Wilbur Wright in the year 1900 stayed in Elizabeth City on his way to the Outer Banks. Arrived at Point Comfort (Newport News) by train, transferred to a steamer to Norfolk, then by train to EC where he stayed in a hotel for a few days until he was able to arrange passage to the shore by way of a leaky flat-bottomed boat captained by Isreal Perry. A gale blew up and they had to seek a sheltered harbor so the trip took two days - with lots of bailing. Imagine what might have occurred had they or their cargo nat made it to Kitty Hawk. This hotel was built in the 1870’s and was the heart of EC for years featuring fine dinning and big bands that toured across America.

Now it is shuttered with off again on again plans to restore the structure.