This is North Carolina's oldest town, Historic Bath, located here behind the Outer Banks.

More than half a century before the American Revolution, this small port was the site of a bitter power struggle, not against the crown, but a group called the Lord's Proprietors who ruled them with great autonomy.

In the early 1700s, Carolina was one colony ruled by the heirs of eight English noblemen.

But this power structure was not without its dissenters.

Many were Protestants, belonging to other denominations outside the official Church of England.

They resented the feudal-like system they lived under.

The poll taxes, annual fees, and loyalty oaths, which effectively barred Quakers, the area's dominant political force, from public office.

What followed was decades of political chaos, and eventually, an armed rebellion.

A colonial official named Thomas Cary outfitted a ship, sailed into the Albemarle Sound, and tried to overthrow the government by force.

British Marines from Virginia put Cary's rebellion down, but it wouldn't be the last.

By 1729, the proprietors' colonies were so plagued with problems that the British crown bought them out and took back direct control of North Carolina.

Today, Historic Bath invites you to walk through the streets where colonial merchants traded, ship captains came home, and news of Lexington and Concord arrived on horseback in the spring of 1775.

Each location offers a window into a different chapter of the town's story.

The Palmer Marsh House, the Bonner House, and the Historic Bath Exhibit Center, housed in a renovated 1922 schoolhouse, and free to visit Tuesday through Saturday.

- We have a relatively large historic site, it's 14 acres.

We have two houses that are on tour.

- It's bought by the Palmer family by Colonel Robert Palmer.

Later on, he passes it down to his son, William.

- We have other historic houses throughout the site.

We also have historic gardens.

We have a number of historical highway markers.

You can walk through town and just read the historical highway markers.

The site has a state dock that's a free dock for 72 hours.

We're very proud of what we have to offer here.

- But perhaps the most compelling thing about Bath is simply the waterfront.

- Coming up to Bonner's Point, where you've got water on both sides, is really beautiful.

And right down the street, you can enjoy local favorites like the Thirsty Mermaid, a coffee shop and boutique.

- It's mostly local artists who make everything from pens to toys to very unique items.

And then we have a full coffee shop.

So we have everything from frappuccinos to lattes to smoothies.

It's a different feeling when you walk the streets here.

It is just a beautiful, quaint, quiet town.

It just pulls you.

It's like no other place.

When you come to visit Bath, you really should take the time to come through and see the exhibit.

It has some specific artifacts in it that are unusual.

And it does a good job of telling you the story of Bath.

Being North Carolina's first town, I think, is very important.

And to realize that we came, really, from very humble beginnings.

People came here and worked to make their way.

There's a part of you that really can look out over the water and imagine what it was like 300 years ago.

- What was once the capital of the colony is now a small town with a long history.

- To plan a visit to historic Bath, North Carolina's oldest town, go to historicsites.nc.gov and search for Bath.

The Thirsty Mermaid is located in Bath at 103 South Main Street and they're open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m.

to 5 p.m.

and on Sundays from 10 a.m.

to 3.