8 things to know about Navassa as it prepares to celebrate its Homecoming Festival

Navassa, one of the fastest-growing towns in Brunswick County with a population of 1,525, will be celebrating its Homecoming Festival soon. Here are some interesting facts about Navassa as the town prepares to celebrate.

More: These 4 Brunswick County towns are among the fastest growing in North Carolina

1. Who founded Navassa?

Named after one of the area’s fertilizer factories, the town's formation was influenced by the town’s location and the economics of the 19th century. Some prudent businessmen, led by Donald McRae realized the distinct advantages of locating a fertilizer factory at this location. In 1856, guano (excrement of seabirds and bats deposits) was discovered on Navassa Island (a small barren island about 15 miles off the coast of Jamaica). McRae and his business partners decided to have the returning ships loaded with the guano to produce fertilizer. This led to the construction of the Navassa Guano Factory in 1869 (named after Navassa Island). Three additional fertilizer plants would be constructed within the town’s municipal boundaries: Armour Fertilizer (1919), Royster Fertilizer (1927), and Smith-Douglas Fertilizer (1946). Those four now defunct fertilizer plants employed over 4,000.

2. How did the Homecoming Festival begin?

It began as a concept at Cornelius “Beezle” Bryant's funeral in 1981 in Newark, New Jersey. Bryant was well-known in Navassa, thus, several Navassa residents traveled to New Jersey to attend his funeral. Before leaving Bryant’s funeral, it was decided to organize a “homecoming” banquet in correlation with the Fourth of July holiday. More information can be found at https://www.townofnavassa.org/index.php/community/navassa-parade.

3. Where is Navassa located?

Nestled on the west bank at the junction of the Brunswick and Northeast Cape Fear Rivers in Brunswick County, the town is roughly 5 miles west of the metropolitan city of Wilmington.

4. What was Navassa's major mode of transportation?

Boats and trains. The fast-growing seaport in Wilmington in the pre-Civil War era, it was isolated from the inland farmers in western North Carolina. Trains were limited to travel only as far as Belville where the track stopped. The freight had to be manually transported across the Brunswick and Cape Fear Rivers.

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5. When did railroad tracks and bridges come to exist?

“High bluffs” that came right to the edge of the Cape Fear River from the west, and a land mass between Navassa and Wilmington allowed the construction of railroad tracks across Eagle’s Island. In 1867, two years after the Civil War, the railroad company decided to build a bridge across the Cape Fear River from Navassa. Constructing the bridge allowed two railroad companies (Atlantic Coast Line and The Seaboard Airline) to connect Wilmington with Charlotte and the interior counties of South Carolina.

6. When was Navassa incorporated?

The town was incorporated on March 18, 1977.

7. Since the town's incorporation, how many leaders have there been?

There have been two mayors and an elected five-member town council. Louis A. Brown, Navassa’s first mayor, served from 1977-1999. Eulis A. Willis, Brown’s mayoral successor, has served since 1999. Prior to his mayoral tenure, Mayor Willis served on Navassa’s Town Council for 21 years.

8. What are some of the town's accomplishments? 

Navassa’s growth continues to prosper while trying to maintain its heritage, culture and integrity. The town has seen many residential and commercial undertakings — the completion of the I-140 interchange, a large waste treatment plant, access to city water, installed sewer collection lines, and other amenities, the town has begun to see an influx of development.

More: First phase of 1,000-acre mixed use development begins construction in Navassa

Want to go?

What? Navassa Homecoming Festival

When: 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday, July 9 at Navassa Township District Park, 800 Park Ave.

Info: The one-day festival will include a dedication ceremony, food trucks, games, various vendors, face painting, music, a corn hole tournament, special performances by Futureent Records Artists and other entertainment.

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Navassa Homecoming Festival will be held Saturday, July 9