It had to start somewhere -North Carolina, that is. And what better place than in Beaufort County? In 1705, Bath became the first incorporated town in North Carolina. It was selected by the English colonists the agreeable climate, the vast expanses of oak and pine forests, and the miles and miles of waterfront property.
Joining Bath in the line-up of historic waterfront communities in Beaufort County, Washington, the County seat and All America City, can be justifiably proud as the first town in America to be so named. Wasting no time, the town incorporated in 1776 at the outbreak of the American Revolution. President Washington spent several nights here on his famous Southern tour, and was overwhelmed by the Southern hospitality he encountered. As the only county in the State to be bisected by a coastal river, several miles wide, Beaufort County has more shoreline than any other county in the State.
Chocowinity, across the Pamilco River from Washington, even has a bay named in its honor. Both established and new waterfront subdivisions are a feature in every town in the County. Manufacturers have chosen to locate here because of the lack of bumper-to-bumper traffic, reasonable tax rates, and a solid business climate where people expect to give a day's work for a day's pay. Twenty-five percent of the workforce is engaged in manufacturing. Beaufort County -a solid business environment in a delightful coastal setting.
