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    Pettigrew State Park

    4.5 (4 reviews)

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    Somerset Place State Historic Site - Guided tour at Somerset Place State Historic Site.

    Somerset Place State Historic Site

    3.7(3 reviews)
    0.9 mi

    I can't say that my review would entirely do this place justice. However, my brief trot through…read morehere at the end of a short hike out of Pettigrew State Park was certainly not wasted. This site is truly tucked away, along with the state park, in the middle of nowhere. To this day the area seems to have avoided any kind of development. I did not stay for a tour as time was tight for me when I visited. But it is the only way to see inside the most significant buildings here - notably the main house. It reminds me a lot of Carver's Creek State Park near Fayetteville, NC where there is a Rockefeller family home preserved. On that note I almost feel it would be better if this site and Pettigrew merged as one entity. What I could see from outside was interesting. A glance back in time is always a great way to remind us where we came from, learn from the past and, hopefully, not repeat certain things again. I was so take by both Pettigrew and Somerset that I would like to take a trip back here again to give it a full day of my time.

    Not much to see if you don't want to take the 90 minute tour. The mansion is only accessible on the…read moretour. The visitor center does have some interesting information though. Unfortunately, the signs by the buildings are so old you cannot read them. The buildings that are open aren't marked so you don't learn much about what went on in them. The copied map that labeled the buildings was so poor we could not read it, either. Ironically, the best part about our visit was a conversation with a groundskeeper. He was so friendly and funny we were talking about him all day!

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    Somerset Place State Historic Site - Inside of slave home.

    Inside of slave home.

    Somerset Place State Historic Site
    Somerset Place State Historic Site

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    Dismal Swamp State Park

    Dismal Swamp State Park

    4.6(16 reviews)
    49.4 mi

    Dismal Swamp State Park has a lot of history. The State Park is in its own section, just down from…read morethe Welcome Center. After you find a place to park, you need to check in with the ranger at the booth, and then you can open the gate to walk across the bridge. From there you can either go on the walking trails or visit the museum building. I just went into the building as I wanted to see the Underground Railroad exhibit but there was just one storyboard so not quite what I expected. I did appreciate the audio of Moses Grandy reading his book. The Great Dismal Swamp was dug by hand by slaves. It was about a million acres when built but now is much smaller. It became part of the Underground Railroad for those going north but was also a place where a community formed as it was easy to hide in the ruggedness and the swamp provided a lot of resources. The exhibits are in the lobby and two rooms and provided a lot of information. The Great Dismal Swamp is in North Carolina and Virginia and is home to wildlife; birds, insects reptiles, trees and plants. 97 species live in the swamp today and 43 species of butterflies. Native Americans first lived there. They lost the land to European settlers. George Washington was one of many that wanted to drain the swamp but the canal was built instead. The 22 mile canal went from Chesapeake VA to South Mills NC. Barges took supplies and people from one end to the other. The canal system stopped being used when railroads started as they were more efficient. I highly recommend checking out this State Park.

    I was born and raised near the Dismal Swamp Wildlife Refuge. I have a love/fear relationship with…read morenature, especially the swamp. I know to expect the unexpected when it comes to navigating the swamp. You may encounter mosquitoes, snakes, a bear--or all three. I had visited the Dismal Swamp State Park as a teenager, but I spent most of my visit on the water. I enjoyed revisiting the park as an adult, and I have to admit I was a bit relieved to hop on the wagon ride. It was a nice way to enjoy being in nature amongst the wildlife without the fear of walking up on any of the animal friends. I also enjoyed learning from the tour guide, especially about the history of moonshine and bootlegging in the past. There were other trails to walk, but they warned visitors that snakes were out, so I decided to pass.

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    Dismal Swamp State Park
    Dismal Swamp State Park
    Dismal Swamp State Park

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    Pettigrew State Park - parks - Updated May 2026

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