Museum - Historic Port of Washington Project, Inc

We still have a few of the Historic Port of Washington Project's 2021 calendar of vintage photos of Washington and Beaufort County. They will be on sale Saturday November 14 beginning at 9:00 am at the HPOW display in the Washington Harbor District Market on Main Street downtown. The cost is $15. The photos were painstakingly restored and colorized to bring out details not readily seen in the black and white versions. If you can't make it to the Market, you can purchase one online at https://py.pl/2EvcmH.

https://www.thewashingtondailynews.com//historic-port-of-/

Need an idea for a Christmas gift? Come by the Washington Harbor District Market on Saturday, November 7, and check out our calendar with colorized archival images of Washington. Just $15. We will be out front of the Market on the beautiful new sidewalks along Main Street.

Now available to purchase online, the 2021 Historic Port of Washington calendar with old photos of Washington and Beaufort County for just $15 + $2.50 shipping. Click the link below to pay with PayPal, debit or credit card: https://py.pl/2EvcmH

http://www.hpow.org/contribute

The roof replacement on the historic Turnage Theater is complete! The crane is gone and the streetscape project is nearing completion! Come downtown and see firsthand the progress. Visit the Harbor District Market and the HPOW booth.

In 2018, Mayor Mac Hodges declared October 12 as Hull Anderson Day in Washington, NC, to recognize the historic contributions Anderson made to Washington and North Carolina. Hull Anderson was born a slave in 1794. He was eventually able to buy his freedom and, by 1840, had become one of Washington's most prominent landowners and businessmen. Mr. Anderson was one of the most successful African-American shipbuilders and the only one in Washington. He purchased the freedom of se...veral other enslaved people, including several family members. Anderson employed many local African-Americans at his shipbuilding business and was a significant part of Washington, NC, and international history. Mr. Anderson dealt with the most influential businessmen in Washington during his time in the town. His caulking and shipbuilding expertise is an excellent addition to the maritime history of Washington. Hull Anderson contributed to the Methodist Episcopal Church to help fund the American Colonization Society's mission, which helped enslaved people emigrate to Liberia. In 1841, he sold most of his property in Washington and, through the society's services, relocated to Liberia, where he helped fund a Benevolent Society. See more

More lamp posts and newly planted trees along Main Street.

The first lamp post is going up as part of the Main Street streetscape project. Things are looking good downtown.

This exploration is in the Tar River off West Main Street.

https://www.facebook.com/225883244103801/posts/4942106149148130/?sfnsn=mo

In this presentation, we will explore the history of the U. S. Coast Guard in Washington, N. C.

Railroad car ferry "John W. Garrett", used by the Norfolk and Southern Railroad to ferry train cars across Albemarle Sound from Edenton to Mackey's Ferry, North Carolina, from 1899 to 1910. Sold to St. Louis & San Francisco for Mississippi River service, first at St. Louis under the original name, then renamed as B.L. WINCHELL and operated by subsidiary New Orleans, Texas & Mexico Railroad. Converted to barge, 1915. Fate uncertain. Watercolor by W. G. Larmour.

Remembering D-Day, June 6, 1944. Many of the landing craft, ships and transports along with rescue patrol boats were manned by members of the US Coast Guard. This photo was taken from a Coast Guard manned landing craft. Original caption: Down the ramp of a Coast Guard Landing barge Yankee soldiers storm toward the beach-sweeping fire of Nazi defenders in the D-Day Invasion of the French Coast.

On this day 21 years ago. Some may ask what does the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse have to do with Washington history? In the days of the 1st Cape Hatteras lighthouse (this is the 2nd one), the Customs Collector in Washington was responsible for the management of the structure, both supervising and making sure the light was maintained. But moving the lighthouse was a historic event worth sharing on this anniversary.

Work begins on renovating the roof of the Turnage Theater.

Crane starting to go up on Main Street to replace the Turnage Theater roof.

Shad boats were indigenous to the sounds and rivers of eastern North Carolina. This is the story of a master boat builder from Engelhard who later in life became a resident and boat builder in Pantego.

Work continues on Main Street. The asphalt on the section from Respess Street to Gladden Street has been remove and the crews have started taking up the concrete pavement that was below the asphalt. Uncovered below the concrete are brick pavers that can be seen in the photo. They probably date from at least a century ago.

From a 1902 map of Washington. Notice the designation of the Pamlico/Tar River as a "steamboat route." Steamboat traffic reached up the Tar River as far as Tarboro and connected the town to other coastal communities as far away as Norfolk and other cities along the Chesapeake Bay. Washington was at its height as a port and commercial center in eastern NC. Also an indication of its importance is the fact that two railroads had laid down rails to town, the Atlantic Coastline and the Norfolk and Southern. Notice that the railroad trestle did not yet spanned the Pamlico River.