For most area citizens, growing up and living near the Roanoke River is just part off everyday life. Many of us don’t actually know very much about its place of origin, the historical and economic importance of it, or the habitat that parallels its banks where all sorts of wildlife and plantlife thrive.

The Roanoke River is actually formed by two well known rivers which are located in Virginia. Beginning high in the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Dan River begins near a small community known as Mabry Mill, flows in a southeastward direction, and is soon joined by the Staunton River just south of the city of Salem. At this point the name changes to the Roanoke and it is here that the river begins its 400 mile trip to the Albemarle Sound in the southeast part of our state.

Until the 1940’s the river flowed free and untamed. During times of spring flooding, the river would swell to great heights and overflow its banks which created havoc for citizens, industries, farmers, and ranchers many miles downstream. The two major causes were heavy rains and runoff from the spring thaw of snow and ice found upstream in Virginia. Today, much of this energy has been harnessed by the creation of six dams: three in the mountainous headwaters of Virginia and three in the Piedmont sections of Virginia and North Carolina. And even with the controls man has placed on it, the mighty Roanoke still manages to get somewhat out of control on occasion.

Known as the “River of Death,” which comes from an age-old Native American description, the Roanoke has been described as carrying more water than any other river in the state and over the years it has dropped an immeasurable amount of rich sedimentation along its banks that was picked up along its route from the higher elevations in the mountains of Virginia and down through the lower Piedmont areas of both states.

For hunters, trappers, and fishermen, the Roanoke has always been a Mecca and many tales can be told about the plentiful wildlife that inhabits the areas along the lowgrounds which adjoin the river where nature has created some of the finest habitat in the state. To support this claim, one has only to look through some of the issues of Wildlife in North Carolina and read the big game reports that give statewide statistics on wildlife harvested in each county. For example, it is not unusual for the Halifax and Northampton areas to officially report a combined total of more than 10,000 deer that are harvested each year. And there is an untold number of deer that are killed which are not reported.

The sign on the bridge from Weldon to Garysburg reads “Rockfish Capital” which also has a great deal of meaning although the fish population has seen its ups and downs over the past twenty years or so due to over-fishing and poor spawning seasons. But for many years the area has been well known throughout the country as being a fantastic place to fish in the springtime when the fish make their annual spawning run upstream from the Albemarle Sound.

Soil samples taken some years ago at various points along the shoreline indicated that the pH levels vary. Further downstream the acidity level is higher which makes good growing places for certain species of plants. The area known as Camassia Slopes, which is located just below Weldon, contains many different kinds of unusual and colorful plants which can be seen growing along the riverbanks and ravines. Many are not natural to the area but actually got a foothold thousands of years ago as floodwaters left tiny seedlings along these slopes. These seedlings apparently came from the far end of the river in the mountains of Virginia and they were carried this way by the strong currents where they settled and were able to thrive in the areas where the soil has high pH levels.

At the lower end of the river, one can see lily pads and a great widening of the waters as the mouth of the river opens up into the Albemarle Sound. In this particular area, the color of the water appears darker and provides some really good bass fishing. This is only 137 miles from the Roanoke Rapids dam. So, for anyone who would like to go that far by boat, be sure to carry enough fuel for the entire trip.

From its humble beginnings in the mountains of Virginia, the mighty Roanoke commences its journey to the sound and along the way the waters constantly lose altitude which accounts for the swift currents that give it the name “River of Death.” With this in mind, acting in a responsible manner can provide you with some memorable times to spend in the great outdoors.