Quilt Trails of the Tar & Roanoke Rivers bring the tradition of displaying painted quilt blocks on buildings to Piedmont and Eastern North Carolina counties bordering the Tar & Roanoke Rivers capturing the history of our communities.  

Enjoyable not only for quilting enthusiasts, the Quilt Trails aspire to educated and provide history of the region.  Each block features a quilt pattern inspired by its location. The 'Quilt Block Story' is captured in the The Tar & Roanoke Rivers Quilt Trail Guide. 

Our Mission is to preserving the history of our communities and to promote tourism and economic growth in our region.

The Tar River Quilt Trail was launched by Theresa Brown and Stephen Filarsky in September 2011 as a way to set Franklin County apart to attract visitors to the county.  Theresa and Stephen turned the Quilt Trail project over to Charles Powell and a dedicated team of Art Council volunteers.  Charles was instrumental in the growth of the Quilt Trail; and, with growth and expansion into surrounding counties, the quilt trails name changed to The Quilt Trails of the Tar & Roanoke Rivers. 

Our trail is the only official trail in Eastern North Carolina and has a priority to bring tourist to the area to explore our rural heritage. Each block has a story to tell about its location and the owners. 

The blocks are square, wooden blocks ... 2'x2', 3'x3', 4'x4', 6'x6' or 8'x8' ... painted with a single quilt block pattern. Members put in many hours building, priming, and painting the quilt patterns onto the wooden blocks.

While navigating the Quilt Trails in Central and Eastern North Carolina, travelers can enjoy the area’s art, history, agriculture, and scenic byways. What began as a local endeavor has spread from Franklin County to Granville County, Martin County, Nash County, Pitt County, Vance County, and Wake County.....and is still growing.

The plan is to follow the Rivers to the coast including all of Eastern North Carolina.