Historic Bath will be bustling with activity in July as Revolutionary era-inspired reenactors representing the colonial navies of Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina Saturday for “Patriots at Sea: An American Seaport Prepares for War.”

During the living history event scheduled for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, July 25, visitors will be able to speak with the ships’ surgeons and sailors, and visit the Tavern to hear mummers about the simmering war and outrage over British impressment of sailors.

“The formal navy of the colonies was small, by 1776 there were just 27 colonial warships, but the number of support vessels operating as privateers was over 1,600 and became an important factor in our victory,” according to the site.

Benjamin Schaffer is scheduled to give a talk at 2 p.m. in St. Thomas Church on his new work, “The First Fleets: Colonial Navies of the British Atlantic World,” which delves into the little-known and misunderstood provincial navies established by North American British colonists.

Visitors will have a chance to see what a day in the life of a sailor looks like, meet colonial townspeople teaching children’s games, boatmen will show how to use pitch to caulk a boat hull, and there will be genealogists with local information and on the seaman’s legacy group: Order of the Sea and Sail.

Throughout the day, living history reenactors will give demonstrations on sailmaking, scrimshaw, navigation, ropemaking, ship’s carpentry, spinning and weaving, and open-fire cooking. Representatives from America 250 NC, the state’s official 250th celebration program under the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, will be on-site as well.

Now a state-managed historic site, Europeans settling near the Pamlico River in the 1690s led to the founding of Bath, North Carolina’s first incorporated town, in 1705. By 1708, the small community had 50 people and 12 houses, and soon became North Carolina’s first port. “While its early years were marked by political rivalries, Indian wars, and piracy, by 1746 Bath was considered for the colony’s capital. However, when county government moved away in the late 1700s, Bath lost most of its importance and trade. Its original town limits encompass a historic district today,” according to the website.

The nonprofit organization that aims to preserve Bath’s history has asked the corporation selling an about 1,768-acre tract of riverfront property to consider separating out what it considers historically significant section of the land, Washington Daily News reported Jan. 19.

Currently owned by Nutrien, a global fertilizer company formerly operating as PCS Phosphate or PotashCorp, the multiparcel property known as Archbell Point is listed for $17.5 million.

The Historic Bath Foundation believes remnants of both Native American villages and early colonial plantations are among the important pieces of the area’s history that are within the property located across the Pamlico River from Nutrien Aurora’s phosphate mine.

The foundation feels that the property has the potential to be eligible for the National Register of Historic Places, and wants Nutrien to consider separating out a historically significant part of the parcel that’s currently up for sale, Washington Daily News reported.

The land for sale has more than 3.4 miles of shoreline along the Pamlico River, Bath Creek and Duck Creek. Structures on the property include three houses, a workshop, around 180 tillable acres, 1,500 acres of timberland and freshwater ponds, the listing states.

The foundation sent a letter to Nutrien late last summer after learning the property was going to be sold asking the company to consider excluding the historic area from the sale, but has not received a response, Washington Daily News reported.

Foundation President Seth Effron told Washington Daily News that the group wants all parties to be aware of the “documented historic and archeological significance of portions of the site and have an opportunity to discuss ways to assure there is a full understanding on how to move ahead before these places are sold.”

The listing notes that the property “offers a variety of development possibilities — all subject to approval by Nutrien,” the current owners.

North Carolina Department of Transportation’s Ferry Division has scheduled four career events along the coast to recruit temporary and seasonal employees to staff its ferries, terminals and shipyard.

Officials said that the seasonal employees are a key part of the ferry system’s service, and they are often the first considered for permanent roles.

“In fact, a majority of last year’s temporary hires transitioned into permanent roles,” Ferry Division Director Jed Dixon said in a statement.

The career events are all from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on the following dates:

• Jan. 14 at NC Works Career Center, 3813 Arendell St., Morehead City.
• Jan. 21 at Hatteras Ferry Operations Center, 59063 N.C. 12, Hatteras.
• Jan. 28 at Southport Ferry Operations Center, 1650 Ferry Road, Southport.
• Feb. 4 at Pamlico River Ferry Operations Center, 229 N.C. 306 North, Bath.

At the events, applications will be accepted for temporary, seasonal employment at all experience levels, from general utility worker to experienced boat captains.

Those looking for permanent employment can learn more about open positions and how to obtain a Transportation Worker Identification Card or a Merchant Mariner Credential for the application process. 

Benefits of year-round, full-time permanent employment with the division include competitive salaries, health insurance, retirement benefits, and paid vacation, holiday and sick leave.

For a list of the Ferry Division’s current job openings, visit the state jobs website​ to create a profile and apply for permanent positions. For more information, call 252-370-5573.