Quilt Trails of the Tar & Roanoke Rivers brings 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.  Our trail is the only official trail in Eastern North Carolina

The Quilt Trails program got its start in Ohio when Donna Sue Groves put a block on her barn to honor her mother. From that simple act, the program has spread to 30 states and Canada.

Over the years, other states developed their own quilt trails. In September 2011, The Franklin County Arts Council was given The Tar River Quilt Trail by artists Theresa Brown and Stephen Filarsky to set Franklin County apart and 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 name was changed to Quilt Trails of the Tar & Roanoke Rivers.

In 2023, Franklin County Arts Council disbanded, and the Quilt Trails of the Tar & Roanoke Rivers became a separate nonprofit organization.

The Vision for Quilt Trails of the Tar & Roanoke Rivers is to expand to all of Piedmont and Eastern North Carolina exploring the heritage of our communities. 

Each block has a story to tell about its location and owners.