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Next Door to Elizabeth City, NC: Meet Camden County

Explore Camden County, NC’s long list of amenities.

By Lindsey Hyde on April 26, 2023

Fishing in Elizabeth City
Eric Waters

Right next door to Elizabeth City is Camden County, a region ripe with great communities, amenities and opportunities. For some, it’s the perfect place to put down roots, while for others, it’s an excellent spot to visit and explore.

Delightful Communities

Found inside the region is the welcoming, quaint town of Camden, which approximately 925 residents call home. While both the largest town and county seat, it’s not the only gem in Camden County. The area also boasts the townships of South Mills and Shiloh.

Each community is full of excellent housing options, from a gorgeous waterfront home in Shiloh to a four-bedroom spread in a Camden neighborhood. And when it comes to housing costs, the county’s median home price ranges from $270,000 to $370,000.

One Mill Park in Shiloh
Camden County Tourism Development Authority

Family-Friendly

The county’s ever-expanding neighborhoods are ideal for young families, and the area is also home to Camden County Schools (CCS), which is made up of a primary school, an intermediate school, a middle school, a high school and an early-college high school. CCS is consistently ranked among the highest achieving school systems in the state.

“I’m going to give the credit to our teachers in the classrooms. … They are focused on student learning and what’s in the best interest of students, but I also think it’s partly because we have a community that’s so supportive of our school system,” says Joe Ferrell, superintendent of CCS.

Kayaking in Elizabeth City
Camden County Tourism Development Authority

Outdoor Fun

Spending time outside is a must when living in or visiting Camden County.

Multiple hiking and biking trails can be found at Dismal Swamp State Park, and for those who prefer the water, the Pasquotank River allows for plenty of opportunities to go paddling and boating.

Gregory Poole Equipment
Gregory Poole Equipment

Great Businesses

Camden County boasts a thriving business community. While already home to some of the area’s largest employers, like concrete contractor C & L Concrete Works Inc. and the Camden County Board of Education, the region is poised for growth.

The county houses the 70-acre Camden Eco Industrial Park in South Mills. One example of a business making waves here now is Gregory Poole Equipment Co., the exclusive CAT construction equipment dealer for Eastern North Carolina. The company opened a new location in Camden County in October 2022.

“We want to grow our business up there and hopefully bring jobs to the area,” says Eddie Williford, the company’s executive vice president and COO. “We like to consider ourselves good community partners, so we think we’ll bring some things to the community and hopefully be good citizens and good partners there.”

Camden County Heritage Museum & Historic Jail
Camden County Tourism Development Authority

Rich History

A few nuggets from the county’s past can still be seen throughout the region today. In Shiloh, the exquisite Shiloh Baptist Church stands tall after nearly 175 years. While renovations have been made, the building’s sanctuary can be traced back to 1848-49. It is known for being the oldest Baptist church in North Carolina and remains a symbol of the township’s founders.

Plus, South Mills has several buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These include William Riley Abbott House, a two-story, five-bay, Greek Revival-style home built in the 1850s. Morgan House, a two-story, three-bay, Federal-style home, was built around 1826.

The Dismal Swamp Canal runs 22 miles and is the oldest operating artificial waterway in the U.S. In fact, it is one of a collection of sites in the county that’s part of the African American Experience of Northeast North Carolina, which celebrates the contributions African Americans have made to the region.

The best place to learn about Camden County’s history, including Dismal Swamp, is at the Camden County Heritage Museum. Here, individuals can study historic artifacts and detailed storyboards that help whisk them back in time.

“We have very knowledgeable docents. They are Camden County-retired educators; they are historians for our county; they are excellent storytellers,” says Sarah Hill, chairperson for the Camden County Tourism Development Authority Board. “You get that one-on-one interaction.”

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