Gates County is a small, rural county located in the northeast portion of North Carolina on the Virginia border.  It is part of the Inner Banks of North Carolina and home of Merchants Millpond State Park, a rare ecological community that offer a paradise for campers, hikers, bird-watchers, canoeists and fisherman.

Prior to the English exploration and colonization, this area was inhabited by at least three Native American tribes. The Chowanoke, Meherrin and Nansemond tribes hunted the land and fished the local waters.  As early as 1711 there was an Indian school at Sarum established by The Society for the Propagation of the Gospel.  This was the second oldest school in the Carolina Colony.  Additionally, the first Indian Reservation in the colony was 12 square mile area from Catherine’s Creek to Bennett’s Creek in southwestern portion of the county.

The topography of this isolated area made it difficult for early settlers to travel to various courthouses to transact business.  Representative William Baker of Hertford County introduced a bill in the North Carolina Legislature to establish a new county.  The new county was named in honor of General Horatio Gates who was victorious over the British at the Battle of Saratoga.

The second county courthouse was completed in 1836.  This Federal style courthouse is the fifth oldest courthouse in North Carolina today and is on the National Register of Historic Places.  The oldest item in the building is the bell purchased in 1780 for the first courthouse.

 

Images courtesy of Gates County.