On day 51 of “The Ultimate USA Road Trip” we drive from Kill Devil Hills to Farmville in Virginia. We leave North Carolina north to Norfolk, the city with the largest naval base in the world. Anyone interested in this can plan a visit to this city.

The first stop is planned in the small town of Currituck where we stop to take a photo at the Currituck County Courthouse and Jail. The original two-story portion of the courthouse was built in 1842 and was enlarged with a second story in 1897, with another rear wing added in 1952. The prison was built in 1857 and is a two-story rectangular building with 81 centimeters thick brick walls. It is one of the oldest surviving prisons in North Carolina. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

We drive around the “Great Dismal Swamp”, literally translated “Great Dismal Swamp”, this is a swampy region on the coastal plain of southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina, between Norfolk and Elizabeth City. It is one of many marshes along the Atlantic Ocean coast.
Essential to the swamp's ecosystem are the water resources, the local vegetation and the many animal species that live there. Its ecological significance and rich history make the Great Dismal Swamp a unique wilderness. It is one of the largest natural areas in the eastern United States. Logging and many other human activities over the past centuries have affected the ecosystem. In 1973, the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge was established. The swamp is now a protected natural area with an area of 500 km² of wetland. Lake Drummond, a lake with an area of 13 km², is located in the heart of this nature reserve and is known for the large cypresses in the lake. The lake has an oval shape and many think that this lake was created by the impact of a meteorite.

We drive on beautiful provincial roads through green Virginia. We drive through the Antioch Pines Natural Area Preserve, a 1,017-acre nature reserve located along the Blackwater River near Zuni, Virginia. It contains loblolly pines and turkey oaks, and several rare Oak species in Virginia, including Plukenet's, flatsedge, sandy-woods, chaffhead, and adderina; in addition, several types of wildflowers grow in the gullies, including orchids, trilliums, bellworts, and lilies. Also on the property are a few longleaf pines that represent some of the last species in Virginia.

In Petersburg we will visit the Petersburg National Battlefield, in this park 16 sites have been preserved related to the siege of Petersburg during the American Civil War (1864-1865). There is a Visitors Center where you can watch a video of this 292 day war. The displays and artifacts provide an insight into how intense the fighting was in Petersburg, and how miserable life was for soldiers living in trenches. In the park you can drive the 6.5 km route past a number of forts and battlefields where the soldiers fought for the fate of their nation. There are also several hiking trails along this route to explore the park. There are several parking spaces, public toilets and information boards.

There are a number of points along the route where you should definitely stop;
• Confederate Fort Friend, also known as Battery 8. It was a Confederate States Army artillery battery and fort, later converted to the Union Army, located along the Dimmock Line that defended Petersburg during the American Civil War. One of 55 fortified artillery positions dug along the Confederate defense line in 1862. Battery 8 was renamed "Fort Friend" for the Friend House nearby.
• Battery 9, which was charged by 3,500 men of the 1st and 22nd US Colored Troops, overcoming heavy resistance from part of Brigadier General Henry A. Wise's brigade in Virginia. By the morning of June 16, the 1.5-mile Confederates Line between Batteries 3 and 11 was in Union hands. There is also a memorial to the colored troops of the United States.
• Fort Stedman, of the Confederates States Army during the siege of Petersburg in 1864-1865. Fort Stedman was one of more than 30 forts occupying Union siege lines during the Petersburg campaign, and it was garrisoned by 300 infantrymen and 6 guns.
• Fort Haskell of the Confederates States Army during the Civil War. During the Battle of Fort Stedman, Army survivors fled to Fort Haskell where Confederate artillery bombarded them. The Confederates States Army artillery mistakenly believed that Fort Haskell had fallen and, along with the Confederates, opened fire on the fort. A Confederate division attacked Fort Haskell that same morning, but Confederates States Army infantrymen and three guns inflicted heavy casualties on the Confederates.
• The ruins of the Taylor House. The Taylor House is thought to have been destroyed in the opening raids on Petersburg in mid-June 1864. The kitchen and chimney are all that remain.
• The site of the "Battle of the Crater" which took place on July 30, 1864 during the American Civil War. The "Crater" was created after the Confederates States Army sent former miners from the 48th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment to undermine and blow up Confederate positions outside Petersburg. At 4:40 a.m. on July 30, 1864, a massive explosion created a smoking hole 160 feet long, 80 feet wide, and 30 feet deep, killing 278 Confederates and destroying two 1,700-pound guns. It's a short walk from the parking lot.

The next stop is at Petersburg City Market, also known as Farmers Market, this is a historic public market located at 9 East Old Street in Petersburg. It was built in 1878-1879 through a land trustee by merchant Robert Balling. The Stadsmarkt is an octagonal brick building. It measures 93 feet in diameter and is surrounded by a large metal canopy supported by elaborate iron braces. The market's elevated interior was originally where perishables were sold, while the outdoor stalls were for produce. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1969. It is located in the historic district of the Old Town of Petersburg. In this building is the Croaker's Spot, a Soul Food Restaurant that you should not miss, enjoy the delicious dishes and atmosphere.

We drive past the former “Dunlop Tobacco Factory” in Petersburg. These two factory buildings were built at about the same time. In it, tobacco was manufactured and sold all over America and the world, especially in Australia and New Guinea. In 1909, this thriving establishment had about 800 employees, most of them African Americans. In 1979–1984 the factory was renovated into social housing for the elderly and disabled.

To the side of the “Dunlop Tobacco Factory” are the remains of Peter Jones Trading Station. Park opposite the entrance to the “Dunlop Tobacco Factory” and walk to N Market St and turn right to the remains of the Peter Jones Trading Station. Traditionally, this stone structure is thought to date back to 1665, making it the oldest building in Petersburg. Also called the Stone Lumber House, this property was part of the original Fort Henry tract owned by Abraham Wood and Peter Jones in the 17th century. It is located at the most historic intersection of W Old St and N Market St, in Petersburg, just south of the Appomattox River.

When we leave Petersburg we can stop briefly just before the bridge. Park on the right and walk the short Lower Appomattox River Trail to the Appomattox River Fall, a place to snap some photos of the Appomattox River Fall.

From Petersburg it is about 100 kilometers to Farmville, the end point of this day. No stops are planned during the last part of the ride, but it is a nice ride through the beautiful nature of Virginia. There are several good hotels to stay in Farmville.