Surrounded by rural farmland and anchored by a historic courthouse in the center of town, Pittsboro nonetheless has all the cultural, business and educational advantages proximity to the Triangle has to offer. But Pittsboro also has its own community theater, literary coffeehouses and emerging artists. Jordan Lake State Recreation Area offers fishing, boating, skiing, camping, and hiking for the outdoors lovers, and it also makes a great destination for a picnic and birdwatching - it's the largest summertime home of bald eagles in the Eastern United States. You can't talk much about North Carolina without mentioning its depth of history. It is the site, after all, of the first English colony.
Many small towns dotting the eastern third of the state are pre-Revolutionary War.
Our pick for the northeastern corner of the state is Edenton, one of the state's most historic towns. Edenton, at the head of the Albemarle Sound on the Chowan River, was established in the late 17th century, incorporated in 1722. A remarkable number of its early buildings have been maintained and restored - Georgian, Federal and Greek Revival buildings, a historic courthouse and historic churches. Many are featured on a walking tour. Eastern North Carolina is less populated, more remote, and for that reason is attractive to many retirees.