Merry Hill, North Carolina facts for kids

Merry Hill is a small community in Bertie County, North Carolina. It's a rural area, meaning it has lots of farms and open land instead of big cities.

In Merry Hill, you'll find Lawrence Academy, a private school that started in 1968. There's also a post office with the zip code 27957. A company called Avoca Incorporated works here, getting useful things from plants.

A pretty stream called Salmon Creek winds through the woods of Merry Hill. It eventually flows into the Albemarle Sound, a large body of water. This spot is known as the Mouth of Salmon Creek. There's even a golf course called Scotch Hall Preserve, built in 2009, that looks out over this area. A famous golfer named Arnold Palmer designed it!

Merry Hill's Past

Much of Merry Hill's history happened in its southern part, known as Avoca. The name "Avoca" comes from a Native American word meaning "meeting of the waters." This describes the land between Black Walnut Swamp and where Salmon Creek meets the Chowan River and the Albemarle Sound.

The Lost Colony Connection

In 2012, an exciting discovery was made in London! The British Museum found clues that the famous Lost Colony might have planned to move to a fort in Avoca. A map owned by John White, who helped start the Lost Colony, showed a hidden fort symbol. Some researchers now think the colonists who disappeared might have moved here.

Early Land Owners

Long ago, Avoca was owned by Seth Sothel, who was a governor of North Carolina. After he passed away, the land went to his relative, Ardenne. Later, it was owned by the Duckenfield family. This family had trading posts near the mouth of Salmon Creek even before the year 1690.

The land, which was about 36,000 acres, was later taken by the government because the Duckenfields were Loyalists (people who supported the British during the American Revolution). The money from selling this land was used to help start the University of North Carolina.

The Capehart Family and Avoca Plantation

The old Avoca Plantation in Merry Hill was owned by the Cullen Capehart family for many years. Cullen's son, George Washington Capehart, built a nearby place called Scotch Hall. The Capehart family cemetery is also here, where Dr. W. R. Capehart, an Assistant Surgeon General in the Civil War, is buried.

Horse racing was a popular event at Avoca. Every fall, Dr. Capehart's half-mile track would attract horses and riders from all around. His winning horse was even named "Chapel Hill."

The Capehart family also ran a fishery, catching fish from the Albemarle Sound. Many old pecan trees planted in the 1800s are still growing there today.

Churches and Schools

There's an old Episcopal church on the Avoca Plantation called "The Church of the Holy Innocents." Dr. W. R. Capehart donated the land, and it was officially opened in 1880. The Capehart family attended church here for many years.

There was also a Capehart's School House at one time. The Capehart's Baptist Church was started in 1824.

Changing Hands

Later, George Capehart and his sister, Sue Martin Capehart Hardy, sold most of the farming land to a company called RJR Avoca Division. The Capehart family used to own a huge area, about 5,000 acres, stretching from Salmon Creek to the Albemarle Sound. In recent years, RJR sold this division, and it is now known as Avoca Incorporated.

Several historic places in Merry Hill, including Elmwood, The Hermitage, and Scotch Hall, are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means they are important historical sites.

Merry Hill's Area

In the year 2000, Merry Hill covered about 44.72 square miles. Most of this area was land, with a small part being water.

Learning in Merry Hill

• Lawrence Academy is a school located in Merry Hill.

People of Merry Hill

According to records from the year 2000, there were 1,074 people living in Merry Hill, making up 444 households. The population density was about 24 people per square mile.

The people living in Merry Hill were about 49.2% White, 50.2% African American, and a small percentage of Native American or other races.

About 25% of the households had children under the age of 18 living there. The average household had about 2.42 people.