Visual Arts” and “Colored Pencil Drawing”. Congratulations to our amazingly talented students. 

Thanks goes to Susan Inglis from the Edenton Woman’s Club and Lina Ahs, Visual Arts Teacher at JAH for coordinating this event.

Speaking of Inglis, I greeted her on my daily walk through Hayes the other day. Like many people, I suspect Susan does a “loop” that starts from Homestead on Water Street through Hayes to what I’ll call the “back nine” – those fields that are absolutely beautiful around sunset. I’ve seen Joy Harvill and her beagle walking through that area too.  

Another example of the community’s commitment to our schools — local notables participated in Wednesday’s Guys N Ties at the Chowan Middle School. Bulldogs learned how to tie a tie – that’s an important skill. Volunteers included Councilmen Craig Miller and Aaron Coston, Dr. Melvin Tatem Youth Minister, Police Chief David LaFon, Stephen Hill of Macedonia Baptist Church, EPD Detective AJ Awad, Jay Swicegood of Edenton Baptist Church along with CMS folks Kevin Outlaw, Sharon Bunch and Alice Bunch.  

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