GATES COUNTY, NC

County Offices
200 Court Street
Gatesville 252-357-2411
www.gatescounty.govoffice2.com

Chamber of Commerce
101 Town Hall Drive
Kill Devil Hills 252-441-8144
www.outerbankschamber.com

Bordering counties in both Virginia and North Carolina, rural Gates County provides an opportunity for a simple country life surrounded by pristine natural beauty and some of the nation’s rarest and finest environmental attractions. The county seat of Gatesville is headquarters for Merchant’s Millpond State Park, while The Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge stretches between the two states to over more than 111,000 acres of forested wetlands.

Services
Gatesville is home to the administrative offices for Gates County Public Schools, which ensures a quality education for local youth. Abundant opportunities for a higher education are available within commuting distance from a Currituck County address in both North Carolina and Virginia communities. Community colleges, private colleges, public universities, technical training schools, and career institutes are among the possibilities. Nearby Elizabeth City offers the private two-year College of the Albemarle and the four-year public Elizabeth City State University, part of the North Carolina University System. East Carolina University in Greenville is another quality option, a rapidly emerging research university with a growing reputation for excellence. The county’s strategic location near several major metropolitan areas makes it ideal as a serene retreat that provides access to a world of resources.

Gates County residents also enjoy a quick trip to a number of highly respected healthcare facilities, including regional medical centers and major hospitals. Nearby Elizabeth City is home to Albemarle Hospital, although the Hampton Roads region of Virginia adds many valuable resources from skilled professionals to specialized clinics and centers of excellence. Nearby hospitals include Chesapeake General and Sentara Norfolk General in Virginia, Chowan Hospital in Edenton, Pitt-Memorial Hospital in Greenville, the new Outer Banks Hospital, and the Regional Medical Center in Kitty Hawk that is affiliated with Albemarle Hospital in Elizabeth City. From wellness programs and routine care to specialized treatment, same-day surgery, rehabilitation, and various therapies, the right facility is never far from a Gates County address.

Lifestyle
Lumber production and tourism prevail in Gates County, where small unincorporated communities combine with sprawling townships. On the eastern side lies the Great Dismal Swamp, one of the nation’s largest and most distinctive nature preserves. This geological wonder stretches from the Hampton Roads region of Virginia into North Carolina, considered by naturalists and scientists as one of the finest outdoor laboratories in the entire world. The swamp’s “lake” is only six feet in depth and colored amber by the tannic acids of the trees, which prevents the growth of bacteria and maintains unusually pure water in spite of its appearance. Each year, the county celebrates its natural and cultural heritage at the Gates County Swampfest with an antique car show, craft demonstrations, and other activities.

To the west of the county, the Chowan River has been dubbed “the world’s most beautiful river.” Bennetts Creek is another scenic waterway that provides water-sport enthusiasts with premier outdoor adventures. One of the organized highlights in the county is the Beaver Lake Ski Club, founded in 1990 to transform a neglected and overgrown Gates County borrow pit into a world-class water-skiing attraction. The county seat of Gatesville serves as the headquarters for the Merchant’s Millpond State Park, where a coastal pond and southern swamp forest converge to create a rich wildlife habitat. The lifestyle in Gates County is slow and easy, a place where fishing or canoeing can easily become a part of daily life. With its affordable housing, unique quality of life, and close proximity to a world of urban amenities, few places in the nation rival Gates County as a beautiful and relaxing place to call home.