Hertford, NC

Hertford is Perquimans County's seat, a town established in 1758 on a peninsula at the mouth of the Perquimans River. A courthouse, ferry landing, and the first town lots gave the place its original shape; later, lumber and agriculture made use of the river and the surrounding fields. The Hertford Historic District keeps the older street plan and houses close to the water, while the town's riverfront plan has moved the old “S” bridge truss to Missing Mill Park. Cotton, corn, and soybeans still fill the fields outside town. Hertford is a small Inner Banks town whose map runs from courthouse to riverfront, with the old water crossing still sitting nearby in pieces.