Welcome to Washington County! We are the gateway to the Roanoke River Delta and Albemarle Sound,. You have chosen a very special place to visit via the Internet, and after your electronic visit, we hope to see you in person very soon!

Washington County was formed in 1799 from Tyrrell County, and is comprised of three principal towns and several smaller rural communities. The county seat and population center is Plymouth, a historic river port town located in the northwest corner of the county on the banks of the Roanoke River. A few miles to the east is the town of Roper, which is home to the Vernon James Agricultural Extension Center and Tidewater Research Station. At the end of the 19th and during the early 20th century, Roper was a booming lumber town, known as a world class supplier of shingles and wood products. The third and easternmost principle town is Creswell, which has a long and prosperous agricultural past and is home to Somerset Place Plantation and Pettigrew State Park.

Other smaller and equally interesting communities dot the county with names such as “Pea Ridge”, “Skinnersville”, “Wenona” and “Mackeys”. Of these, Mackeys is perhaps the best known for the Mackeys Ferry which ran from the small harbor on Kendricks Creek across the Albemarle Sound for over 200 years. Today, Mackeys is home to a marina and restaurant which is a popular stop for cruisers of both the water and land. Come on in and learn more about the fascinating history and people of Washington County.