Tarboro, North Carolina

There are so many street lamps in this town - all of the residents must be nocturnal. Each evening, Thomas Edison must look down from heaven and smile at Tarboro. The small town itself is 20 miles east of Interstate 95 in the Piedmont area of North Carolina. The Tar River flows next to downtown. Incorporated in 1760, Tarboro is one of the oldest towns in the United States. It has a 45-block historic district next to a 15-acre Town Common. The town does a wonderful job of recognizing its Civil War veterans and educating town visitors with numerous plaques documenting this troubling time in our nation’s history. The large Town Common is the jewel of this town. This is one of the largest green spaces we have seen in the U.S. for a town of this size. Located in the heart of the Tarboro Historic District adjacent to downtown, the historic Town Common was established by Tarboro's founding fathers in 1760 and is now listed in the National Register of Historic Places.  It was originally established for the common grazing of livestock, community outings and military drills.  Several historic monuments can be found here, as well as the 1860 Cotton Press, the Herb Gardens area, and the nature walk along McBryde Trail.  Surrounding the commons are beautiful stately homes built between 1890 and 1910.