This quaint town Is home to the Country Doctor Museum. This museum is the oldest in the United States that is dedicated to the history of America’s rural health care. It was created in 1967by a group of energetic women from North Carolina, whose initial interest was to build a lasting memorial for rural physicians. Over the decades, the Museum’s collection grew to 5,000 medical artifacts and many volumes of historic texts gathered from across the nation. The interpretive range also expanded from rural doctors to include topics such as nursing, pharmaceuticals, and home remedies.

Bailey is also home to Finch’s Nursery & Pottery. Dan Finch’s pottery has been shown in museums all over the U.S., and Dan often gives demonstrations and teaches classes.  It is also home to the blue bird houses and nursery blueberries.

The town of Castalia got its start during the pre-Civil War days of Nash County plantation life. Castalia is located in the northwest corner of Nash County and is an outgrowth of the community of Belford, developed by the Sills family, and the Captain Adams Harrison estate called Castalia.

Castalia was incorporated by the North Carolina General Assembly on March 1, 1873. It is home to the Small-Town USA venue that holds scheduled shows at a nominal price. Also, located in Castalia is the ROMA Clydesdale Farm. This farm has beautiful Clydesdale horses, donkeys, zebras, and a baby “Zonkey.”

This small town is home to the famous North Carolina establishment known as Smith’s Red & White, a family-owned grocery store that opened in 1954. They are known for their world-famous sausage, pork, old fashioned candy and more. Smith’s makes over 10,000 pounds of sausage per week, and over 60,000 pounds on holidays for their loyal fans.

The town of Middlesex is located in Nash County on US Highway 264, approximately 20 miles from the capital city of Raleigh. The climate is favorable for both work and play, with an average annual temperature of 60 degrees. It’s close enough to the seashore (Atlantic Beach – 103 miles) and the Blue Ridge Mountains (less than 200 miles) to enjoy the recreational advantages of both. The Town of Middlesex, with a current population of approximately 850, was established during the turn of the nineteenth century as a small community in southwest Nash County.

The town is primarily an agricultural community, but is home to five major manufacturing industries employing around 500 people.

Nashville, the county seat of Nash County, was founded in 1780 and features a rare collection of Victorian and Queen Anne style homes. Each Spring, the Nashville Blooming Festival is held by the Chamber of Commerce and is a major event for the town. The main street is blocked off for carnival rides, street vendors, and local business exhibits. Nash Arts, which holds art and cultural events year-round, also plays host the festival, along with local musicians who perform for patrons throughout the event.

The community of Red Oak actually began in the 1800’s clustered around a grove of red oak trees, although it didn’t become an official municipality in 1961. The town was established by NC General Statute and was originally designated as a circle with a one-mile diameter. The center of the circle was called the Red Oak crossroads and was the location of W.E. Griffin’s Store, Faulkner’s Store, Jack Price Service Station, and Booth’s Garage. W.E. Griffin’s Store later became Griffin’s Convenient Store that continues to be in business today.

Rocky Mount had its beginning in the early part of the 19th century. It centered around the first post office which was established at the Falls of the Tar River on March 22, 1816. It was at that point that the name Rocky Mount appeared in documented history. The name undoubtedly derived from the rocky mound at the falls of the Tar River, which was also the site of one of the first cotton mills in North Carolina: Rocky Mount Mills was established in 1818. The Wilmington-Weldon Railroad was built about 2 miles east of the mill in 1845 and became the main connection for Rocky Mount to the outside world.

Today, Rocky Mount is an up-an-coming stop in Eastern North Carolina. It has traded in its tobacco heritage for craft beer. Rocky Mount Mills is now the largest craft beer incubator in the state. It’s street are lined with artist shops and on any given weekend you can find locals and visitors alike strolling along the Tar River Trail or catching a few games out at the sports complex. Interested in moving to Rocky Mount? Find more information here.

20 miles west of Rocky Mount is Spring Hope, a beautiful town just one-minute north on 581, just off US Hwy 64. Incorporated as a township in 1889, the lumber industry, rail line and farming established the area. Downtown Spring Hope is carefully preserved. Clustered around the old railroad depot, its business district remains almost intact, with a full complement of specialty shops, local retail and chain stores, pharmacy and restaurants. The area has over two dozen homes on the NC historical registry, and just minutes out of town are two of the area’s finest public golf courses.

The town also had many notable leaders including; Claude C. Abernathy – 1941 Speaker of the House in the State General Assembly, and Captain Allen Barbee – councilman, mayor and also a leader who served in the House of Representatives in the NC State Assembly.