History

Kenansville, center of Duplin County, is a peaceful little town rich in history and proud of its heritage.  Settled in 1735 by immigrants from Northern Ireland and Swiss Germans from Switzerland, these early pioneers called their little town "Golden Grove".  The present town of Kenansville was laid out in 1818 and named for James Kenan.

Location

Kenansville, with an elevation of 127 feet above sea level, is located in the fertile Coastal Plains of southeastern North Carolina, 55 miles north of Wilmington and 80 miles southeast of Raleigh.

Education

1 Local elementary and middle school, and 1 high school within 4 miles
1 Private school - grades K-12
3 Nursery and Daycare centers
1 Local community college

Medical Services

Duplin General Hospital, conveniently located in the center of the county, provides primary and specialty health care for area residents.  The Emergency Department is staffed by specially trained physicians and nurses and is open 24-hours a day.  Additionally, the 101-bed community hospital offers skilled nursing and psychiatric services as well as outpatient treatment and same day surgery.

Recreation

The Kenansville area has a park with wonderful playground equipment, picnic areas a lighted tennis court and baseball field.  Duplin Country Club is 3 miles from Kenansville and gives the avid golfer a challenging 18 holes of excitement.  Also, in Kenansville is the exciting new Duplin Commons Arena which offers Kenansville a great resource.

Points of Interest

Liberty Hall - Treasured for its grace and charm, the Antebellum South was a land where stately homes were canopied by giant live oaks and the fragrant scent of magnolia blossoms filled the Southern air. Liberty Hall in Kenansville, North Carolina stands today as a proud reminder of a time that exists only in memories and storybooks. The ancestral home of the Kenan family built in the early 1800's, has been restored and is now a Southern Historic Landmark welcoming visitors from all over the world. Come to Liberty Hall and discover North Carolina as it was 150 years ago. Meet the Kenan family in the Visitors Center's Theater. Tour the main house and share the life of a comfortable Southern plantation family of the 1850's. Stroll the garden paths and listen to the tunes of friendly songbirds. Visit the ten "dependencies" (support buildings) that contributed to the everyday life on a Southern plantation. Come to Liberty Hall and take a journey to another time and a special place in history.

Cowan Museum - A collection of the rare, the unique and the unusual can be discovered at Cowan Museum. A multitude of artifacts fill the restored 1848 Kelly-Farrior home depicting the early rural heritage of North Carolina and Duplin County. Scores of woodworking tools, early farm implements, household utensils from the 18th and 19th century, and many other long-forgotten and intriguing items are displayed in the two-story historic dwelling.  On the grounds are a one-room log schoolhouse, a furnished log cabin, 10-foot diameter cart wheels, a blacksmith shop and a log tobacco barn.  A trip through Cowan Museum is a hands-on learning and entertaining experience for all ages. Here is history you can touch, history that comes alive.

Plantation Homes Tour - Experience our heritage and history first-hand; try our new plantation homes tour. See historic Liberty Hall Restoration, built in 1833; tour The Murray House, an excellent example of Greek Revival architecture built by Dr. Needham Herring in 1853; and visit the Italianate-style plantation home of Dr. Buckner Hill with its cruciform 12-foot hallways, built in 1855, all National Register-listed.

Kenan Memorial Amphitheaters - A 1,000-seat amphitheater hosting seasonal stage shows under the stars.

The Historic Kenansville Spring - Flowing over 250 years, the spring is the reason for the town of Kenansville.

Grove Presbyterian Church, Kenansville - Founded in 1736, this congregation is the oldest Presbyterian congregation in North Carolina.