New Begun Land

Newbegun Creek is said to have received its name in 1700 from a Quaker named Boyd who relocated here from Symond’s Creek seeking a “New Beginning.” The first court house in Pasquotank County was built in 1729 at Broomfield, which was the northwest point of Newbegun Creek and Palin's Creek. Present day Camden County was part of Pasquotank County and it was often difficult and dangerous for Camden residents to cross the wide Pasquotank River when journeying to the court house. Therefore, in 1754 the court house was moved up the river to Winfield, a location in Winslow Acres near the peach orchard. The area has followed the development of Pasquotank County as primarily an agricultural community with its county seat and commercial center in Elizabeth City. The nine-month growing season in northeastern North Carolina produces corn, cabbage, soybean, potatoes, cotton and other crops.

Before looking at some 20th Century events, let us consider a few happenings in the area’s early history. The Revolutionary War brought an invasion of Hampton Roads. Fighting took place in Great Bridge, and small American forces were stationed in the dismal swamp, however the Pasquotank area was spared.

During the civil war, the bloody battlefields of nearby states and other parts of North Carolina did not spread with equal havoc to the Pasquotank, even though many local men were involved. For most of the war, the union controlled the Outer Banks and the North Carolina seaports from Elizabeth City to Beaufort. A small naval battle took place on the Pasquotank River between the Union Navy and Confederate River boats.

For those interested in more detail about the social and economic history of the area, the Museum of the Albemarle and the Elizabeth City Public Library can provide more information.

The U.S. Navy became interested in the Newbegun Creek area in 1941 as a sight for the Lighter-Than-Air-Station. Its blimps would conduct antisubmarine operations from Cape Hatteras to Norfolk. The Navy chose 765 acres of farmland along the northwest shore of the Pasquotank River on a peninsula formed by Newbegun Creek at its junction with the river. The site lay only twenty miles inland from the Atlantic Ocean. Read more about the US Coast Guard Air Station in Elizabeth City, NC

Two hangers, one of steel and one of wood were constructed during 1942. Antisubmarine operations began in May of 1942. Blimps from Weeksville and Lakehurst, New Jersey patrolled the coastal waters and convoy lanes throughout the war, making U-boats activity increasingly difficult. After the war, the base performed a variety of air and land duties until its closing in October 1957.

The base was purchased by Gaston and William Small and later developed into the Newbegun Land Subdivision. Commercial research and development of large blimps kept the wooden hanger active. Existing and potential uses of large aerostats are many. Naval, law enforcement, and commercial applications are clearly within the capabilities of lighter-than-air vehicles. For residents and landowners of Newbegun, the airships provide a sense of history and a unique environment. The wooden hanger, which burned to the ground on August 3, 1995, was recognized by the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s largest wooden building in 1994.

ECNCWeather.com has current weather conditions in Elizabeth City, NC and view the HarborCam live from the Waterworks Building overlooking Harbor of Hospitality... The Pasquotank GIS office has a Google Earth Tour online that is pretty amazing! Check it out... (Hit the >Play button and let it have time to load... it is worth the time!)