Abstract:
From its founding, New Bern was an ideal place for a port. Ships brought goods in using Ocracoke and Old Topsail inlets, but ships coming in at Old Topsail had to travel around Carteret County and Cedar Island to get to and from New Bern. This added time to the voyages. A plan was put forth in 1766 to dig a canal to connect the Neuse River to Old Topsail Inlet. Travel time for the ships would be cut in half, and trade would increase. The ideal place to dig a canal was between Clubfoot Creek and Harlowe Creek. White discusses the canal's progress after the General Assembly enacted a law to build the canal in 1766 down to present-day.