Elizabeth City
Harbor of Hospitality
Elizabeth City, North Carolina, was incorporated in 1793 as the town of Redding by the North Carolina General Assembly. The city’s name changed to Elizabeth Town in 1794, and finally became Elizabeth City in 1801. Our wonderful community has been named one of the “100 Best Small Towns in America” and is ranked by Money Magazine as one of best places to live on the East Coast.
Elizabeth City is a place rich in history yet progressive and growing. Situated in the far northeastern corner of North Carolina on the Pasquotank River and Intracoastal Waterway, the city lies just west of the Outer Banks of North Carolina and just south of Hampton Roads, Virginia.
Centuries ago, Elizabeth City was a major seaport, where four-masted sailing ships carried goods to and from the New World. Today, Elizabeth City offers free 48-hour boat dockage to travelers from around the world. The “Rose Buddies,” the world-renowned waterfront ambassadors, greet visiting boaters with a rose, wine and cheese.
Downtown Elizabeth City welcomes residents and visitors alike with bookstores, coffeehouses and specialty retail shops, many located in historic buildings. Restaurants offer everything from fine Southern cooking to fresh sushi.
A walk along the shaded streets of the six historic harkens back to the time when Blackbeard sailed the waters, and Wilbur and Orville Wright stopped for provisions on their way to the Outer Banks.
Elizabeth City is home to the largest United States Coast Guard facility, Base Elizabeth City, and is very proud to have been declared a “Coast Guard City” on May 29, 2015 by Admiral Paul Zukunft, 25th Commandant of the United States Coast Guard.
Elizabeth City is also home to the official Coast Guard Marathon and Half Marathon, held locally every spring.
For more information about the place we call home, please visit the city’s website.