Town of Roanoke Rapids

Roanoke Rapids is one of the first cities to greet travelers as they drive south on Interstate 95 and enter North Carolina, making the city a gateway community and tourism ambassador.  Located in Halifax County, Roanoke Rapids, population 16,721 (Dec. 2006), is a comparatively young community, having celebrated its centennial just ten years ago in 1997.

As indicated by its name, Roanoke Rapids is located on the banks of the mighty Roanoke River and has, even prior to its incorporation as a city, been intimately linked to that waterway.  Beginning in the early 1800s, when our country's economy depended on the transportation of goods from the West to our seaports in the East, a means had to be found to navigate around the rapids in the Roanoke.  These rapids in North Carolina are caused by the fall line, a granite shelf that runs the entire length of the East Coast.

The solution was found in an engineering marvel, the construction of the Roanoke Navigation Canal beginning in 1819, routing boats carrying freight out of the river at what is now Roanoke Rapids into the nine-mile canal to get back into the river at Weldon.  After transportation on the river ceased due to the advent of the faster, more reliable and less expensive rail system, the water in the canal was harnessed to generate power.  As a result of this access to hydropower, industries sprang up along the river, including a textile mill and paper mill, and the city of Roanoke Rapids was born.

This history of transportation, power generation and industrialization is expressed in the exhibits of a new museum in Roanoke Rapids - the Roanoke Canal Museum - which opened in September 2005.  The museum is located in the old canal power house, constructed in 1900.  Renovations to the power house and the development of museum exhibits have been funded through several sources, but a special debt of gratitude is owed to the North Carolina Department of Transportation for their recognition of the value of this unique transportation history.

In addition to the museum, there is a 7.5 mile nature trail that follows the old navigation canal bed.  The Roanoke Canal Trail has recently been designated as a site on the North Carolina Coastal Plains Birding Trail, and the trail, which can be used for hiking and biking, is rich with native wildlife and plants.

Roanoke Rapids will soon be able to offer a public swimming area and several other amenities at Roanoke Rapids Lake Day Use Area, a project being undertaken by Dominion and slated to open in Spring 2007.  The Lake Park, equipped with restroom and concession facilities, will offer walking trails, picnic shelters, sand volleyball, Frisbee golf and a modular playground.

Throughout the year the Parks and Recreation Department offers family-oriented programming and facilities, managing nine parks and athletic fields, both outdoor and indoor swimming facilities and two gymnasiums.  The Roanoke Rapids Parks and Recreation Department is a great ambassador for the city, having hosted the North Carolina State Games for nine years and also helping serve as the host city for 2,000 cyclists on the Bike Virginia Tour de Love last June.

Roanoke Avenue, once the main thoroughfare through town, is alive with small shops and eateries.  A brand-new festival, Valley Fest, is being planned for May 2007 as a celebration of small town life.  The City of Roanoke Rapids, with such partners as the Roanoke Valley Chamber of Commerce and the Halifax County Tourism Development Authority, hosts countless other events throughout the year, including the Fridays in the Park free summer concert series and the Christmas in the Park celebration.

The downtown area of Roanoke Rapids is blessed with several unique storefronts, an old railroad depot, a beautiful, castle-like high school building (on the National Register of Historic Places) and a home called the Turtleback House, a unique architectural-style.

Industry is still alive and well in Roanoke Rapids, having gotten its start on the banks of the Roanoke River.  The paper company, which started out at United Industrial in the early 1900s, has been sold several times over the years, most recently changing hands from International Paper to KapStone Paper, but they have never stopped doing business and still serve as one of the largest employers in the area.

Roanoke Rapids' newest endeavor is breaking into the music and entertainment business.  With assistance from several partners including the City, Chamber and Tourism, the Carolina Crossroads Music & Entertainment District held three outdoor concerts this past summer, hosting such big names as Big & Rich, Cowboy Troy, Jason Aldean, Danielle Peck, Hank Williams, Jr., Gretchen Wilson, Steven Curtis Chapman and Third Day, and is in the process of planning another concert series for 2007.  In partnership with Randy and Deb Parton, construction on The Randy Parton Theatre is nearing completion, and the community is eagerly awaiting the sound of music live on I-95.

History, culture and music flow, like the waters of the mighty Roanoke River, through the city of Roanoke Rapids, NC. Come see what it's all about.

For more information, contact the Halifax County Tourism Development Authority at 1-800-522-4282 or visit www.visithalifax.com.