Kerr Lake and its access areas make for a getaway focused on water and nature, while churches, museums and industrial history offer another perspective on Vance County. If you’re looking for a destination that offers both, you can weigh your interests: Would you like the landscape to shape your stay, or would you rather set aside more time for history and culture?
Kerr Lake and Its Access Areas
Kerr Lake State Recreation Area is located in Vance and Warren counties, along North Carolina’s north-central border with Virginia. Eight access areas are spread along the shoreline of a 50,000-acre reservoir. The recreation area has seven campgrounds with hundreds of campsites; seasonal availability may vary. Kerr Lake has long been known as a destination for boaters and water skiers.
Each access area has a different focus. Satterwhite Point has the recreation area’s only designated swimming beach. It also has a TRACK Trail and a visitor center. Hibernia, meanwhile, has the area’s longest park trail and a boat ramp open 24 hours a day. Check seasonal campground availability and ramp operating conditions before your visit.
Nature watching is also part of the lake experience: Kerr Lake has several sites on the North Carolina Birding Trail. The lake features diverse habitats and is home to hundreds of species. Fox Pond Park has nature trails; check details about the facility again before you set out. This means that, alongside water activities, trails and nature can be interests in their own right.
Churches, Museums and Regional History
St. John’s is North Carolina’s oldest timber-frame church and one of only three surviving church buildings from the colonial period. The parish was founded in 1746; the present building was completed in 1773. The two dates tell different parts of the story: the age of the congregation and the construction history of the surviving church building.
The Vance County History Museum showcases events and artifacts from the county’s history. It is located on the second floor of the Perry Memorial Library. The Henderson Institute Historical Museum offers a different perspective: it preserves artifacts, oral and written records, books, photographs and printed materials about the education of African American students who attended the Henderson Institute.
Kittrell’s Springs was the site of North Carolina’s first summer resort and was used as an improvised Confederate hospital during the American Civil War. There is a cemetery on the grounds where 54 Confederate soldiers are buried; the burials took place between 1864 and 1865. The site thus connects the history of an early vacation destination with the wartime period.
Industrial history is also part of the region’s range of themes. In 1907, the Corbitt Company produced the “Corbitt Motor Buggy,” North Carolina’s first commercially produced automobile. During World War II, the company delivered 4,000 trucks under a contract. The annual Corbitt Truck Show and Reunion, held in downtown Henderson, showcases vehicles made by the company, which was formerly based in Henderson. If you’d like to plan your trip around the event, check the dates for your travel period.
Culture in Henderson and Choosing Your Focus
McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center is a 1,000-seat live theater venue serving Henderson and the surrounding region. Its program also includes touring Broadway productions; check the event calendar if you’d like to attend a show. Henderson is located along two major transportation routes: Interstate 85 and U.S. Highway 1 run through the city.
Discover more destinations: Henderson, Orange, Union County, Martin, Franklin County, Henderson, Harnett County, Alleghany County.
For the main travel overview: North Carolina.
