Bertie County, NC

A Coastal Gem

Preserving Charm and Welcoming Progress

In the coastal plains of northeastern North Carolina, Bertie County is a community defined by its beautiful waterways and abundant open spaces. As one of the largest counties in the state by land area, Bertie is home to eight unique towns, bringing together a distinctive combination of rural charm and exciting opportunity.

“Nature is our number one asset,” says Laura Orsini, Chair of the Bertie County Tourism Development Authority. “The water is a very big part of that. We have both the Roanoke and the Cashie rivers passing through Bertie County. But there are a lot of different things to draw people here. Our goal is to continue to bring more business, more economic development, more visitors, and more people back to Bertie County.”

Showcasing Nature and Agriculture

Bertie County offers a lifestyle deeply connected to the outdoors. “Anybody who speaks tourism in Bertie County talks about nature,” Orsini remarks. She notes that this natural appeal is brought to life through the Roanoke Cashie River Center, which serves as a hub for outdoor recreation and environmental education.

“They coordinate many, many activities with the river partnerships in northeastern North Carolina,” she expands. “A lot of different things go through that River Center. We have paddle  boats, pontoon boats, kayaking, and fishing.”

Events like River Fest attract people from across the region for recreation and friendly competition. “They have actual kayak races that day,” she shares. “That’s a new thing for us, and it should be pretty fun drawing people from all over, who feel like they can row fast enough in a kayak race.”

The county is also bringing its rich agricultural heritage into the future. Bertie County Peanuts, a well-known name, are a point of pride. “That’s an international brand,” Orsini highlights. “We’ve had people on their travels see Bertie County Peanuts in Germany, in the wild.”

In the small town of Colerain, a newly launched heirloom seed company, The Native Seed Alliance, is seeing success. “They had a grand opening that drew more than 400 people from as far away as Lexington, Kentucky,” she touts. “This tiny town has this seed store that is emerging and going gangbusters already.”

Building a Strong Economic Foundation

Across Bertie County’s eight municipalities, each community is unique and rich with character. With every town offering something different, the county is working on development that reflects local strengths. “There’s a lot of new business, small business movement in our downtowns, and that’s something that we’re definitely focusing on moving forward,” Economic Development Director Allison Browning relays.

She says the emphasis is on infrastructure readiness, ensuring that these areas are ready to welcome continued vibrancy. “We want to make it as easy as possible to curate that entrepreneurial spirit, and to keep that younger population here and create more small business growth in those downtowns.”

Along with business attraction, Bertie County is supporting its established industries, such as Perdue Farms and Mane, which both play an important role in the local economy. Aiding these companies as they grow and expand is a central focus of the county’s efforts. Browning recounts. “Mane industries produce a lot of our sage, and they transform it into chemical oil that’s used in fragrances worldwide. They’re looking to expand, and we are helping them try to expand their natural gas.”

Workforce development is also key, and Browning says the county is working to establish training opportunities at Martin Community College, in collaboration with Perdue Farms. The local school district, Bertie County Schools, has also invested in a new Career and Technical Center, bringing in programs that align with industry needs.

“They will be offering trade programs like welding, HVAC, cosmetology, and helping those students get certified,” Browning explains. “They are trying to pair those with the small businesses and industries we have here, on a school-to-work program, to get some of our students some hands-on experience, and to try to keep that partnership going after graduation.”

  Setting the Stage for Future Growth

As it continues to embrace new opportunities, Bertie County is challenged with providing enough housing for an expanding population. A recently completed 24-unit workforce housing project quickly filled, signaling the strong demand. “That specific project has had a wait list on it since opening,” Browning notes.

With approximately 32% of Bertie’s workforce not currently living in the county, attracting housing is a continuous effort. “Definitely something that we’re focusing on is providing our workers with quality housing. We do have some housing assessments in the works. We have a lot of open, developable land here. It’s just about finding the right partnerships and the right connections,” she adds.

Infrastructure development is a pillar of Bertie County’s growth strategy, and the county is working diligently to close gaps and prepare for future investment. “We are focusing on infrastructure readiness and making sure we have the water, sewer, and energy in place,” says Browning. She points to a major project in the town of Lewiston that will upgrade and extend water lines. “That is a great achievement, especially in Lewiston. That’s where a lot of our open land for industrial projects can be. So it’s nice that that’s on the move.”

Energy capacity is equally important when it comes to attracting future development. “That seems to be the biggest need for the developers to know right away,” Browning acknowledges. “We are trying to assess all the lines and get a list of inventory on what power sources are where, and how much can be built upon in those sites right away. That way it is easy for the developers to identify.”

Welcome to Bertie County

Tourism is playing an increasingly important role in Bertie County, with its natural assets helping to draw more visitors and encourage longer stays. One standout project is the Bertie Beach initiative, known as the “Tall Glass of Water.” Completed in its initial phase, this location has already begun attracting visitors from surrounding areas.

“It’s one of the only public beaches from Virginia all the way down here,” conveys Orsini. “It’s accessible, it’s beautiful. There are showers, there’s camping, and there is access to all different aspects of nature.” Phase two of the project will expand amenities, including additional parking, an open pavilion, enhanced beach access, and plans for an educational center and camping facilities.

Water sports and golf are also big tourist draws. “We have an Arnold Palmer golf course at Oconto. So we get a lot of higher-profile people coming in to golf here,” she describes. “We do have several fishing tournaments that come through, boats and racing, and things of that nature. So anything that’s related to water tourism brings people from all over Eastern North Carolina and further.”

Short-term rentals through platforms like Airbnb and VRBO provide accommodations for visitors and contribute to the local economy. “That’s where the Tourism Development Authority gets their money,” says Orsini, “They take 6% of the tax on short-term stays. That money is used to help promote tourism in Bertie County. That’s our goal, to help advertise, do signage, anything that’s related to bringing more tourism in.” The county is also exploring the feasibility of attracting a hotel to further support this sector.

Looking ahead, the Tourism Development Board is focused on creating an inviting experience for visitors. “Our push right now is Welcome Centers in all of the municipalities, so that no matter where somebody comes into Bertie County, they feel welcomed and they have access to information about the rest of the county,” says Orsini. “That’s our number one push, just to say hello and to establish ourselves and to welcome them.”

Investing in the Future

Enhancing the quality of life for residents is an ongoing commitment, and the new $5 million library exemplifies this intention. Designed as a community gathering space, the facility includes modern amenities such as AV equipment, meeting rooms, flexible seating, and even a teaching kitchen. “The library is wonderful,” Browning affirms. “It’s really a great central spot for everyone in the community to meet, and everyone knows where it is. It’s a nice location, and it’s beautiful too.”

Moving forward, Browning says the focus is on continued investments in infrastructure. “It’s going to be site readiness,” she outlines.

“We are going to start inventorying what we have, both large industrial land as well as our brick and mortar in our downtowns, getting with land owners, getting with our utility companies, trying to have everything mapped out and ready to go to make it as easy as possible to attract both industries and new businesses.”

AT A GLANCE

Who: Bertie County, NC

What: A growing rural county investing in infrastructure, industry, and quality of life

Where: Eastern North Carolina

Website: www.co.bertie.nc.us