The Island Farm or Etheridge Homeplace traces its beginnings back to January of 1783 when Jesse Etheridge acquired 150-acre tract from Joseph Mann. In 1787, Jessie purchased another 150 acres, which gave him access to Roanoke Sound and early maps indicate that it was on this property that he built a home. But it was Jesse's grandson, Adam Dough Etheridge, who built the house that is the heart of Island Farm today.

Family documents and oral history recall the Etheridge Farm was well constructed and lovingly maintained. However, compared to agricultural complexes on the mainland, Roanoke Island farmsteads were simple at best.

For more information about the Island Farm, please visit http://www.theislandfarm.com. Available on the website is a down-loadable PDF about the history of the farm by Penne Smith Sandbeck.

Island Farm will be open to the public Summer of 2010.

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