Thursday May 21st was finally a cooler day in Littleton. We headed out to see a few more local attractions, as it is our last day here. But we will definitely be back!
Our first stop was the Lake Gaston Dam & Day Use Area. It is east of where we have been camped. The Lake Gaston Dam was completed in 1963 and is located in the small town of Thelma, North Carolina on the Roanoke River.
The lake was formed when the Virginia Electric Power Company built the dam to generate electricity for Dominion Resources, which owns the lake. When water is allowed to pass through the Gaston Dam powerhouse, the station’s four generators can produce up to 55 megawatts each, or a total capacity of 220 megawatts. There was a big youth group with buses in the parking area and in the day use area, so we could not get to the other side of the dam.
We went into Roanoke Rapids and got groceries and fuel. On our way, at the corner of E 14th Street and Roanoke Avenue, we passed a building that was being torn down, but they left one wall up with a beautiful mural on it. I know why they left it! It was painted by local artist Napolean Hill. It is a prominent piece commemorating civil rights pioneer Sarah Keys Evans on the Roanoke Canal Trail. Across the county, and especially in this area, you can find the roots of this culture beautifully captured in the vibrant murals by Napolean Hill. Don't confuse this Napolean Hill with the American self-help author and con man of the same name. Who is best known for his book Think and Grow Rich (1937), which is among the best-selling self-help books of all time.
Near the brewery, there is this mini-log cabin, is the best way I can describe it. I learned that this is actually the Person’s Ordinary Museum replica. So naturally, we had to see what the Person's Ordinary Museum was. Person's Ordinary is a historic inn and tavern located at Littleton. It dates to the mid- to late-18th century, and is a 1 1/2-story frame dwelling, three bays wide and two deep, with a massive exterior stone chimney at each end.
It is the oldest landmark in the Halifax County town. It was once a tavern owned by Thomas Person. Active in the Regulator movement and in time a prominent Anti-Federalist leader, Person was also a planter. His nephew and adopted son, William Person Little, inherited Person’s plantation, which took the name “Little Manor.” The town of Littleton, in turn, took its name from “Little Manor.” The town’s first mail service originated at the ordinary and Little served as the first postmaster.
Person’s Ordinary, in operation by 1770, was a stagecoach stop between Hillsborough and Halifax. It became a popular stop for many travelers. In 1925 the old inn became the property of the Warren County Board of Education. In 1957 the Littleton Women’s Club leased the building from the school board. The school used it for a shop.
It’s been used as a post office in the past. In 1954, it kind of fell apart when Hurricane Hazel came through, and the Woman’s Club back then had a project to restore it. They were renting it from the school system for $1 a year. Finally, the school system wasn’t using it anymore and said you can have it, so now they own the building. If the Woman’s Club ever folds it will go to Halifax County. The group meets at the site and opens the building at times for tours. The Littleton Woman’s Club was the driving force in ensuring the historic site remains standing. The club hosts fundraisers and relies on grant funding and donations to preserve the building. The offerings for Person’s Ordinary have come from as far away as Oregon. Over the last five years, approximately $45,000 in grant money allowed the club to put on a new roof and renovate the Person’s Ordinary flooring. Future projects are already in the planning stages for Person’s Ordinary.
Yes, we had to make one last stop at Timber Waters. We met a wonderful elderly gentleman, Mr. Mack. He is a regular at the Blue Jay Bistro or Timber Waters for his one beer a day. He is a 10th generation Littleton NC resident. He is known as the official, unofficial mayor of Littleton. We bought him a beer yesterday and he said he would repay us today. Not if Charlie can help it! So, we went in early, enjoyed our beer and paid for one for him for today too! Enjoy your beer, Mr. Mack!
It is going to rain this evening, so it's a good night to finish up blogs and get things put away for our move tomorrow.
Stay tuned for more Two Lane Adventures!
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