Get to know Hertford, NC
With Carolina Traveler's My Town Ambassador, Sid Eley
Upon asking Stacey Layden, Perquimans County Tourism Director, who she thought would make an excellent area ambassador, she chuckled instantly: “Sid Eley is the one to talk to.” She must have been cracking a smile so big I could hear it through the phone, and I knew I'd be in for a treat.
Soft-shell crab from Story's Seafood in Hertford, NC
Carolina Traveler: Mr. Sid Eley – your past titles include Mayor, Council Member, Chamber Director, Fire Department Chief, and teacher. We trust you to tell us the best way to spend a summer day in Perquimans County.
Sid Eley: We’re lucky enough to be out on the river, which is great for fishing or doing absolutely nothing at all. There’s a lot of wildlife here – deer, bear, turkey. In the fall, you’ll find bluegill, brim, white perch, striped bass, and rockfish. You’ve got to order some fresh catfish at Story’s Seafood Market & Grill, and soft shell crab (when it’s in season).
Carolina Traveler: Speaking of which, you started the Jim “Catfish” Hunter Museum, which evolved into the Perquimans County History Museum. How did that come about?
Perquimans County NC hometown heroes: Jim “Catfish” Hunter of Hertford and DJ Wolfman Jack of Belvidere
Jim “Catfish” Hunter played Major League Baseball as a pitcher with the Kansas City/Oakland A’s and the New York Yankees. The first pitcher to win 200 games by age 31 since 1915, he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1987.
Sid Eley: I started the museum as Chamber Director. When Catfish was in high school, his brother blew his toe off, so he pitched senior year with pellets in his foot and as soon as he signed with the A’s they took him to take the pellets out. When he died, he still had pellets in that foot!
I taught and coached all three of his children, and Jimmy outfitted both the boys and girls teams. He and his brother worked all day long on my athletic fields. Another night he told me to drive the pickup truck out to see him – he had three big boxes labeled “Catfish.” They were Yankee baseballs that had only been hit one time, and he told me to take them to the middle and high school.
Carolina Traveler: Are there any other hometown heroes from the Hertford area?
Sid Eley: After he was in American Graffiti, the famous radio DJ Wolfman Jack got married and moved to Belvidere to escape Hollywood. You’d hear him do the “Live from LA…” bit taped in Belvidere…he’d walk into the library and do the Wolfman howl!
Get the best ice cream in Hertford NC at Woodard's Pharmacy.
Carolina Traveler: What do you think makes Hertford a special place that people want to come back to?
Sid Eley: For 54 years, I’ve been an active fireman. Over 285 of us in the community once spent four days fighting a fire. Many more helped in other ways by providing food. We try to help each other out all the time like that.
Carolina Traveler: Last and most important question – where’s the best place to get ice cream in Perquimans County?
Sid Eley: That would be Woodard’s [Pharmacy] – I like the banana pudding ice cream!
Read more about how to spend the perfect weekend in Perquimans County NC!
