It’s a scene that is repeated over and over during the spring and summer in Rocky Mount. Children anxiously await their turn to take the reins of one of the large, wooden, hand painted carousel horses that have kept watch over Sunset Park for decades.

This picturesque setting is just one of the examples of the wonderful resources Rocky Mount has available through its extensive park system. Today, we’ll take an imaginary journey through some of the city’s parks, looking for both inspiration and historical significance…and we’ll start with the carousel horses in Sunset Park.

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What do volleyball, dance recitals, your next family reunion and a jazz concert have in common? 

They are all events that can be hosted at the Rocky Mount Event Center. This amazing venue will contribute to the evolving face of Rocky Mount’s renovated downtown. We’re sure you have some questions about the center, and we’ve got the answers. 

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From the gazebo at Battle Park, visitors can watch the Tar River cascade over the rocky boulders at the "falls of the Tar." The rolling water hearkens back to a time when the flowing river complemented the rattle and hum coming from the machines at Rocky Mount Mills. While the mill itself has gone silent, the area is very much alive. New innovations, a brewery incubator, restoration of the mill village and even a mill 5K run mark a new era for this North Carolina landmark.

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A library is much more than a building; it's an important building block of the community. It provides much more than a haven for local bookworms—it offers extensive resources to help local residents learn, grow and refine new skills.

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It’s been decades since that first post office was established near the “rocky mound,” the area we have come to know and love has transformed and continues to grow, change and develop. Whether you’ve lived in Rocky Mount your entire life or you’re a recent transplant just getting to know the area, we know you likely have a mental list of all the Rocky Mount things for which you are thankful.

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History is something that can’t always be quantified with a story. Sometimes it seeps into our being through song, experience and even the heart of our buildings. The Imperial Centre for the Arts and Sciences in downtown Rocky Mount is much more than a hub of education and activity. Its history represents the story of Rocky Mount itself.

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You can see a beautiful, stately manor sitting on the top of a grassy hill as you drive along highway 64. It’s a local treasure named Stonewall Manor, built by Bennett Bunn and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Its classic, antebellum structure has made it a Rocky Mount landmark.

This year, organizers and volunteers are seeking funds to help renovate and repair this gorgeous architectural treasure. But how much do you know about  Stonewall Manor? Take our quiz to find out!

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