The River Trail

Underwater Mural in Tunnel under Hwy 301

In a time before Interstate 95 was constructed, Hwy 301 was the major North-South route of the East Coast. This was a very busy highway.

There have been stories that on busy holiday weekends, the traffic would be backed up and the only time traffic moved forward was when the traffic light changed in a town 20 miles South of Weldon.

In the 1950’s, the 3 story brick building, was a community center. There was a swimming pool there the children of Weldon would go to and spend their summer afternoons.

The tunnel was installed under Highway 301 to provide safe passage for the children from one side of the busy highway to the other.

Today, there is an underwater mural painted inside the tunnel displaying some of the fish that are in the Roanoke River.

Weldon Mills

This handsome 3 story brick building has a long and varied history. Read the Historical Signage on the left of the property.

From an early Industrial Park with the States First Electric Plant in 1880’s to a Community Center in the 1940’s & 1950’s to current day Weldon Mills Distillery and  Event Center.

Underground Railroad

The Roanoke River Waterfront in Weldon is one of three National Park Service designated Network to Freedom Sites, a national Underground Railroad program.  The other sites are in Old Town of Halifax, and the Roanoke Canal.

For more information visit http://www.halifaxundergroundrr.com/

Relax By The River Rapids

The Roanoke River’s headwaters are located in Virginia. Here in Halifax County, the Roanoke River is situated on the Fall Line, a granite shelf where the elevation changes more than 100 feet over a nine-mile span. This fall line creates the rapids at Weldon. The rushing water is wonderful not only for kayakers but also for striped bass or rockfish, who journey here from the Atlantic Ocean each Spring to spawn. During keeper season in the months of March and April, more than 75,000 boats launch at the NC Wildlife boat landing in Weldon alone.

Rockfish Capital of The World

Notable Facts that lead Weldon to begin marketing the town as The Rockfish Capital of the World.

• New world explorers wrote in their journals about the great amounts of fish in the waters near the falls in the river.
• Every year during rockfish season, thousands of rockfish were caught.
• Weldon is the main spawning waters of the striped bass.
• Weldon became the site of the the world first Rockfish Hatchery in 1938.
• In the late 1930’s and early 1940’s Weldon hosted a huge Rockfish Festival
• The Saturday Evening Post published an article in 1948 describing Weldon as “The Town That Goes Crazy Once A Year”
• Even in modern times fisherman have reported catching 100 fish a day.

NC Wildlife Boat Landing

Weldon’s Wildlife Boat Landing as been described as one of the oldest boat fishing sites in the state and as one of North America’s premier fishing areas with quite a history. Many years ago, boats used to be launched on a rail system. They would then winch it back up(1).

Each year during Rockfish season, hundreds of fishermen use this 3 lane boat ramp to begin their day of fishing.

Many fishermen without boats also use the ramp to fish from.

(1)Erik Christofferson, chief of N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission’s Division of Engineering Services

River Falls Park

Playground and Restooms

Let the children rump and play at River Falls Park’s playground. 

This area plays host to several festivals each year including the annual Independence day festival complete with fireworks. 

To Continue the Tour