Elizabeth City, North Carolina: Difference between revisions

In 1793, businessmen supported construction of the Dismal Swamp Canal; it was integral to the success of Elizabeth City's commerce. The [[North Carolina General Assembly|North Carolina Assembly]] incorporated the town as "Redding", renaming it in 1794 as "Elizabethtown". Due to resulting confusion with [[Elizabethtown, North Carolina|another town]] of the same name, in 1801, the city was renamed as "Elizabeth City".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.historicelizabethcity.org/text/1.2.1.html|title=historicelizabethcity.org|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120803130620/http://www.historicelizabethcity.org/text/1.2.1.html|archive-date=August 3, 2012|df=mdy-all}}</ref> The name "Elizabeth" has been attributed to Elizabeth "Betsy" Tooley, a local tavern proprietress who donated much of the land for the new town.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.carolina-north.com/elizabeth_city.html|title=Elizabeth City, One of America's Best Small Towns.|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091203163008/http://www.carolina-north.com/elizabeth_city.html|archive-date=December 3, 2009|df=mdy-all|access-date=March 10, 2010}}</ref>

Meanwhile, overland travel slowly improved, enabling greater trade between neighboring counties. The ferry continued to provide transport between Elizabeth City and Camden County. But the completion of competing canals and railroads around Elizabeth City meant that neighboring cities began to draw off some of the traffic. The [[Portsmouth and Weldon Railroad]], completed in the 1830s, allowed for goods to be transported from the [[Roanoke River]] directly to [[Weldon, North Carolina|Weldon]]. The Albemarle–Chesapeake Canal, completed in 1859, created a deeper channel for merchants shipping goods from the eastern [[Albemarle Sound]] to Norfolk.

Such new opportunities established Elizabeth City as a thriving deep-water port and powerful regional economic center. It was based on such industries as [[lumbering]], [[shipbuilding]], grain export, and fish and oyster processing; it rivaled other ports such as [[Norfolk, Virginia]], and [[Baltimore, Maryland]]. But the establishment in 1881 of the Elizabeth City and Norfolk Railroad, later renamed the [[Norfolk Southern Railway (1942–82)|Norfolk Southern Railway]], encouraged a shift of industries from waterfront in Elizabeth City to the growing cities of North Carolina's Upper Coastal Plain and [[Piedmont (United States)|Piedmont]].<ref name="historicelizabethcity.org">{{cite web|url=http://www.historicelizabethcity.org/text/1.6.3.html|title=historicelizabethcity.org|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130112204037/http://www.historicelizabethcity.org/text/1.6.3.html|archive-date=January 12, 2013|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

The declaration of [[World War II]] reinvigorated Elizabeth City's industries, particularly in shipbuilding, textiles, and aeronautics. [[Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City]] was established in 1940 and [[Weeksville Dirigible Hangar|Navy Air Station Weeksville]] in 1941 to provide valuable surveillance by [[seaplane]] and [[dirigible]] of German [[U-boat]]s that were targeting American merchant shipping in [[East Coast of the United States|East Coast]] waters.

Additionally from 1942 to 1944, the Elizabeth City Shipyard supported the war effort with much of its production: thirty 111-foot SC-class [[submarine chaser]]s,<ref name="shipbuildinghistory.com">{{cite web |url=http://shipbuildinghistory.com/history/shipyards/4emergencysmall/elizabeth.htm |title=Elizabeth City Shipyard |access-date=2013-06-21 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019214431/http://www.shipbuildinghistory.com/history/shipyards/4emergencysmall/elizabeth.htm |archive-date=October 19, 2012 |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref name="splinterfleet.org">{{cite web|url=http://www.splinterfleet.org/sfspec.php|title=Splinter Fleet - Subchaser Facts and Specifications|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041108065003/http://www.splinterfleet.org/sfspec.php|archive-date=November 8, 2004|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.navsource.org/archives/12/01idx.htm|title=Submarine Chaser Photo Index|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080112110819/http://www.navsource.org/archives/12/01idx.htm|archive-date=January 12, 2008|df=mdy-all}}</ref> four YT-class yard [[Tugboat|tugboats]], and six 104-foot QS-class quick supply boats.<ref name="shipbuildinghistory.com"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://shipbuildinghistory.com/history/smallships/armyqsboats.htm |title=US Army Quick-Supply Boats QS |access-date=2013-06-21 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121020025459/http://www.shipbuildinghistory.com/history/smallships/armyqsboats.htm |archive-date=October 20, 2012 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> The Elizabeth City Shipyard built the most subchasers for the war effort (30 out of 438 total nationally), and set the record construction time for the SC-class, with SC-740 laid down in only thirty days.<ref name="splinterfleet.org"/> As of June 2013, the Elizabeth City Shipyard is still in operation.

Elizabeth City serves as the [[county seat]] of Pasquotank County. The city has a [[council–manager government|council–manager]] style of government. The city council is composed of eight council members and the city manager, elected by the council members. The city manager serves a largely executive function, overseeing the city's administrative departments, appointing department heads and city employees, and informing the rest of the council of relevant municipal conditions. Currently, the city manager is Rich Olsen.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.cityofec.com/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC=%7B28B2A46B-BABB-4694-B9FF-CE3F092AD426%7D |title=Elizabeth City website |access-date=June 9, 2010 |archive-date=June 4, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100604025330/http://www.cityofec.com/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC=%7B28B2A46B-BABB-4694-B9FF-CE3F092AD426%7D |url-status=dead }}</ref> The eight council members, on the other hand, act in a legislative regard, adopting city policies, holding the city manager responsible, and choosing a [[Mayor pro tempore|mayor pro-tempore]] from its council members. This council is elected every two years by each of the four wards composing the city electing two members.<ref name="cityofec.com">{{Cite web |url=http://www.cityofec.com/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC=%7B9F89997F-1F28-4877-AD0C-87869AE09C04%7D |title=Elizabeth City website |access-date=June 9, 2010 |archive-date=September 27, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927040335/http://www.cityofec.com/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC=%7B9F89997F-1F28-4877-AD0C-87869AE09C04%7D |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Elizabeth City has an office for the [[United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina]], headed by [[Terrence Boyle|Terrence W. Boyle]] as the resident judge. This court presides over cases in the northern region of this district.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nced.uscourts.gov/html/divoffElizabethCity.htm |title=Welcome to the Eastern District of North Carolina |access-date=2010-06-09 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100531055431/http://www.nced.uscourts.gov/html/divOffElizabethCity.htm |archive-date=May 31, 2010 |df=mdy-all }}</ref>

Elizabeth City is also home to one of the United States' few [[airship]] factories.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tcomlp.com/facilities.html|title=TCOM - Leader in Affordable Persistent Surveillance Solutions - Design, Manufacture of Tethered Aerostat Systems - For over 40 years, TCOM innovations have defined the industry, and our pioneering achievements continue to revolutionize the design, manufacture and deployment of LTA systems. With corporate headquarters in Columbia, MD and manufacturing and testing facilities in Elizabeth City, NC, TCOM is the world's only company solely devoted to the design, fabrication, installation and operation of persistent surveillance aerostat systems.|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050306192816/http://www.tcomlp.com/facilities.html|archive-date=March 6, 2005|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Many of the nation's commercial blimps are made and serviced here. The current airship facilities evolved from what had previously been [[Naval Air Station Weeksville]], operational from 1941 to 1957. NAS Weeksville's LTA craft played a vital role in German [[U-boat]] spotting during World War II, helping to minimize losses to East Coast [[Freight transport|shipping]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.elizcity.com/weeksnas/ |title=U. S. Naval Air Station (LTA) Weeksville, North Carolina...............................................................................................................................................ICW-NET Elizabeth City NC |access-date=2010-02-27 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090323080732/http://www.elizcity.com/weeksnas/ |archive-date=March 23, 2009 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> NAS Weeksville was home to two hangars, one still existing as corrugated steel, and a slightly larger one constructed out of [[Southern Yellow Pine]], to conserve metal for the WWII war effort. This latter hangar was the largest wooden structure in the world until its demise by fire in 1995.

A joint public-private [[airpark]] adjacent to the Coast Guard base is in the planning stages. Intended to make Elizabeth City a premier hub of the [[aviation industry]], the airpark hopes to attract major tenants as well as the Aviation Science programs of [[Elizabeth City State University]] and related programs by the [[College of the Albemarle]].

Among these are the most striking architectural feature of the greater Albemarle region, the Virginia Dare Hotel, and Arcade, which has dominated the skyline of Elizabeth City since its completion in 1927. Designed by [[William Lee Stoddart]] of [[New York City]], one of the nation's leading hotel architects, the nine-story building was billed as the Albemarle's first “skyscraper” when it opened in 1927. It remains the tallest building in the region.

[[Elizabeth City State University]], the smallest constituent member of the 16-campus [[University of North Carolina]] System, is a [[historically black colleges and universities|historically African-American]] institution, enrolling 2,930 students as of fall 2011<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ecsu.edu/administration/ia/urm/quickfacts.cfm |title=ECSU :: University Relations & Marketing |access-date=2013-02-08 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130427122829/http://www.ecsu.edu/administration/ia/urm/quickfacts.cfm |archive-date=April 27, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> on a compact {{convert|200|acre|km2|adj=on}} campus along the city's southern edge. Founded as a [[normal school]] in 1891, it now serves the higher educational needs of northeastern North Carolina's sixteen counties, offering 28 [[Undergraduate education|undergraduate]] and four [[Master's degree|master's degrees]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ecsu.edu/academics/index.cfm |title=Elizabeth City State University, Elizabeth City NC |access-date=2013-02-08 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130127012353/http://www.ecsu.edu/academics/index.cfm |archive-date=January 27, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref>

ECSU offers Aviation Science programs at their training facility at [[Elizabeth City Regional Airport]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ecsu.edu/fs/docs/VSA07Final.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2010-03-10 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100527224326/http://www.ecsu.edu/fs/docs/VSA07Final.pdf |archive-date=May 27, 2010 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> as well as a [[Doctor of Pharmacy|Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD)]] program in collaboration with the [[University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill]] (UNC-CH), flagship school of the [[UNC system]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ecsu.edu/academics/mathsciencetechnology/pharmhealthpro/index.cfm |title=ECSU :: Department of Pharmacy & Health Professions |access-date=2010-07-27 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100818033514/http://www.ecsu.edu/academics/mathsciencetechnology/pharmhealthpro/index.cfm |archive-date=August 18, 2010 |df=mdy-all }}</ref>

Also located here is the main campus of the [[College of the Albemarle]] (COA), positioned on the city's northern edge adjacent to [[Albemarle Hospital]]. It is known as the first community college to be established under the (North Carolina) Community College Act of 1960. COA has [[Satellite campus|satellite campuses]] in [[Barco, North Carolina|Barco]], [[Edenton, North Carolina|Edenton]] and [[Manteo, North Carolina|Manteo]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.albemarle.edu/welcome.php?cat=486 |title=College of the Albemarle - Welcome to COA > Campus History > 1960?s |access-date=2010-03-15 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100527153413/http://www.albemarle.edu/welcome.php?cat=486 |archive-date=May 27, 2010 |df=mdy-all }}</ref>

All three schools have agreements allowing students to [[Dual enrollment|dual-enroll]] in one of the other two institutions.

Mainline {{Jct|state=NC|US|17}} crosses the [[Little River (AlbemarleNorth SoundCarolina)|Little River]], entering Pasquotank County from the southwest. Bypass US 17 immediately splits off to the northwest as mainline US 17 continues to the northeast toward Elizabeth City. Shortly after entering the city limits, US 17 Business splits off to the east towards the downtown waterfront. Mainline US 17 continues through Elizabeth City as Hughes Boulevard (the former US 17 Bypass from 1969 to 2002).