A JOINT RESOLUTION honoring the founders of the town of edenton on the occasion of the town's three hundredth anniversary.
Whereas, an act of the North Carolina Assembly adopted in 1712 called for the surveying of what is now Edenton; and
Whereas, Charles Eden was appointed Governor of North Carolina on July 13, 1713, and arrived later to create the first seat of North Carolina government at Edenton where the legislature began to meet in 1722; and 
Whereas, building lots were sold and construction was begun on private and public facilities as early as 1714; and
Whereas, Edenton prospered to such an extent that the plotted lots had to be doubled in size by 1722; and
Whereas, the continuing growth led to the 1767 construction of the Chowan County Courthouse, situated where first platted in 1712, and which now stands as the oldest continuously used courthouse in the nation and is recognized as a National Historic Landmark; and
Whereas, the "Edenton Tea Party" of October 25, 1774, became one of the first instances of colonial American women acting in an overt political manner; and
Whereas, Edentonian Joseph Hewes signed the Declaration of Independence; and 
Whereas, the citizens of Edenton selected Hugh Williamson to attend the Constitutional Convention at Philadelphia where he signed the proposed United States Constitution; and 
Whereas, Samuel Johnston, also of Edenton and a governor of North Carolina, presided over both State conventions called to ratify the United States Constitution; and
Whereas, James Iredell, a lawyer from Edenton, served on the first United States Supreme Court; and
Whereas, Edenton was the home of the Badham family of African‑American architects, builders, and carpenters: Miles Badham I, his son Hannibal Badham, Sr., and Hannibal's sons Hannibal Badham, Jr., and Miles Badham II, whose designs and constructions stand to this day; and
Whereas, Edenton was the home of Harriet Jacobs, whose memoirs Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Written by Herself, self‑published in 1861 under the pseudonym Linda Brent, received acclaim and helped call attention to the plight of the enslaved; and
Whereas, during the Civil War, Edentonians created their own defensive unit by melting their church and courthouse bells to make the cannons for Edenton Bell Battery, which saw service in the war; and
Whereas, Edenton's long history as a colonial port and its more modern protection of the 1886 Roanoke River Lighthouse contribute to the history of the Albemarle Sound and waterways of North Carolina; and
Whereas, in 1918 the people of Edenton, fearful that a significant part of our State's heritage was endangered, created an organization which became the "Cupola House Association" to defend against the irrevocable loss of this historically important dwelling, the first such act of preservation by private citizens of North Carolina and one of the first in the nation; and
Whereas, the General Assembly of North Carolina created the Edenton Historical Commission in 1961 as evidence of the unique role Edenton and Chowan County play in the preservation and perpetuation of the history of the colony and the State; and
Whereas, much of Edenton was declared a National Historic District in 1973; and
Whereas, Historic Edenton State Historic Site, administered by the North Carolina Division of State Historic Sites and Properties of the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources, preserves and interprets the history of Edenton; Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring:
SECTION 1.  The General Assembly honors the memory of the founders and early residents of the Town of Edenton for their contributions to their community, the colony of North Carolina, the State of North Carolina, and the nation.
SECTION 2.  The General Assembly extends sincere good wishes to the current residents of the Town of Edenton on the occasion of the Town's 300th Anniversary, November 6, 2012; embraces with enthusiasm the Town's plan to celebrate the occasion through 2013; and encourages the citizens of the State to join Edenton and Chowan County in demonstrating respect for and pride in our history and heritage. The General Assembly further acknowledges the Town's dedication to the preservation of the historic buildings that embody the history of North Carolina and equally to the perpetuation of the stories of the leaders who have made such contributions to the colony, the State, and nation.
SECTION 3.  The Secretary of State shall transmit a certified copy of this resolution to the Mayor of the Town of Edenton.
SECTION 4.  This resolution is effective upon ratification.